The U. S. Ladies’s Nationwide Crew beat Brazil 2-0 in Los Angeles Saturday within the first skilled ladies’s sporting occasion ever held at SoFi Stadium. The win served as a reset after the staff’s disappointing 2-1 loss to Japan in its final outing on the SheBelieves Cup.
USWNT captain Lindsey Heaps warned us before the match that the sport could be quick, aggressive and bodily, and within the opening minutes of the sport, her warning proved prescient. Brazil got here out of the locker room swinging, pushing practically all of its outfield gamers up into the USWNT’s half and forcing tight one-on-one duels. The tactic helped Brazil seize management of the match, nevertheless it did depart Brazil uncovered in its personal half. After 4 minutes of stable Brazil stress, the USWNT’s Alyssa Thompson snatched the ball, pitched a superbly weighted move by way of Brazil’s protection and arrange Trinity Rodman for the sport’s opening objective.
Rodman, all smiles, celebrated by flipping her hair and miming the again damage that has bothered her for a lot of her profession. Was she tempting destiny with that one? Possibly — however Rodman would not be Rodman with out that sort of cheeky enthusiasm. It was fantastic to see her again.
