USWNT vs. Ireland score: Alana Cook hits winning goal, Alyssa Thompson impresses in World Cup tune-up

The Americans swept the two-game series with the Irish

ST. LOUIS -- The United States women's national team swept their two-game series against Ireland with a 1-0 win on Tuesday at CITYPARK in St. Louis. The pair of friendlies, which started with a 2-0 win on Saturday, are the final set of matches before head coach Vlatko Andonovski names his roster for the 2023 FIFA World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. 

Alyssa Thompson, an 18-year-old winger and No. 1 pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft, earned her first senior national team start after being called in as a replacement for Mallory Swanson. Alana Cook scored the lone goal for the Americans.

The team was missing Swanson after she sustained a torn patella tendon in the first match on Saturday. Rose Lavelle, who picked up a knock in the same game, did not dress for the series finale. The game was utilized as an opportunity to evaluate "smaller groups" of players not typically featured in Andonovski's ideal starting lineup. Players will now be rated on their performances in club play as the coaching staff finalizes a future World Cup roster.

Thompson making a last-minute case for World Cup

The No. 1 pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft, Thompson has elevated her player profile over the last two weeks. The high school senior scored in her regular season debut with Angel City FC and earned a penalty kick during week two. Her inclusion on the roster was a planned injury replacement by the coaching staff in the event an additional player needed to be called in during the international window.

"Once we lost Mal in the last game, we knew that it may be a long-term injury. We wanted to explore every possible option before we make a final decision, and one of those was Alyssa Thompson," Andonovski said.

"Before that, our forwards have had a chance to start in different games, from Trinity [Rodman] to Lynn [Williams], Midge [Purce], Pinoe [Rapinoe] -- every forward or wide forward had an opportunity to start a game. We felt like we needed to see Alyssa start a game and give her a chance to showcase her abilities as well."

She got the start alongside Alex Morgan and Sophia Smith as the attacking trio, and at times, swapped sides with Smith. The result was a promising look at the player's ability to target wide spaces and create lanes with her off-the-ball movement. Thompson played the entirety of regulation and had one shot with one attempt on target. 

"I feel like definitely getting in more, and being able to train with them, and playing games with them has been really helpful in building our chemistry," Thompson said of the early chemistry. "I just want to continue to play with my teammates, continue to grow with them as well, and score a lot of goals, hopefully. Just have fun with it."

Ertz expected to announce a new club team next week

Players will return to clubs and continue to grind toward a spot on the final World Cup roster. Andonovski said a range of players would compete for six to seven spots. Julie Ertz is unattached to a club but has been conversing with different teams. Her timeline is forthcoming, as she will make an announcement next week.

"I understood the story of me coming back after a long time. I think that's very clear. Very grateful anytime that I'm with this team. So, I'm glad that I can shift that and now have that grind mode. I normally don't play with a massive smile. So having the first game almost smiling, so big kind of threw me off," Ertz joked in the postgame.

"So I'm just excited to go back and be a part of the grind, and compete, and be at a time obviously the time like but to be able just to get back and just get better ... I've got an early flight tomorrow. So hoping that I can finalize my calls. I want to get back to training, understanding the timeline and where I want to be."

What's next

Andonovski and his coaching staff will finalize the roster in the coming months. The U.S. national team will play a final send-off game on July 9 in San Jose, CA, against Wales. 

[Apr 11, 2023 at 7:38 pm ET · Sandra Herrera]

USA 1-0 Ireland (FULLTIME)

[Apr 11, 2023 at 8:59 pm ET · Sandra Herrera]

Good chance for Thompson

64' Thompson spilts a pair of defenders and gets inside the box, but she runs out of real estate as Brosnan comes out to elminate the threat. 

[Apr 11, 2023 at 8:54 pm ET · Sandra Herrera]

No more subs for USWNT

59' After a four-player change to open the half, Andonovski brings on Kristie Mewis for Lindsey Horan after she went down asking for a sub. She's off after getting looked at by the medical team. 

[Apr 11, 2023 at 8:23 pm ET · Sandra Herrera]

GOAL ALANA COOK!

43' USWNT with another corner and they play it short. The ball gets played back and Alana Cook makes the heads-up play to loft it toward the box from near the halfline. and it catches the keeper out of position! Brosnan gets some fingertips on it but there's enough of an angle to get into the net. It's her first USWNT goal. USA 1-0. 

[Apr 11, 2023 at 8:18 pm ET · Sandra Herrera]

Chance USA

39' USWNT win another corner and recylve the ball around to open another lane. Smith tries a quick shot but Horan's position is offside and the attempt straight at the keeper. 

[Apr 11, 2023 at 8:08 pm ET · Sandra Herrera]

Even play in the opening half hour

Another first half with a goaless chunk of time for the U.S. without a goal. Two corners for both teams with similar possesion of the ball. Ireland lead with total shots (5) and attempts on target (2) while USWNT have three total shots.

[Apr 11, 2023 at 8:07 pm ET · Sandra Herrera]

Hometown hero Sauerbrunn subs off 

A planned substitute for USWNT as Sauerbrunn comes out of the game for Tierna Davidson after a half hour.

[Apr 11, 2023 at 7:57 pm ET · Sandra Herrera]

Lots of overlaps between Smith and Thompson

Both wingers have swapped sides after the first fifteen minutes, but the two players are offering a lot of good movement along the attacking line in general. Sanchez quickly found Morgan out wide as Thompson and Smith made alternate runs into the box. A good sequence for today's attacking trio.

[Apr 11, 2023 at 7:51 pm ET · Sandra Herrera]

Both teams trying to capitalize on corners

Ireland get an early corner kick of their own. It's a good service in, but the U.S. defend away and Huerta cleans up to Cook for a quick pass to Thompson the other way. U.S. try to target Sauerbrunn but the ball lands to Smith for a shot that misses just wide.