Trinity Rodman’s Stellar Performance Leads Team USA To A Dominant 3-0 Win Over China PR

DRV PNK Stadium- The U.S. Women’s National Team easily defeated a weak China PR squad 3-0 Saturday afternoon in Ft. Lauderdale in front of an announced crowd of 8,768. Sophia Smith, Lindsey Horan, and Trinity Rodman scored while goalkeeper Casey Smith and a swarming U.S. defense earned the shutout.

Starting XI

Rose Lavelle and Abby Dahlkemper returned to the starting lineup for the U.S., while Jenna Nighswonger and  Olivia Moultrie made their National team debuts coming on in the second half.

Our penultimate Starting XI of 2023 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/AtTfGiQZZU

— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) December 2, 2023

Match Action

From the onset of the match China PR offered little resistance to the U.S. National Team, with Trinity Rodman serving a beauty of a cross to Sophia Smith for the tap-in eight minutes into the match.

Team USA 🇺🇸 gets on the board with Trinity Rodman serving Sophia Smith a beauty… Smith puts it into the China 🇨🇳 net for the #USWNT 1-0 lead early in the match… https://t.co/WshZarZeXS

— Xavier Guerrero (@XGLAVOZ) December 2, 2023

The American ladies controlled possession and managed the match’s tempo for the first half but could not score again despite several clear chances to extend their lead. The teams would go into the half with the U.S. holding a 1-0 advantage.

The way that the #USWNT is dominating this match they should be up by at least 2 ⚽️⚽️goals in this match…#lemoncitylive https://t.co/OzdNfFK2vX

— Xavier Guerrero (@XGLAVOZ) December 2, 2023

China could not muster much on the attack with only two shots on goal during the match while Team USA took twenty shots with eleven on target. The American superiority on the pitch became more evident on the scoreboard in the second half with a pair of goals for the final 3-0 scoreline.

Lindsey Horan served a cross into the box for Jaedyn Shaw which went over her head and bounced past China keeper Xu Huan into the goal for the 2-0 lead in the 52nd minute.

Lindsey Horan with a cross /shot into the box that bounces past the China 🇨🇳 keeper for the 2-0 lead.. Once again the #USWNT score early to start the half on the right foot… https://t.co/0rCr2OK7gA

— Xavier Guerrero (@XGLAVOZ) December 2, 2023

The “Woman of the Match” Trinity Rodman would convert the third and final goal in the 77th minute with a tap-in. Rodman tallied two assists and a goal against China PR rounding out a stellar individual performance.

Trinity Rodman ironically scores the third goal for the #USWNT pushing the ball ⚽️ easily into the Chinese goal…3-0 lead with China not showing any signs of life in this match…Shaw did the heavy lifting on that goal… https://t.co/dkDeX7ETnR

— Xavier Guerrero (@XGLAVOZ) December 2, 2023

Match Insight

A “New Era” has begun for the U.S. Women’s National Team with Emma Hayes being named Head Coach in November and a new crop of talented young players emerging. Saturday afternoon’s thrashing of a weak China PR squad allowed us to see veteran stalwarts like Rose Lavelle and Lindsey Horan along with young stars like Trinity Rodman and Sophia Smith. Jenna Nighswonger and  Olivia Moultrie made their National Team debuts in South Florida adding to the new faces on the squad.

The team is in a period of transition after its less-than-spectacular showing during their last World Cup appearance. During the match, the team seemed to be at times in a 3-3-4 formation which allowed them to press high and close in on the Chinese defenders and force them into mistakes or wild kicks out of pressure.

Rose Lavalle and Lindsey Horan are the “brains” of the U.S. midfield and are both veteran players who need to have their heirs apparent identified and mentored by them. Lavalle and Horan have great quality on the ball, which players on the roster or in the U.S. can fill their shoes?

The Women’s National Team is trying to find its way back to the days of world dominance on the soccer pitch, but those days may be over. The world of women’s soccer has gradually balanced out with several nations emerging as threats to the U.S. on the soccer pitch. If the ladies are to remain dominant, new stars, new leaders, and new approaches to the game will need to be found. For a new era to begin, the old one must be put to rest.