Louisville, Kentucky (October 30, 2024) — Naomi Girma, one of the world’s best defenders, scores her long-awaited first professional goal and a stunning second goal as the U.S. Women’s National Team ends the October season with its third win in three games. They defeated Argentina 3-0 in a friendly match hosted by Jim Beam at Lynn Family Stadium.
Girma’s first goal, a short-range header late in the first half, lifted the top-ranked American team to a well-deserved lead in front of a sellout crowd of 13,543 in Louisville, Kentucky, which hadn’t played a game since 2004. An own goal (Gilma scored the last touch for the United States) and Girma’s second goal just after halftime, with a perfectly placed header, put the game out of reach.
The victory was the sixth in the last six meetings against Argentina, following the games against Iceland on October 24 in Austin, Texas and three days later in Nashville, Tennessee. It became.
The win also capped off a successful celebration period that saw seven players make their USWNT debuts and three score their first goals, as this summer’s Olympic victories were honored. Defender Emily Sonnet achieved her 100th cap with Austin, and on October 28 head coach Emma Hayes won the Ballon d’Or’s first women’s Johan Cruyff Trophy as women’s coach of the year.
With many players focused on the final round of the NWSL regular season, which begins on Friday, Coach Hayes introduced a completely overhauled starting lineup, making 10 changes from the game against Iceland on October 27th. Among Louisville’s starters was USWNT debutant Mandy Haught, a 25-year-old Utah Royals goaltender. Central defender Eva Gaetino, a 21-year-old former star currently at Paris Saint-Germain. and Alyssa Maronson, 25-year-old Bay FC left back. It was the first time in 23 years that at least three starters earned their first caps in the same match.
Fresh off her historic USWNT debut with one goal and one assist in Nashville, forward Emma Sears made her first start in the stadium where she plays professionally for Racing Louisville FC. And Rose Lovell, a midfielder who grew up near Cincinnati, will captain the team for the third time in her career after receiving the honor of winning her 100th cap in June. Striker Jadyn Shaw was the only player to start repeatedly from Nashville to Louisville.
The United States faces Argentina, ranked 33rd in the world, with eight months left until next summer’s Copa America Femenina. Las Albiceleste also fielded a relatively young squad, starting with three teenagers, five of whom had fewer than 10 caps, but captain and centre-back Aldana Cometti (85) ) was the only player with more than 50 caps.
A refreshed USA kicked off with high energy as they looked to build chemistry, and their stifling counter-pressing was effective in corralling Argentina early on. It was up to the midfield of LaBelle, Lindsey Horan and Hal Hirschfeld to find a combination that could hold the team’s key. A visitor who burrows deep. Some nice dribble runs by Sears, who was playing on the right flank, also created the havoc we expected to see in the first half.
Ultimately, Lovell’s long free kick in the 37th minute got the Americans off to a good start, and Girma scored a cathartic goal. Ravel’s dangerous shot fell between Cometti and Argentina goalkeeper Solana Pereira. The two sides almost collided as Cometti strained to volley the ball back into the six-yard box, where Girma single-handedly scored with a clean header. The third-year San Diego Wave star’s first professional goal came in his 42nd appearance with the USWNT.
The Americans extended their lead to two points in the 44th minute with the play of the same trio. After Ravel’s corner kick set things up, Dilma met the ball at the near post and headed it into the center of the goalmouth. Cometti was there and tried to clear it, but ended up taking a shot into an unprotected net.
Lavelle was sent off for applause in the opening minutes of the second half and was replaced by Corbin Albert. Just as the cheers had died down, Girma sparked more cheers with his second goal of the night and of his career. This game required a more difficult finish, as Maroncon delivered a cross from the left and Girma lunged forward, keeping his head down and heading the ball into the top right corner of the goal from about 10 yards out. .
Maronson became the second American in two games to record an assist in his national team debut, joining Sears three days earlier. That has never happened before in the program’s history.
The Americans continued to comfortably control the game for the rest of the night, finishing with an 18-4 lead in shots and a 69%-to-31% lead in possession. The US currently has a 17W-1L-3D in 2024 and a 12W-0L-1D under the Hayes administration.
The USWNT is scheduled to reconvene in late November ahead of a high-profile friendly against a European powerhouse. On November 30, the United States will take on England, the 2023 Women’s World Cup runners-up and the 2022 European champions, at Wembley Stadium in London in a showdown of the top two teams in the sport. Three days later, on Dec. 3, the U.S. team will close out 2024 by visiting 2019 World Cup silver medalist, 2017 European champion and world No. 11 ranked Netherlands at ADO Den Haag Stadium in The Hague.
Goal score summary
America — Naomi Girma, 37 minutes: Rose Lovell’s high free kick from about 45 yards fell between Argentine centre-back Aldana Cometti and goalkeeper Solana Pereira. Pereira ran up to catch the ball and Cometti volleyed it out of the air. The ball flew out to Girma, who was running towards the six-yard box. She nodded it to the goal of non-resistance. USA 1, ARG 0
USA — Own goal (Aldana Cometti), 44 minutes: Rose Lovell’s corner kick from the right was flicked on by Naomi Girma at the near post. Argentine centre-back Aldana Cometti put his foot down but could only divert it from close range into an unprotected net. US 2, ARG 0
USA — Naomi Girma (Alyssa Maronson), 49 minutes: Sears’ long cross floated into the penalty area and reached Ashley Sanchez on the left. She turned and played the ball wide to the overlapping Alyssa Maronson, and her low cross was brilliantly redirected by Girma, who headed it into the top right corner from about eight yards out. USA 3, ARG 0 Finals
Additional notes
- The United States finished the year with an 11-1-3 record on home soil, outscoring opponents 36-9 while keeping nine clean sheets.
- The U.S. has won all six games against Argentina and has shutout wins in the last five games, outscoring the South American 35-1 overall.
- It will be the first time since November 27, 2021 that three or more players will earn their first caps in the same match in the United States. In the game, the USA defeated Australia 3-0 at Stadium Australia in Sydney, with Casey Murphy, Ashley Sanchez, Morgan Weaver and Bethany Balcer all making their international debuts.
- With tonight’s three debuts, the USWNT will have 10 players earn their first caps in 2024, including Kristen Press, Christy Meuse, Julie Ertz, Crystal Dunn, Lindsey Horan, and Ashlyn Harris. This is the highest number in a calendar year since 2013, when Morgan Bryan, Erica Timulak, and Erica Tymlak set the record. , Lee Ann Robinson and Amber Brooks all made their debuts.
- The first seven players in this international bracket are two in Austin (Hirschfeld and Ryan), two in Nashville (Sams and Sears), three in Louisville (Gaetino, Hort, and Maronson), and seven in the United States. This is the first time since 2001. or multiple players earn their first cap in one international slot.
- The last time the USWNT had seven or more players debut in three consecutive games was in late 2016, and the last time Andy Sullivan, Casey Krueger, Abby Derkemper, Ashley Hatch and Lynn Williams all debuted was on October 19. It was against Switzerland on Sunday. Kealia Ohai made her debut four days later on 23 October, and Jessica McDonald earned her first cap in the next match against Romania on 10 November 2016.
- Haught becomes the 27th goaltender in USWNT history to earn a cap, and the third in the past five years (Aubrey Kingsbury in 2022 and Casey Murphy in 2021).
- Haught became the ninth goaltender in USWNT history to record a clean sheet in his debut, and the third consecutive goaltender to start his international career with a shutout.
- Maronson became the 17th player in USWNT history to record an assist in his first cap.
~U.S. Women’s National Team Match Report~
Match: USA Women’s National Team vs. Argentina
date: October 30, 2024
competition: international friendly
venue: Linn Family Stadium; Louisville, Kentucky.
Attendance: 13,543 (sold out)
kick off: 7:07pm ET
weather: 72 degrees, clear
| Score overview | 1 | 2 | F |
| united states of america | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| A.R.G. | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| America – Naomi Girma | 37 minutes |
| USA – Own goal (Aldana Cometti) | 44 |
| America – Naomi Girma (Alyssa Maronson) | 49 |
Lineup:
united states of america: 21-Mandy Haught; 8-Haley Mace (23-Emily Fox, 61), 4-Naomi Girma, 22-Eva Gaetino (12-Emily Sams, 70), 25-Alyssa Maronson (20- Casey Krueger, 70). 19-Hal Hirschfeld, 16-Rose Lovell (Capt.) (3-Corbin Albert, 48), 10-Lindsay Horan (9-Mallory Swanson, 61). 26-Emma Sears, 15-Jaedyn Shaw, 2-Ashley Sanchez
Substitutes not used: 1-Alyssa Neher, 5-Jenna Neiswonger, 6-Lynn Williams, 11-Sophia Smith, 14-Emily Sonnett, 17-Sam Coffey, 18-Casey Murphy.
Head Coach: Emma Hayes
ARG: 1- Solana Pereira; 14- Catalina Loggerone, 6- Aldana Cometti (captain), 3- Milagros Martín (8- Margarita Jimenez, 86). 13-Sofia Brown, 16-Sofia Dominguez (18-Carolina Troncoso, 73), 5-Vanina Preininger (4-Anela Niguito, 87), 2-Adriana Sachs. 10- Dalila Ippolito (17- Marianela Szymanowski, 63), 9- Kisi Nunez (11- Yamila Rodriguez, 63), 15- Maricel Pereira (20- Chiara Singarella, 87)
Substitutes not used: 12-Abigail Chavez, 19-Agostina Holzheier
Head coach: Germain Portanova
Statistical overview: United States / ARG
Shot: 18 / 4
Number of shots on goal: 6 / 1
Save: 1 / 4
Corner kick: 9 / 1
Fouls: 9 / 12
Offside: 5/1
Summary of fraud:
none
Persons involved:
Referee: Karen Hernandez Andrade (Mexico)
Assistant Referee 1: Jessica Fernanda Morales (MEX)
Assistant referee 2: Elva Gutierrez Martinez (Mexico)
Fourth official: Alex Billeter (USA)
Michelob Ultrawoman of the Match: Naomi Girma
