Oct 24, 2024, 09:39 PM ET
AUSTIN, Texas — Alyssa Thompson scored her first goal for the United States women’s national team, and Jaedyn Shaw and Sophia Smith scored late on Thursday at Q2 Stadium as the Americans defeated Iceland 3-1 in their first match since winning a fifth Olympic gold medal in August.
Thompson broke the deadlock in the 39th minute, cutting inside to put the ball on her right foot and smashing a shot off the underside of the crossbar near the far corner.
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“Coming onto the field and wearing this jersey in the beginning, I was like, ‘This is surreal,'” Thompson said at halftime. “I just — I can’t describe how I feel. I’m so happy.”
Thursday’s match was the start of the USWNT’s victory tour since the Paris Games. The Americans play Iceland again on Sunday in Nashville, Tennessee, and Argentina on Wednesday in Louisville, Kentucky.
“I know she’s committed to looking for the next level in her play, and I think you see just how threatening and dangerous she is,” U.S. manager Emma Hayes said of Thompson after the match. “It’s not an easy goal, drop in from the left-hand side and roof it in the top corner. But she is someone who is — her international career started at a very early stage. That’s why I believe it does take time.
“Maybe she wasn’t ready before, but I can see from tonight’s performance here that she offers a lot for us going forward, and I was super pleased for her goal and performance.”
Iceland equalized early in the second half when Selma Magnusdottir scored on a low, left-footed strike from just outside the box after evading three USWNT midfielders.
The visitors, ranked 13th in the world, were organized defensively and outshot the USWNT in the first half despite holding only about one-third of possession.
Alyssa Thompson, right, celebrates after scoring her first goal for the USWNT. Getty Images
But the USWNT broke through in the second half with key contributions off the bench. Shaw, playing in her first game since July after not playing a minute at the Olympics due to a lower-body injury, slipped in behind Iceland’s defense in the 85th minute and poked the ball between goalkeeper Telma Ívarsdóttir‘s legs for the go-ahead goal.
“I just say it’s all God’s plan,” Shaw said, reflecting on her experience at the Olympics. “It was a really tough month for me, but it was also the best month of my life, and I learned a lot from it. And so it just made me hungrier to come back and produce the same if not more.”
Shaw had entered the match in the 67th minute to take over the No. 10 role from captain Lindsey Horan. Three minutes after Shaw’s goal, Smith scored on a volley from just inside the box. The Portland Thorns star has been dealing with an ankle injury that caused her to miss a month of the NWSL season recently. She entered Thursday’s match in the 72nd minute.
Hayes said earlier this week that her team’s purpose in this international window is twofold: a reflection on the Olympics and a turning of the page toward the team’s next phase — one she sees Shaw playing a big part in.
“I think every single one in our locker room is over the moon for Jaedyn Shaw knowing what she experienced in the summer,” Hayes said. “Her ability to create and score goals is second to none in this country. Her feet were fabulous. She took her goal well and looked very threatening.”
Hayes’ promise of old and new played out on Thursday, with a familiar lineup rolled out at the start followed by returns and debuts.
Thompson, 19, made her first appearance for the USWNT in 10 months after participating in the 2023 World Cup as an 18-year-old. She was the only member of the USWNT’s starting lineup on Thursday who was not on the Olympic roster.
Forward Yazmeen Ryan and midfielder Hal Hershfelt made their USWNT debuts off the bench in the second half. Emily Sonnett started at center-back to earn her 100th cap, becoming the 45th player in program history to hit the century mark.
