Lynn Williams scored the go-ahead objective within the 71st minute and Alyssa Naeher made six saves in her ultimate match because the United States defeated the Netherlands 2-1 in The Hague on Tuesday.
Williams, who entered at the beginning of the second half, made a well-timed run to get a contact on Yazmeen Ryan’s cross to the center of the field to interrupt the 1-1 tie.
Her twenty first worldwide objective got here two minutes after Naeher made an awesome save together with her proper leg on Daniëlle van de Donk.
It was the final worldwide match for Naeher, who wore the captain’s armband in her one hundred and fifteenth look. She debuted on Dec. 18, 2014, towards Argentina.
She is two-time World Cup winner (2015 and 2019) and a 2024 Olympic gold medalist. She shut out the Netherlands within the 2019 Women’s World Cup ultimate.
Despite being outshot 23-5, the U.S. ended 2024 with a 18-1-4 file and a 20-match unbeaten streak.
Emma Hayes has been the coach for the previous 15 matches (13-0-2) since her debut in June, together with successful the gold medal match on the Paris Olympics.
The U.S. had no enterprise being tied 1-1 on the half after being totally outplayed, with the Dutch holding benefits in possession (62%), photographs (14-1) and photographs on course (3-1).
The photographs have been probably the most the U.S. has confronted in a half since France had 14 within the second half of the 2019 World Cup quarterfinal.
But a wierd first half noticed 18-year-old Netherlands central defender Veerle Buurman scoring her first worldwide objective within the fifteenth minute, then scoring an personal objective for the U.S. equalizer within the forty fourth.
The Netherlands, ranked No. 11 on the earth, had three early possibilities earlier than Buurman acquired her head on a nook kick by Jill Roord.
On the tying objective, Tierna Davidson despatched an extended free kick to the middle of the field, and the ball went off the again of Buurman’s head.
Lily Yohannes got here in as an alternative within the second half. Yohannes, who has twin citizenship, opted to play for the United States over the Netherlands final month. She performs professionally for the Dutch membership Ajax.
The U.S. completed the yr with out the trio of Mallory Swanson, Trinity Rodman and Sophia Smith, who have been left off the roster for the ultimate two matches to relaxation and heal nagging accidents.
The U.S. has not misplaced a match beneath coach Emma Hayes, who took over in May after a stellar profession with Chelsea within the Women’s Super League.
Information from Reuters and The Associated Press was used on this story.
