Catarina Macario scored and had an assist for the U.S. women’s national team, as they cruised to a 3-0 victory over China in a friendly in Saint Paul, Minnesota, on Saturday.
Macario scored in the 28th minute and assisted Sam Coffey‘s goal in the 35th. Lindsey Heaps made it 3-0 in the 54th.
The match saw Naomi Girma make her first appearance for the national team this year. The 24-year-old defender has been nursing injuries but recently returned to help Chelsea win the Women’s Super League title and the FA Cup.
Girma commanded a record $1.1 transfer fee when she moved from the San Diego Wave to Chelsea earlier this year.
History was made in the second half when Lo’eau LaBonta became the oldest player to make her international debut when entering the game as a substitute. The 32-year-old midfielder for the Kansas City Current surpassed previous oldest debutant 30-year-old McCall Zerboni.
“When they called my name, I was sitting being the best cheerleader I could be on the bench, I was like, ‘This is amazing. I’ve never been field view watching the national team.’ It was so cool,” LaBonta said after the match. “And they were like, `Lo, go.’ And I was like, go where? All right, let’s go!”
This was the first of five matches for the USWNT this spring and summer ahead of Concacaf qualifying for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
Next for the U.S. is Jamaica in St. Louis on Tuesday.
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Macario proved she’s fully recovered and back to brilliance after an ACL injury cost her nearly two years of play, including the 2023 World Cup.
She has eight goals and five assists in her past nine starts and was in the right spot at the right time for the opening score.
Michelle Cooper made a strong run to the end line and sent a cross to Alyssa Thompson in the middle of the box. Thompson made a sliding attempt to redirect the ball and managed to keep the play alive long enough for Macario to pounce on the loose ball and flick it in with the outside of her right foot. She has 11 goals in 24 appearances.
Coffey made it 2-0 with Thompson again involved although she did not get an assist. She sent a ball from the right flank to Macario, who settled it and passed to Coffey for her second goal in 34 matches.
Heaps added to the lead with header on a service by Cooper. She has 38 goals.
Phallon Tullis-Joyce started in goal in just her second appearance for the U.S. as coach Emma Hayes looks to replace goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, who retired from the national team last year. The Manchester United keeper was called upon to make a save in each half for her second shutout.
The United States is currently missing several key contributors from last year’s Olympic gold medal-winning squad. Sophia Wilson and Mallory Swanson are both on maternity leave. Trinity Rodman is dealing with a nagging back issue.
The USWNT famously defeated China on penalties in the 1999 Women’s World Cup final. The teams last met in 2023, with the Americans winning both games.
The Americans have a 39-9-13 overall record against China, including five straight.
Information from Field Level Media and The Associated Press was used in this report.
