Latest news with #Lo'eauLaBonta
The Guardian
3 days ago
- General
- The Guardian
Lo'eau LaBonta makes historic debut as USA women ease past China in friendly
Naomi Girma returned to the national team and Lo'eau LaBonta became the oldest player to make her international debut for the US in a 3-0 win over China on Saturday. Catarina Macario, Sam Coffey and Lindsey Heaps scored while goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce got her second shutout in as many appearances. LaBonta, the 32-year-old midfielder for the Kansas City Current in the National Women's Soccer League, came on as a second-half substitute. The match also marked Girma's 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. Tullis-Joyce, who plays for Manchester United, started in goal in just her second US appearance as coach Emma Hayes looks to replace goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, who retired from the national team last year. Macario scored her 11th international goal after Alyssa Thompson kept the ball alive in a tumble in front of the net in the 28th minute. Coffey made it 2-0 in the 35th minute, taking a pass from Macario out front and banging her second goal for the US past goalkeeper Pan Hongyan with her left foot. Heaps, the US captain, scored on a header in the 54th minute. The United States are 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 United States 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. The United States was coming off a 2-1 loss to Brazil on 8 April. China defeated Thailand 5-1 in their last outing. The US face Jamaica on Tuesday in St Louis.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
New-look USWNT dominates China in international soccer friendly
The U.S. women's national team downed China, 3-0, largely dominating a Saturday friendly that came with some signs that newer U.S. players are forging strong connections. The USWNT controlled the match from start to finish at Allianz Field, with Catarina Macario and Sam Coffey scoring first-half goals amid long spells of possession. Lindsey Heaps would head home a third early in the second half on an assist from Michelle Cooper, who was lively throughout. Advertisement Lo'eau LaBonta, Cooper's teammate in the NWSL with the Kansas City Current, became the oldest player to gain their first senior USWNT cap, while goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce ultimately had little to do in her second cap. China was initially to be the USWNT's opponent in both matches in this window, but opted instead to play just this one match. The USWNT will instead play Jamaica on Tuesday, June 3. MORE: Lo'eau LaBonta becomes oldest debutant in USWNT history The biggest stories, every morning. Stay up-to-date on all the key sports developments by subscribing to USA TODAY Sports' newsletter. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: US women's soccer team defeats China in international friendly
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
New-look USWNT dominates China in international soccer friendly
New-look USWNT dominates China in international soccer friendly Show Caption Hide Caption Sydney Leroux talks all things women's soccer and NWSL Sydney Leroux stops by to break down women's soccer and tells us about her new partnership with ARDA, the Sharing Time Off Contest. Sports Seriously The U.S. women's national team downed China, 3-0, largely dominating a Saturday friendly that came with some signs that newer U.S. players are forging strong connections. The USWNT controlled the match from start to finish at Allianz Field, with Catarina Macario and Sam Coffey scoring first-half goals amid long spells of possession. Lindsey Heaps would head home a third early in the second half on an assist from Michelle Cooper, who was lively throughout. Lo'eau LaBonta, Cooper's teammate in the NWSL with the Kansas City Current, became the oldest player to gain their first senior USWNT cap, while goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce ultimately had little to do in her second cap. China was initially to be the USWNT's opponent in both matches in this window, but opted instead to play just this one match. The USWNT will instead play Jamaica on Tuesday, June 3. MORE: Lo'eau LaBonta becomes oldest debutant in USWNT history The biggest stories, every morning. Stay up-to-date on all the key sports developments by subscribing to USA TODAY Sports' newsletter.
Associated Press
3 days ago
- General
- Associated Press
Girma returns, LaBonta makes historic debut in U.S. women's 3-0 win over China
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Naomi Girma returned to the national team and Lo'eau LaBonta became the oldest player to make her international debut for the U.S. in a 3-0 win over China on Saturday. Catarina Macario, Sam Coffey and Lindsey Heaps scored while goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce got her second shutout in as many appearances. LaBonta, the 32-year-old midfielder for the Kansas City Current in the National Women's Soccer League, came on as a second-half substitute. The match also marked Girma's 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. Tullis-Joyce, who plays for Manchester United, started in goal in just her second U.S. appearance as coach Emma Hayes looks to replace goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, who retired from the national team last year. Macario scored her 11th international goal after Alyssa Thompson kept the ball alive in a tumble in front of the net in the 28th minute. Coffey made it 2-0 in the 35th minute, taking a pass from Macario out front and banging her second goal for the U.S. past goalkeeper Pan Hongyan with her left foot. Heaps, the U.S. captain, scored on a header in the 54th minute. 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 United States 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. The United States was coming off a 2-1 loss to Brazil on April 8. China defeated Thailand 5-1 in its last outing. The U.S. faces Jamaica on Tuesday in St. Louis. ___ AP soccer:
Forbes
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
At 32, LaBonta Finally Gets Her Chance With USWNT, As Does Dickey
By Michael Lewis Say this about Emma Hayes: The U.S. Women's National Team head coach is an equal opportunity employer. No age discrimination here, as she will give younger and experienced players a chance to take their shots at making the team. On Tuesday, she called two players into camp who are on opposite sides of the age spectrum and who have never played for the national squad. Hayes summoned 25-year-old goalkeeper Claudia Dickey of Seattle Reign FC, and 32-year-old Lo'eau LaBonta, who captains the Kansas City Current. LaBonta's all-up is one of those feel-good stories we need every once in a while. If LaBonta plays in the upcoming friendlies against China PR on May 31 or vs. Jamaica on June 3, she will become the oldest player to debut for the USWNT program in its 40-year history. In some respects, her story is not unlike Vancouver Whitecaps forward Brian White, who was called into the U.S. Men's National Team only two weeks prior to his 28th birthday in 2024. He has not let up filling the net in Major League Soccer and Concacaf Champions Cup and is under consideration to represent the U.S. at the Concacaf Gold Cup. LaBonta had to wait a bit longer, but she is a major reason the Current (7-2-0, 21 points) is sitting atop the National Women's Soccer League standings, with a four-point lead over the San Diego Wave (5-2-2, 17). She has scored three goals and assisted once in nine appearances, playing every minute (810) as the team leader. The 5-foot-1 midfielder also reminds us that you don't have to be a big player to make a big impact on the game. And it certainly helps LaBonta plays the game with so much joy and passion. 'Soccer is a game at the end of the day,' she told The Independent of Kansas City on March 22. 'And games are supposed to be fun.' So, it's not surprising that LaBonta has forged a never-say-die history in her career. After winning playing at Stanford University and helping the team capture the 2011 NCAA Division I women's tournament, she was taken by Sky Blue FC (now Gotham FC) in the 2015 NWSL College Draft. She played six games but was waived that July to make room for players returning from the Women's World Cup. 'I didn't want to just end it there, so I trained even harder and then got on Kansas City's roster,' LaBonta told The Independent. Undeterred, LaBonta played 22 matches with FC Kansas City in 2016-17, performed on loan with the Western Sydney Wanderers from 2017-19 before returning to the states. She played 42 times for the Utah Royals from 2018-20 before joining the expansion Current in 2021. Since then, LaBonta has become an influential player, connecting for 17 goals in 85 appearances. She has converted 12 penalty kicks, good for third on the NWSL all-time list. She also has liked to fake a hamstring injury during those PK celebrations (there's that joy). And she has been named to the NWSL Best XI of the Week 10 times. In 2021, she and husband, former Sporting Kansas City standout and Honduran international midfielder Roger Espinoza were named Honorary All-Americans by the United Soccer Coaches. "She's deserving of the call-up," Hayes said during a Zoom press conference on Tuesday afternoon. 'She's been consistent in everything that she has done. And I think with the volume of young players or less experienced players we're bringing in, I think we have to get that balance right. And obviously, with the 23s [Under-23 team] Hayes was referring to the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup, which will be hosted by Brazil. Two years out from that competition, it is uncertain whether LaBonta will be on that squad, because of her age. But given her background, she likely will make much of her opportunity and have fun doing it as well. Dickey also will have an opportunity to demonstrate to Hayes and her coaching staff in camp. Hayes is trying to find a keeper to replace Alyssa Naeher, who has retired from international competition. Naeher backstopped the USA to the 2019 Women's World Cup crown and to a gold medal at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics. Hayes has been impressed with Dickey, who earned the Reign's starting job last year. She has conceded only seven goals in nine matches for a 0.78 this season, while registering three clean sheets. Last year, he had a 1.36 GAA over 19 contests. "I mean, the data don't lie. Claudia Dickey is probably the best performing goalkeeper in the NWSL this season," she said. "I've seen a different level in her game this year. If you think about last camp, players only played a couple of games. It's really hard to make those decisions on players based on previous seasons form, but I think Seattle in general is a much-improved team." The U.S. head coach indicated that Dickey got the nod over Angel City FC goalie Angelina Anderson, who is 24. "But with Claudia, I think she's got that extra years' experience, particularly over someone like Angelina Anderson," she said. "I spoke a lot with [Reign head coach] Hayes added that Dickey could have played with the Under-23 team in Germany "That would have been another step for her, but we felt her form and the quality she's demonstrating, she's tracking in the right direction," Hayes said. "I think she's someone who deserves to be in this position." The three goalkeepers in camp will have combined for four international appearances. That included two women who had varied results against Brazil. Manchester United's Phallon Tullis-Joyce was impressive in her USMNT debut in a 2-0 win on April 5, while Utah Royals' Mandy McGlynn, who has three caps. guarded the goal in a 2-1 defeat three days later. "Fallon's had a wonderful season for Manchester United," Hayes of Tullis-Joyce, who was on the losing end of Chelsea's 3-0 win in the Women's FA Cup final last weekend. "The last few games, she's had to play the top teams in England, and you start to get to see the challenges that come with that. But overall, I think it has been a great season for Fallon. "I think Mandy has great potential, a great upside. I said it before in the Brazil game, while I didn't think in the first half, she necessarily executed the right decisions. What impressed me was her ability to bounce back. I thought mentally, she stood strong. We all know they don't have the international experience, say, of Alyssa Naeher. But that's what this is about. We are creating exposures for a less developed group of goalkeepers that a lot of them have under five caps. We've got to start building that." Regardless of who is in the net for China PR or Jamaica, she will be under close scrutiny. Hayes, who took over the coaching reins a year ago, said that she doesn't want to get caught holding tryouts for a new keeper again. "I've inherited that challenge. I didn't make that challenge," she said. "You've had a goalkeeper in Alyssa Naeher that played a lot of minutes. No one else played a lot of minutes. You can't cut a corner on that stuff. Unfortunately, it will take a little bit of time. First of all, if you look at the pool of players at the top end, most senior players, Fallon being one of them, I think for me, she's leading in that area at this moment in time, in her age category. "But I also realized that from Dickey to Angelina Anderson, in particular, to Mandy McGlynn, they're players that have to keep building their experiences as well. What I don't want to do is develop a goalkeeper for '27 and then we're in exactly the same position again. I want to ensure that from '27 to '28 to '31 that we get the development pathways right for the goalkeepers, so that it is a lot more seamless than it is for me. "You have to be prepared to be patient with it, because these players haven't played at this level for very long. I think it will be up and down for them, which is why we want to give them all the support we can.' Hayes said that she would like to have a starter sorted out by the end of June.
