71% of the earth is covered by water, and the rest is covered by Naomi Girma. It sounds impossible, but it's beginning to feel that way.
On Wednesday night, in Louisville, Kentucky, the USWNT beat Argentina 3-0 in the final friendly of the October international window. Girma scored a headed brace either side of halftime, with Argentine defender Aldana Cometti turning the ball into her own net just before the break.
The win capped off a jubilant October window where the U.S. women's national team triumphed in all three of its matches and scored nine goals. Head coach Emma Hayes has now won 12, and drawn one, of 13 matches since she assumed the position in June 2024.
'Two-Goal' Girma
Before Wednesday night, the 24-year-old San Diego Wave defender had yet to score a goal, for club or country, in her professional career. When did she last score as a pre-professional, you ask? Well, one would have to go back to Halloween night 2021, when she was playing for Stanford University against the University of Southern California.
Having waited two years and 42 caps for a Girma goal in red, white, and blue, her two goals in Louisville came remarkably close together In the 37th and 49th minutes. While the first was a point-blank header into an open goal, the second showed tremendous finesse and striker's instinct to finish off an Alyssa Malonson cross in stride.
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 even helped create the own goal in the 44th minute. Another header from the centerback was flicked on at the near post and into the path of a helpless Cometti. As the second half wore on, Girma was hungry to try and complete an improbable hat trick.
"As far as I'm concerned, she got the hat trick. It was an own goal because she won the header and it came off of someone. In my mind, it's a defender's hat trick," Hayes told the media after the match.
The 2023 USWNT Player of the Year was also the consensus player of the tournament at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Girma was a surprise snub for the women's 2024 Ballon d'Or, but this performance was well-timed to remind voters what they got wrong.
The beaming smile on her face, when she scored, delivered a great U.S. soccer moment.
NAOMI GIRMA, EVERYONE!!! pic.twitter.com/C6EJK40nCC
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 31, 2024
20-year wait for Red, White, and Lou
Speaking of joy, not only were the players in Louisville having a marvelous time but so were the fans. It had been 20 years since the USWNT had played in Kentucky and there was a tremendous atmosphere at the sold-out Lynn Family Stadium.
What helped increase the festivities on the night was local-ish hero Rose Lavelle being celebrated for reaching 100 caps this year. The midfielder was born and raised 100 miles in Cincinnati, Ohio, and was flanked by a dozen family members and her dog Wilma before kick-off.
Fans lined up for hours before and after to get autographs and get up close with a player from the region who is best known for scoring a long-distance belter in a World Cup final. Early in the second half, Lavelle was subbed out to a raucous standing ovation.
The USWNT honor Rose Lavelle for hitting 100 caps earlier this year 🌹
— B/R Football (@brfootball) October 30, 2024
Watch USA vs. Argentina live on TNT, truTV and Max 📺 pic.twitter.com/hK1wREKhv4
"Rose is weird and wonderful in every way," said Hayes. "A very cultured football player. When you go anywhere in the world, and they talk about players in this country, Rose Lavelle is always the first name on everybody's lips in the top nations."
This will be the USA's final taste of having home fans until 2025. The last international window of 2024 will be played in England and the Netherlands in November.
Emma Sears plays her club soccer for Racing Louisville. After Lavelle, she received the second biggest cheer from the 13,546 fans on the night.
Experimentation, Emma Sears impresses again
Hayes fielded another experimental lineup with 10 changes to her starting XI from Sunday's Iceland match. Three players in the lineup were debutants: Goalkeeper Amanda Haught, left back Alyssa Malonson and centerback Eva Gaetino.
Argentina's inability to get much going in the attack meant that Haught was barely called into duty, but Malonson and Gaetino both put in eye-catching debuts. Malonson even notched her first-ever assist.
Having won her first-ever cap off the bench against Iceland, Sears got her first start as a USWNT player on her second-ever appearance. Being in Lousiville, it was no surprise the wily winger looked right at home, and she grabbed the opportunity with both hands.
With lots of different combinations being used, it was hard to see too many consistent patterns of play developing in the USA team. But Sears' penchant for getting in behind, chasing down through ball, and dribbling at opponents showed just how much quality the new players have.
At one point in the second half, the NWSL rookie galloped past four Argentinians before hooking the ball across the face of the goal. Although her final ball wasn't quite honed in enough, Sears was a standout creative threat across the 90 minutes.
Emma for America 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/CeAGE9ZXD5
— Racing Louisville FC (@RacingLouFC) October 31, 2024
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Naomi 'Two-Goal' Girma and Louisville Lights up: Takeaways from the USWNT's 3-0 friendly win over Argentina.
