Catarina Macario netted a pair of goals as the United States triumphed over Italy with a 3-0 victory on Friday night during a friendly match held at Orlando’s Inter&Co Stadium.
This marked the first of two friendly encounters between the squads, with the next match set for Monday in Fort Lauderdale.
Olivia Moultrie also contributed a goal while goalkeeper Claudia Dickey secured a clean sheet in only her fifth appearance at the senior level.
“We aimed to build on our performances from the previous camp, focusing on starting strong and adhering to our principles, and I think we accomplished that,” said U.S. veteran Rose Lavelle, who earned her 116th cap. “Overall, it was a solid team performance.”
Head coach Emma Hayes reinforced Lavelle’s sentiments during the post-match press conference. “Starting quickly is one aspect, but we’ve often begun strong only to concede soon after. So, achieving a clean sheet tonight is as significant as the result and the overall performance,” stated Hayes. “I’ve mentioned it multiple times; our players are very coachable and adaptable. We’re beginning to instill our messages effectively. Admittedly, there are still many areas where we need improvement, but I thought it was a commendable team effort.”
The United States kicked off at a rapid pace, pressuring Italy’s goalkeeper Laura Giuliani right from the start, scoring within the first two minutes.
After celebrating their WSL title with Gotham, Lilly Reale set up Lavelle to initiate the sequence. Lavelle then passed to Alyssa Thompson, who quickly returned the ball to Lavelle, who found Moultrie for her second goal in as many matches with the team.
“We discussed the importance of starting fast and strong, and I believe that momentum carried through,” Moultrie remarked. “We had an excellent week of training, which contributed to our strong opening minutes.”
In the 48th minute, an offside call against Lavelle denied Moultrie her second goal.
In the 64th minute, Sam Coffey drove through the midfield and passed to Macario on the left. Macario capitalized on the pass and struck a shot to the far side, extending the U.S. lead to two goals.
Macario struck again in the 76th minute, receiving a pass from the youngest player on the team, 18-year-old Lily Yohannes, and firing a shot from the top right of the box to the far side of the net.
This marked Macario’s 15th goal in 28 international matches, and she has now been involved in 18 goals over her last 14 appearances for the U.S.
“It was a fantastic win, and it’s always a joy to be part of this team,” stated Macario, who has recorded 12 goals and six assists since February 2022. “I’m thrilled to be in this environment, as it encourages you to become the best version of yourself.
“I’m fortunate that Emma [Hayes] is well-acquainted with my game and understands what I can bring to the team. This year has been significant for me as I’ve worked on achieving consistency and finding my rhythm.”
For Hayes, these friendlies are a chance to explore various player combinations. “I’ve always maintained that we’re working towards something special, and we need to accumulate experience across the squad. Many players still lack experience… it will take some time, and we need to experiment to give them valuable experiences for the future,” she explained.
“But my objective is to construct successful competitive teams, not merely one. After that, we need to rebuild over the course of another four years. I’ve developed this understanding of team building. So, I want to ensure that deserving players gain opportunities while also gaining the necessary experiences for whenever we need them.”
Hayes emphasized that the team’s current focus is on World Cup qualifiers. “We’re actively engaged in planning for the qualifiers. All our efforts are directed toward qualifying for the World Cup; that’s our primary objective. We finish this year with one more match, followed by January, She Believes, and two additional opportunities before we reach October. We have to recognize that time is limited, so every minute counts,” she concluded.