USWNT & Argentina
Local team kits on full display, with a very young starting 11, a trio of Bats chat it over as another gets the start. One teenager for the US in Yohannes. Earlier in the She Believes Cup, Canada beat Colombia 4-1, who the US face at SI Stadium soon. A Chicago Bears top worn in Nashville.
The teams have taken the field, there is only a bit of sun on the field, not near the goals. A quick look at Yohannes teamed up with her club teammate, Heaps who captains the side. From the center circle then across the back line up then back to them all again go the US. Yohannes with a heavy touch recovers and at 40 seconds, the US is in the are but the GK is a step quicker. So many new players and the commentators speak on things, not the game. A good minute now of not calling the game. US pressing and win a throw near the top of the area. More pressure and the US get it in the neutral zone. Argentina has just one player in their domestic league. The US again get it just beyond the area and back below the circle twice, and again. Yohannes finds Shaw outside now for Heaps who comes over to help, ARG get a throw just below the circle. Moultrie does not beat her mark US throw. Sears isolated on the wing, loses it out of touch. The pass from Shaw was on the money, now just beyond the area the US get a throw. Heaps, a few passes and it is lost, the pressure keeps up from the US, won back, into the area the GK has it at her feet. Now starting from more forward, just below the circle, now in their area, Argentina face no pressure. US pressed in their area, they break it but the pass out far too strong now an Argentina throw between the area and circle. Played back to Dickey and her ball out goes high but not far and out for a throw that her team takes away. Sears with a lead ball, defense caught up with her in the area and now a corner off the ball from Heaps. She was drifting wide of the net. Moultrie on the corner, far side of the area, the GK is up, does not hold it and play on. US foul as the player holds her foot as she rocks back and forth on the ground, she is up. Over the top taken out of the air by Argentina, US throw very far in their defensive end. Lost, Sears blocks a ball in ARG corner to come. Across the 6 and shot, saved but offside. Sears and Joseph press a ball back, out and Arg down from a head clash with Yohannes, immediate whistle. The player is up, under her own power to the touchline. Played to the GK and she goes up the middle of the field just past an opponent. To the corner and pulled back, then sent out for a deep US throw at 19’. Sears pulls it back to the top of the area, Heaps settles and makes no mistake off the inside of her foot and the back of the net 1-0. US held it along with wing and this was against the run of play as it went back and not across, Sears lays it off at the side of the 6. Joseph is through on goal but offside, but a good side shot does not really support that. Yohanes outside from Joseph into Moultrie and the GK gets to it first as it was put to the top of the 6 with a pair of US players coming in on goal. US win a corner as Olivia goes to take it. Side of the 6, to Heaps and into the side netting. Joseph drops to Heaps and the US win a throw. Joseph to Oliva, she drives it in and offside called. Again straight up the middle from the GK with a defender nearby, that needs to stop. A pass behind the target by the US and ARG has a throw, they go far back two times, now to the GK. Over the top and the US wins it, Shaw to Sears but it is lost and a long pass to nowhere and the US have a throw. Shaw in the circle does well to hold off a defender now forward to the area and though a taken down the US player does not get the whistle. A first touch pass outside by the US is lost. Thompson passes to a marked Heaps, Falfan fouls, DFK US. Shaw puts her player off balance and a foul called. A ball cut back has Heaps getting caught up from behind, she is down moving her right leg about, Lindsay is up. Sears to Shaw a quick outlet is too far, ARG throw. Yohannes wins a challenge, Shaw is pulled down by the hair, caution issued to Dominguez at 40’. Heaps with a quick chat with the ref. DFK from very far as a it goes just out of play for a goal kick. A 2 v 1 for ARG, Yohannes takes the ball away killing the advantage. Yohannes upends her player DFK AR. to be taken from 25 yards and wide and high of the frame. Braun gets not enough on the ball and the US is closing on it, the GK, well off her line gets to it first. In their area the US is pressed, they win a deep throw at about 10 yards. Shaw is out as she plays it out of touch. There will be a trio of minutes in added time. Long distance shot by ARG and it is off but not by much. Sears plays it out with a minute left in extra time. Olivia alone leads the pack, seeks Shaw covered by a pair is fouled. The ARG captain is down but up quickly.
Reale and Hudson in for US, the youth movement continues out are Joseph and Dahlien. Reale of Gotham is of course the Rookie of the 2025 Season for the NWSl. Argentina dodges a bullet as the US ball in bounds over the endline. Heaps with a foul at midfield. Over the top a first time shot with some pace behind it by Segundo is right at the GK, what a chance, it was a difficult angle but a great effort. Simple ball over the top, struck on the short hop, not overpowered. ARG into the area Thompson knocks it down with numbers but a bit of an errant pass turned away for a US throw and they go to their backfield. Yohannes goes endline for Thompson and the ball in is denied for a deep throw, lost and recovered. Reale pulls it back for Yohannes, now out to Thompson into the area, nodded out, Reale is down, in a big collision, she is up, walking a bit gingerly. Olivia to the top of the area back to her now Shaw hits one that the GK could not hold, 2-0 at 56’. A chest high curling ball put in from the Heaps pass just slips by, Shaw is now the 44th player with double digit goals for the USA. Reale is still not right. Seems to be her ankle as it is touched she grimaces. Her right foot winds up under the leg during the tackle and her weight of course kept going. Up now are Sentnor, Fox & Rodman, 60’ is typical to sub. Lilly is out, scant minutes in then out. ARG fights their way through a number of US players, US throw just beyond the top of the area. Shaw, Yohannes and of course Reale are out. Big smiles with Rose and Shaw on the bench. How loud is the crowd for Rodman. Over the top for Rodman, the GK off her line wins the ball. Fox with her first touch. ARG pressing the US in their area, now win a deep throw, taken by Fox. ARG about to put a pair in as Martin & Sax are up. In what looks like a jail break is off side for the US as they do put one in the net. Out for ARG are Sachs & Stabile. A long ball headed back to Dickey with some pressure. ARG with some great passes get to the area, pull it back and the US foul Segundo just beyond the area by Thompson. From about 20 yards out but left of the goal, Dickey picks the ball out of traffic. A shot was the thing to do. Segundo in on Hutton and now she goes across the 6, nobody home, maybe another shot? Great passing by the US to both move the ball and deal with pressure. Trinty endline, too high in for Sears, Sears cleans it up. Moultrie to Fox and Oliva cannot get to the ball lead to her. Again the pressure has the US going back now. Subs coming with another Thompson, Alyssa up for Sears. ARG has a few up as well for the last 15’. ARG has Del Trecoo and Gimenex on as Holzheir is out with Morcillo. Fox on the lead now the pass to an offside player, US had superior numbers by far. Alyssa while double teamed gets the throw in, only to be sandwiched and now a DFK for the US. Heaps tripped up by Sax at 80’. Olivia over the ball and a lot of movement in the area. The GK has it, drops it and recovers. A ball out from the US GK leads to a mid air collision, play is stopped to see about the ARG player she is up and will stay on, Hard tackle by Oliva and she ignores the approaching ARG captain the crowd very loud. A better look shows Olivia being pushed a few times, but she pays it no mind. Ongar and Vargas are on for Arg, off come Preininger and Falfan at 85’. Arg are still pushing the issue. Alyssa to Fox she looks in sent back and Alyssa has it, now to the US backfield. Moultrie pushed form behind. Setnor flattened. Moultrie just a half step ahead of Rodman with her pass in the area. Alyssa with an overlap gets a lead ball from Fox, returns it now Fox, who then goes back, she gets it back Aylssa on the left wing, endline, pulls it back in the area headed on by Rodman and the GK has it. Added time will total 5’. Rodman dropped and hit while down by Martin, she remains down, caution issued, trainers called on by a player. A voice can be heard crying out, she was hit in her lower back, landed on her knees, then went down. She had been out with a number of injuries and is now on her side as she receives treatment. Rudd comes over to get rid of the ARG players coming to Trinity. She is now seated up, pain clear in her face as she is helped to her feet. She had been out for a time with back issues, I trust she does not return for a few minutes of added time in a 2-0 game. Go forward a player down. The broadcasters agree, but I recall Purce hurting her knee, my thinking get her out, she remained then she was out with that knee injured. A long high DFK grabbed out of the air by Dickey, a foul called, that takes more time off the clock. Rodman moves, grimacing, Hayes turns to Reddy stating My God. At the whistle opponents come to Rodman, they are turned away, players approach Heaps.