Rodman spares USWNT blushes with late brace in 2-0 send-off win over Wales

The USWNT left it very late in their final World Cup tune-up

The U.S. women’s national team got one last reminder that the World Cup won’t be anything close to easy.

Literally hours before departing for New Zealand, the USWNT made hard work of Wales, eventually emerging 2-0 victors thanks to Trinity Rodman’s late brace.

Vlatko Andonovski’s lineup may not have been the on-paper starting 11 expected for the team’s July 21 World Cup opener against Vietnam, but it was close. The exceptions? Alyssa Thompson got the nod on the left wing, a spot that seems to be up for grabs, with Trinity Rodman and Lynn Williams both seen as candidates to start at the World Cup. With Rose Lavelle having been out for nearly three months at this point, Ashley Sanchez started as the team’s No. 10.

The early stages saw a familiar dynamic for the USWNT in recent months: plenty of possession in the opposing half, but some difficulty in converting those circumstances into serious scoring chances. Outside of some set piece chances that went awry, Wales goalkeeper Olivia Clark was left with little to worry about.

Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports

Rodman entered the match as a halftime substitute, replacing Alex Morgan and playing as a center forward (another position with some unanswered questions thanks to the make-up of the USWNT’s World Cup roster).

Still, the methodical nature of their play carried on, and it wasn’t until the 68th minute — when Alana Cook’s header on substitute Savannah DeMelo’s corner kick was cleared off the line — that they truly threatened to break through.

Finally, with Wales flagging and the USWNT upping the urgency, they opened the game up to score in the 76th minute. Lynn Williams drew three defenders before feeding Sophia Smith down the left, and the reigning NWSL MVP teed Rodman up to finish into an empty net.

The goal gave the U.S. a major boost, and the ensuing minutes saw the Welsh goal come under intense pressure. Finally, after several chances were blocked by desperate defending, the USWNT’s counter-press created a second goal. Rodman won the ball after a half-clearance attempt, perhaps getting away with a foul in the process, and with Wales unable to recover curled home an exquisite 20-yard finish.

With the game opening up, Smith nearly bagged a third just before full time, but in truth a third goal would have felt like an exaggeration of the USWNT’s execution on the day.

In other words, once the team touches down in New Zealand, there’s going to be a lot of work to do.

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