USWNT vs. Wales score: Trinity Rodman brace sends USA women's team to 2023 World Cup on positive note

The attacker scored twice in the second half as the U.S. found their scoring touch close to the end

The United States women's national team will head to the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup on a positive note.  In a historic first meeting against Wales, the USWNT defeated the Dragons 2-0 with a brace by Trinity Rodman on Sunday in their final World Cup tune-up. After a scoreless first half, the substitutes provided the spark and secured the win with Rodman scoring twice late. 

Megan Rapinoe recently announced the 2023 World Cup will be her final tournament and will retire after the NWSL season, but she did not make an appearance in the send-off match. Both coach Vlatko Andonovski and Rapinoe have been open about her bench role moving forward in the competition as the 38-year-old will be relied upon for her experience and specific game scenarios. Midfielder Savannah DeMelo made her senior national team debut and Sophia Smith provided the assist on Rodman's game-winner.

Rodman secures USWNT win

A slow start is old news for fresh faces on this team. While the opening goal didn't happen until the 76th minute, it was brought to life by players subbed into the second half. Both goals were willed through the audacity of the USWNT's deep bench.

The 21-year-old Rodman was subbed into the game at halftime for forward Alex Morgan and helped turn the game around in the second half with her relentless effort on the ball. The winger is headed to her first World Cup and has made an intriguing case for a starting role, and the coaching staff will hope that she's packed the goal-scoring in her carry-on to New Zealand. 

While Smith was the lone starting forward to complete a 90-minute shift and ended the game alongside Rodman and Lynn Williams, she also provided a spark after subbing on at the hour mark. The trio combined for the opening goal as Williams won the ball in the middle of the pitch and played Smith out wide before Rodman slotted the ball into the goal. 

A win without the ideal lineup

Flexing off roster depth ahead of a World Cup is typically a good thing, but for the No. 1 ranked team in the world it asks more questions of player fitness. Julie Ertz and Rose Lavelle didn't feature. Lavelle specifically has not played a competitive match since mid-April. U.S. national team head coach Vlatko Andonovski hinted that Ertz would have started had this been a World Cup match. 

He further explained that as far as fitness goes, Lavelle and Rapinoe are medically cleared but still building into the tournament. Ashley Sanchez started in place of Lavelle initially. After a challenging first half without unlocking anything, she was subbed out for DeMelo, who earned her first national team cap. 

The youngest player on the roster, 18-year-old Alyssa Thompson, made her first senior national team start, and the back four of Naomi Girma, Alana Cook, Crystal Dunn, and Emily Fox each played thief first match together as a defensive unit. The quartet looked more comfortable as the game wore on, but Fox and Cook had shorter shifts and were swapped out for Emily Sonnett and Sofia Huerta.

The shift in energy was noticeable from the subs, and that's obviously a positive the coaching staff will take forward, but some positions for a World Cup match Day 1 starter is a topic still up for debate, and Rodman has made the strongest case out of the Wales victory. She also wrote her name in USWNT history as the youngest player -- at 21 years and 50 days of age -- to score multiple goals in a game.

What's next

The team will now head to New Zealand to begin their World Cup camp ahead of the group stage. The USWNT will compete in Group E alongside the Netherlands, Portugal, and Vietnam and will play the entirety of the group stage in New Zealand. They will open up group play against Vietnam on July 21 at Eden Park in Auckland. 

[Jul 9, 2023 at 6:27 pm ET · Roger Gonzalez]

FT!

That's it! The USWNT win 2-0 behind Rodman's brace. It's a positive ending to a game that saw the U.S. just lack precision but not chances. Rodman's spark sees this team enter the World Cup on the back of a win with plenty to approve upon. This is another learning opportunity ahead of going for a third straight World Cup crown.

[Jul 9, 2023 at 5:59 pm ET · Sandra Herrera]

RODMAN WITH ANOTHER GOAL

88' USWNT put the stamp on it and Rodman delivers the insurance goal. It's a brilliant strike after some helter-skelter inside the box. Rodman pounces on a rebound off DeMelo and connects in the upper right corner of the net. 

[Jul 9, 2023 at 5:50 pm ET · Sandra Herrera]

GOAL FOR USA BY TRINITY RODMAN

76' Horan breaks open the play with a ball through to Smith and she makes a run toward the box and passes across to Rodman on an alternate run near the far post. Rodman provides a cool finish in a nearly open area. 1-0 USA with just fifteen minutes left in regulation.