Cnn
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Trinity Rodman experienced the perfect return to the American national women’s team (USWNT) on Saturday, marking after only five minutes in a 2-0 victory against Brazil, his first international match since the Olympic gold medal match last year.
The 22 -year -old had not presented for the USWNT for almost eight months, having worsened a long -standing return number in a match for the Washington Spirit in September.
But she seemed to have gone on Saturday, skillfully pushing the ball in the lower right corner to 10 meters after a good race by Alyssa Thompson, before briefly claiming that she had again injured her in the context of her celebration.
“The medical staff panicked, but I felt like I should do it,” smiled Rodman by AP. “It was so good to be in this atmosphere again, to be with the team. The stadium was crazy.”
The manager Emma Hayes was, at least for the moment, less impressed by the farce.
“I didn’t think she was pretending,” she then grimacted, by AP. “I’m going to have a word with her, because it was like a” cry Wolf “moment. I turned to the physios and said: “His back hurts”, instantly. And then I realized that she was cheating on us. ”
Rodman, originally from the County of Orange, clearly supported the opportunity to return to international action in front of 32,303 fans in Los Angeles, during the very first female professional sporting event held at the Sofi stadium.
The same goes for his Californian compatriot Thompson who, having provided Rodman assistance, forced goalkeeper Lorena in a smart backup in the 17thth minute. Ally Sendnor got closer to double the advantage four minutes later when it was played by Thompson, but she was also refused by the goalkeeper.
Brazil returned for the second half with a renewed momentum and hit the bar twice in the six minutes following the restart – first by Ludmila, then by Giovana Queiroz.
But in the 66th minute, it was the home team that claimed the second decisive goal, Captain Lindsey Heaps converted with force of the penalty point after Lily Yohannes was brought back to the region by Ludmila.
The 2-0 victory meant a white sheet for the beginner of goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce, who impressed by six stops in the match.
“I think it shows where this group is going,” said Heaps, by AP. “Our group is getting better and better, and there are no massive shortcomings between the players. These young guns arrive … it’s so cool for us to see. ”
After playing a revenge match of the Paris 2024 gold medal match, the two teams met on Tuesday April 8 for the second match in the friendly series of two games.
