USWNT says goodbye to Kelley O’Hara in Nashville 3-1 friendly against Iceland
On a beautiful fall evening in Nashville, the USWNT hosted Iceland for a friendly, and also honored Kelley O’Hara as she announced her retirement weeks ago from professional soccer. Kelley scored one of the most memorable goals in USWNT history in the semifinal against Germany, coming off the bench to clinch the USWNT’s entry into the 2015 World Cup final. Among her many achievements, O’Hara was part of the USWNT for three Olympics and four World Cup campaigns winning both multiple times. However, the night wasn’t solely for celebrating O’Hara’s achievements; Mallory Swanson was also honored for reaching 100 caps with the USWNT and for her unforgettable goal this past summer at the Olympics, which clinched the gold medal for Team USA.
The night was also about soccer and recalibrating Team USA after the gold medal run at the Paris Olympic Games. The first half proved challenging for the younger rotation, as they gained valuable field time while the USWNT looks to reload and prepare for another World Cup campaign. Iceland stunned fans in the 31st minute with an incredible Olympico corner kick goal and managed to stifle deep runs by Mallory Swanson, who looked dangerous in multiple possessions in the final third.
Things changed quickly as Emma Hayes opted to insert her most potent offensive weapons for the second half, including Horan, Williams, and Smith, joining Swanson in what can only be described as an overwhelming show of offensive force. The goals came quickly, with Williams, Horan, and Emma Sears scoring her first-ever goal for the USWNT in the 92nd minute. Sears had a strong debut topped off by a brilliant goal off the rebound from Alyssa Thompson’s near-miss off the bar, burying a far-side swinger to seal the match and adding to her assist on the goal from Lindsey Horan. Lynn Williams and Lindsey Horan both found the back of the net off broken plays in the box that left them in position to finish with quality continuing their run of goalscoring this year that has vaulted the USWNT to multiple trophies in the calendar year.
The future of the program continues to look bright as Alyssa Thompson and Jaedyn Shaw continue to show signs of incredible promise on the already deep roster of talent that team USA has developed under the careful stewardship of Emma Hayes. The new core of Horan, Swanson, Smith, and Rodman continue to prove to be one of the most formidable packages in the USWNT arsenal playing with force and pace that this team hasn’t seen in years. Backed up by arguably one of the best defenders in the world in Naomi Girma the identity of this team is starting to come into clear focus as it transitions outside of the shadow cast by the legacy of Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe and Kelley O’Hara. All that remains as the final test is winning a World Cup.
In a stretch marked by the retirement of major USWNT stars, including Alex Morgan, Sam Mewis, Megan Rapinoe, Julie Ertz, and now O’Hara, the changing of the guard for this storied team tonight was palpable as fans celebrated O’Hara and her accomplishments. The new lineup of young talent looks poised to continue the dynastic run that has defined Team USA for decades. While the outgoing legends will always be remembered for their impact on the game, both through their victories and their advocacy for equal pay, this new generation is set to build on that momentum, propelling women’s sport to new levels of popularity and growth worldwide. The journey for the USWNT turns a new page as it closes the chapter of its previous identity. The only question that remains: what will the ceiling of this team be?
