AUSTIN, Texas — Alyssa Thompson scored her first goal for the United States women’s national team and Jaedyn Shaw and Sophia Smith scored late on Thursday at Q2 Stadium as the Americans defeated Iceland 3-1 in their first match since winning a fifth Olympic gold medal in August.
Thompson broke the deadlock in the 39th minute, cutting inside to put the ball on her right foot and smashing a shot off the underside of the crossbar near the far corner.
“Coming onto the field and wearing this jersey in the beginning, I was like, ‘this is surreal,'” Thompson said at half-time. “I just — I can’t describe how I feel. I’m so happy.”
Thursday’s match was the start of the USWNT’s victory tour since the Paris Games. The Americans play Iceland again on Sunday in Nashville, Tennessee, and Argentina on Wednesday in Louisville, Kentucky.
Iceland equalized early in the second half when Selma Magnusdottir scored on a low, left-footed strike from just outside the box after evading three USWNT midfielders.
The visitors, ranked 13th in the world, was organized defensively and outshot the USWNT in the first half despite holding only about one-third of possession.
But the USWNT broke through in the second half with key contributions off the bench. Shaw, playing in her first game since July after not playing a minute at the Olympics due to a lower body injury, slipped in behind Iceland’s defense in the 85th minute and poked the ball between goalkeeper Telma Ívarsdóttir‘s legs for the go-ahead goal.
Shaw had entered the match in the 67th minute to take over the No. 10 role from captain Lindsey Horan. Three minutes after Shaw’s goal, Smith scored on a volley from just inside the box. The Portland Thorns star has been dealing with an ankle injury that caused her to miss a month of the NWSL season recently. She entered Thursday’s match in the 72nd minute.
USWNT head coach Emma Hayes said earlier this week that her team’s purpose in this international window is two-fold: a reflection on the Olympics and a turning of the page toward the team’s next phase.
“The rest of this year is very much celebrating this victory tour for the players, plus recognizing the achievements of those that have performed really well in the NWSL,” Hayes said.
That played out on Thursday, with a familiar lineup rolled out at the start followed by returns and debuts.
Thompson made her first appearance for the USWNT in 10 months after participating in the 2023 World Cup as an 18-year-old. She was the only member of the USWNT’s starting lineup on Thursday who was not on the Olympic roster.
Forward Yazmeen Ryan and midfielder Hal Hershfelt made their USWNT debuts off the bench in the second half. Emily Sonnett started at center-back to earn her 100th cap, becoming the 45th player in program history to hit the century mark.
