This international window has been all about firsts for the U.S. women’s national team. For Naomi Girma that came in the form of her first goal on the international stage — and her second.
The U.S. defender took advantage of a ball deflected off Argentinian defender Aldana Cometti, heading it easily through an opening in front of Argenitna’s goal. The sold-out crowd of 13,543 people inside Lynn Family Stadium in Louisville erupted as Girma’s goal opened scoring for the USWNT.
“I’m happy I could get us on the board,” Girma said in her half-time interview. “I’m just looking forward to the second half, so we can hopefully keep breaking them down.”
And that’s exactly what the U.S. did, closing the night with a 3-0 win.
The USWNT ended the first half 2-0, after an Argentinean own goal in the 44th minute, directed into danger by Girma. It didn’t take long in the second half for the team to resume this momentum, with Girma stunning the crowd again with another header, assisted by Alyssa Malonson. It was Malonson’s first assist for the U.S. in her debut.
In her first cap and start, Alyssa Malonson assists Naomi Girma’s first career brace!!! #USWNT x @VW pic.twitter.com/pmg0pcJsqx
— U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team (@USWNT) October 31, 2024
Girma was beaming with joy, ending the night with the captain’s armband, after Lindsay Horan was subbed off in the 61st minute.
The Wednesday night match was the final of three friendlies for USWNT in the October international window. The team also won two games against Iceland, ending both with a score of 3-1. The window was also a celebration, marking the first time the U.S. has played together since winning Olympic Gold in Paris and serving as a time to honor Kelley O’Hara’s retirement as well as Mallory Swanson, Emily Sonnett and Rose Lavelle’s 100th caps.
Wednesday’s game-day roster marked the first time three different U.S. players were on the starting roster for their national team debut since March 7, 2001, according to OptaJack.
3 – Three different #USWNT players (Eva Gaetino, Mandy Haught & Alyssa Malonson) will be starting in their national team debut in the same game for the first time since four did so on March 7, 2001 against Italy. Newcomers. pic.twitter.com/mzv4oVFFUL
— OptaJack⚽️ (@OptaJack) October 30, 2024
Those players, Eva Gaetino, Mandy Haught and Malonson, were just three of the seven players who earned their first caps with the national team this month. They join Hal Hershfelt, Emily Sams, Yazmeen Ryan and Racing Louisville’s Emma Sears, who became only the fourth USWNT player to record a goal and an assist in her debut on Sunday.
Heavily rotating the roster was also by necessity to manage player workload for those who now transition back to their NWSL clubs for the final week of the regular season.
While this window was a trial run for several first-time call-ups, the November camp will come with a tougher test across the Atlantic. The team’s next two matches are against European heavyweights, England and the Netherlands, on Nov. 30 and Dec. 3.
(Top photo: Katie Stratman / Imagn Images)
