USWNT beats Wales 2-0 behind Trinity Rodman brace in World Cup send-off match

SAN JOSE, Calif. – The U.S. Women’s National Team beat Wales 2-0 in the team’s final match before the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in front of an electric sell-out crowd of 18,000. Two goals from forward Trinity Rodman, which marked her first career brace, led the USA to victory.

It was a memorable day as Rodman’s two goals made her the youngest USWNT player – at 21 years and 50 days of age – to score multiple times in a game since Mallory Swanson (formerly Pugh) did so in April of 2019, while midfielder Savannah DeMelo played in her first USWNT match after becoming just the third player in team history to be named to a World Cup roster before earning a full senior team cap.

The USA will now travel to New Zealand, where the team will take on World Cup debutantes Vietnam and Portugal in the group stage, along with 2019 Women’s World Cup runners-up Netherlands. The USA will play the entirety of the group stage in New Zealand.

The USA played dominant first half in which it totaled eight shots and 75 percent of possession while keeping the visitors without any shots of their own, but the Americans could not puncture and disciplined and tough Wales back line. The USA came out with more aggression in the second half, posing threats immediately and often while pinning Wales inside their own defensive third. Rodman, who was a halftime substitute, provided the spark in the attack that led to the victory.

The Wales back line finally caved in the 76^th minute as the USA, which had fresh legs on a hot Bay Area day after using four substitutions by that point, caught the Welsh on a breakaway in which midfielder Lynn Williams played a brilliant through ball for forward Sophia Smith on the left wing. From there, she dribbled into the box and played a pass across the penalty area for Rodman to finish into the open net on her first touch.

Rodman then doubled the lead in the 87^th minute after a tired Wales scrambled to deny a series of dangerous USA chances inside the box. The 21-year-old got the ball at the top of the 18-yard box, set herself up for a shot and fired an impressive, curling strike to the top right corner to beat the goalkeeper.

After the final whistle, the USA celebrated its WWC Send-Off moment during which each player on the roster was recognized and the team celebrated with fans ahead of its departure for New Zealand.

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

• Midfielder Savannah DeMelo is the 18th player overall to earn a first cap under head coach Vlatko Andonovski. Nine of those 18 players – Cook, DeMelo, Girma, Kingsbury, Murphy, Rodman, Sanchez, Smith, Thompson – are on this World Cup roster.
• DeMelo is the first player to debut for the USWNT in 2023 and the 252nd player all-time to earn a cap for the USWNT.
• San Jose native Naomi Girma made her 16th international appearance and 14th career start as she got to play her first match with the USWNT in her hometown. Girma, one of four players on this World Cup roster born after the historic 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup, made her senior National Team debut in April of 2022 and has played the full 90 minutes in 11 of her 16 career caps.
• Rodman’s goals were her third and fourth career goals and her first and second in 2023.
• Sophia Smith’s assist to set up Rodman’s goal was her fifth career assist.
• Forward Sophia Smith Records Her Fifth Career Assist and First of 2023.
• Rodman is the youngest USWNT player to score multiple goals in a game since Mallory Swanson (formerly Pugh) did so in April of 2019.
• Rodman’s second goal was her fifth goal involvement of the year (2 goals, 3 assists) which moves her into a tie with Rose Lavelle for the second-most by any USWNT player in 2023.
• The USA earned 11 corners, the most recorded by the team in a single match this year.

-U.S. WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM MATCH REPORT-

Match: United States Women’s National Team vs. Wales
Date: July 9, 2023
Competition: International Friendly
Venue: PayPal Park; San Jose, Calif.
Attendance: 18,000 (sellout)
Kickoff: 4:07 p.m. ET (1:07 p.m. local)
Weather: 67 degrees; sunny

Scoring Summary:   1          2          F

USA                            0          2          2
WAL                            0          0          0

USA – Trinity Rodman (Sophia Smith)        76^th minute
USA – Trinity Rodman                                  87

Lineups:

USA: 1-Alyssa Naeher; 23-Emily Fox (3-Sofia Huerta, 64), 12-Alana Cook (14-Emily Sonnett, 79), 4-Naomi Girma, 19-Crystal Dunn; 17-Andi Sullivan (22-Kristie Mewis, 79), 10-Lindsey Horan (Capt.), 2-Ashley Sanchez (6-Lynn Williams, 64); 11-Sophia Smith, 13-Alex Morgan (20-Trinity Rodman, 46), 7-Alyssa Thompson (9-Savannah DeMelo, 64)

Substitutes not used: 18-Casey Murphy, 21-Aubrey Kingsbury, 5-Kelley O’Hara, 8-Julie Ertz, 15-Megan Rapinoe, 16-Rose Lavelle

Head coach: Vlatko Andonovski

WAL: 12-Olivia Clark; 5-Rhiannon Roberts (16-Charlie Estcourt, 89), 14-Hayley Ladd, 3-Gemma Evans, 2-Lily Woodham (18-Esther Morgan, 46); 11-Hannah Cain, 8-Angharad James, 6-Josie Green (15-Elise Hughes, 82), 9-Kayleigh Green (23-Ffion Morgan, 72); 7-Ceri Holland, 20-Carrie Jones (19-Megan Wynne, 71)

Substitutes not used: 1-Laura O’Sullivan, 21-Safia Middleton-Patel, 13-Mary McAteer, 17-Ella Powell, 22-Anna Filbey, 24-Chloe Williams

Head coach: Gemma Grainger

Stats Summary: USA / WAL

Shots:  22 / 2
Shots on Goal: 7 / 0
Saves: 0 / 5
Corner Kicks: 11 / 2
Fouls: 11 / 11
Offside: 2 / 0

Misconduct Summary:

WAL – Josie Green (Caution)           53^rd minute
WAL – Ceri Holland (Caution)           82

Officials: 

Referee: Karen Hernandez (MEX)
Assistant Referee 1: Mayra Mora (MEX)
Assistant Referee 2: Jessica Morales (MEX)
4th Official: Diana Perez (MEX)

Woman of the Match: Trinity Rodman