Lily Yohannes, making her U.S. women’s national team debut, became the third-youngest player to score for the squad as the United States recorded a 3-0 victory over South Korea on a rainy Tuesday night in Saint Paul, Minn.
At 16 years, 358 days, she is the eighth-youngest player to debut for the U.S. and the youngest since March 2001.
Yohannes made quite the first impression in the 82nd minute, just 10 minutes after entering the match, when she slotted a shot from the top of the box after a pass from Trinity Rodman for the final score.
Crystal Dunn had a rare goal in the 13th minute to make it 1-0 and Sophia Smith doubled the lead in the 67th, five minutes after coming off the bench.
Dunn put the U.S. in front with her 25th career goal but first in 75 matches since Oct. 20, 2018. The Tuesday contest marked her first start at forward since July 30, 2017.
She was in the 6-yard box and got her left foot on the perfectly placed service from the left flank by Jenna Nighswonger that slid between a South Korean defender and the goalkeeper. Nighswonger earned her first U.S. assist.
Casey Murphy, in her second start of the season, preserved the lead with a full-extension save on line drive 20-yard free kick by Ji So-Yun that was earmarked for the right corner in the 30th minute.
Smith extended the lead off a giveaway with a difficult angle shot from the left side after a Mallory Swanson setup.
The match was the second for U.S. coach Emma Hayes, who was hired on Nov. 14 but remained with her English club, Chelsea, until early May. The U.S. defeated South Korea 4-0 in Commerce City, Colo., on Saturday.
Now, the hard part begins for Hayes because this was the last match before she must pare the roster to 18 for the Paris Olympics, which begins with a Group B match on July 25 vs. Zambia.
Prior the that, the Olympic team will play friendlies July 13 against Mexico in Harrison, N.J., and July 16 vs. Costa Rica in Washington.
–Field Level Media
