Lavelle makes grand return, one of four different players to score as Emma Hayes' side rack up comfortable win over Ireland
The USWNT were less than perfect in the first half. Still, in Rose Lavelle's return, they got the perfect ending.
The USWNT rolled past Ireland, 4-0, on Thursday night just outside of Denver, highlighted by four different goal scorers. Head coach Emma Hayes once again experimented with new players in the starting lineup, and it once again worked.
It's all is all about balance for Hayes, who clearly puts a lot of thought into how she's spacing and lining up her team. Defensively, there is leadership and experience in Emily Sonnett and Naomi Girma, which allows for creativity out wide.
Thus, Hayes includes a fearless Avery Patterson on one wing and an up-and-coming Lilly Reale – getting her first USWNT cap – on the other side. Now, in the midfield it's a similar situation. Hayes always relies on Sam Coffey as one of the holding mids. Coffey is not only reliable, but she's a visionary and helps piece together the entire puzzle of the game.
Next to Coffey was Claire Hutton, who at 19 is playing well beyond her years. And in the most exciting turn of events, Lavelle made her return to the field – having last played for the USWNT in December, out more than six months with an injury – and was placed in the attacking center mid role. She danced right back into her spot, combining, attacking, and even scored her 25th international career goal.
Up top, Hayes continues to experiment with the No .9 spot. When Catarina Macario is on the roster, it's been her, but it was exciting to see Hayes try Ally Sentnor in that spot. While Sentnor didn't score – very unlike her – she still created all kinds of trouble for Ireland's backline. She had great off-of-the-ball movement and connected lots of of quick passes in the final-third.
Without her vision and speedy play, Lavelle's second-half goal wouldn't have happened. Alyssa Thompson and Michelle Cooper played their outside attacking roles much better as the game went on. Thompson and Cooper were both handed several balls out wide on the platter, but couldn't seem to finish. As the game went on, they found their rhythm and Thompson got a goal to close out the 4-0 win for the USWNT.
As the second half progressed, Hayes turned to the bench to make some changes – including 18-year-old Jordyn Bugg, who earned her debut for the senior team, subbing in for Naomi Girma in the 78th minute. With two more friendlies in the next week, this was a great finish for the USWNT, even if the first-half was a bit dicey.
GOAL rates the USWNT's players from Dick's Sporting Goods Park.
Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defense
Claudia Dickey (7/10): One save, but a clean sheet. Not a bad debut, but also not a very captivating one for the Seattle Reign FC keeper, who earned her first cap.
Lilly Reale (7/10): She didn't have a ton of pressure defensively, but made the best of her first cap, connecting her passes, distributing well, and getting up the flank.
Naomi Girma (8/10): Even if it's a slow game in the back, Girma still manages to make every pass, keep her line composed, and make the game look effortless.
Emily Sonnett (8/10): She and Girma are the center-back duo we all need. Sonnet is a shutdown defender who balances out perfectly next to Girma. She didn't have a lot of defending to do against Ireland, but still took care of the ball.
Avery Patterson (9/10): Made the most out of her third start for the USWNT. While she didn't do much on the defensive side of the ball, her impact up the pitch was flawless. She not only scored her first international goal, but played incredibly high, creating all kinds of problems for Ireland's backline.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesMidfield
Sam Coffey (8/10): In case you didn't know, Coffey is a goalscorer. Her presence in the midfield was essential. Coffey not only plays composed and smart in the midfield, but she also has a vision a step ahead most. She was able to weave together each line, and when she wasn't just keeping possession or pinging the ball effortlessly, she was pushing her game to the next level by getting involved in the final-third.
Claire Hutton (7/10): Just 19, she and plays like she's been next to Coffey and Lavelle since, forever. Hutton is a very balanced, vision-forward midfielder. She kept great posession of the ball and, in the second half, she picked up her pace and started pinging balls more quickly.
Rose Lavelle (9/10): This entire game was about her. Lavelle's return was highly anticipated, and lived up to the billing. There was a new level of creativity and pace within the team. Lavelle pushes high up the field, which encourages those around her to fill in the spaces. She did just that, plus added a goal and an assist. Not bad.
Getty ImagesAttack
Alyssa Thompson (8/10): Alyssa Thompson had a quiet first half, despite getting served dimes over the top a number of times. In the second half, however, she turned on the jets. Thompson once again is proving herself to be the strongest outside forward option when it comes to her one vs. one ability and just prowess in front of the net.
Ally Sentnor (7/10): It was a odd day for Sentnor who didn't score, but did just about everything else. She has four goals under Hayes, so when she was put into the No. 9 spot, a goal or two seemed inevitable. While she got close, most of her impact was in her movement and her off-the-ball work. She created numerous chances for teammates by getting out of the way or drawing Ireland defenders into dangerous spots.
Michelle Cooper (7/10): She was another forward who was involved and did just about everything but score. The first half was a little slow on the attacking front, as the three forwards were clearly trying to adjust to the flow. Cooper's best asset is her strength and service on the wing, so when she stuck to that, it was an obvious asset.
Getty ImagesSubs & Manager
Gisele Thompson (6/10): After being ruled out of last camp, it was exciting to see Gisele back in the mix. Subbed into the match in the 59th minute, we didn't get to see a ton of her pace and quick one-twos.
Olivia Moultrie (6/10): Moultrie is another ruthless midfielder. She came into the match and did all of the right things in the midfield, however, she had big shoes to fill stepping in for Lavelle.
Jordyn Bugg (6/10): The18-year-old entered the match in the 73rd minute for Girma, getting her first cap. She made a couple passes and did her thing, despite not much happening.
Lynn Biyendolo (6/10): Didn't see much of the ball, entering the game in the 73rd minute. Positionally she held her own, and was able to post up on a few occasions, despite the limited time.
Emma Hayes (8/10): Not bad, coach. Hayes once again won in Colorado. She put together a strong starting lineup that featured veterans in Lavelle, Sonnett and Girma, and mixed in newcomers in goal and at outside back. Job well done.