September 22, 2023 (Cincinnati, OH) – The US Women’s National Team couldn’t have had a much better sendoff for Julie Ertz – a convincing 3-0 victory over the South Africa on Thursday, September 21st. South Africa, a side who had a great run in the 2023 Women’s World Cup, making it to the Round of 16, the same round the USA were eliminated. My Thoughts: from the day after.
All week, in preparation for the match, the US team were vocal about using the Sweden defeat in the World Cup as motivation for this upcoming stretch ahead of the 2024 Olympics. The team had two Cincinnati natives on the roster, Aubrey Kingsbury and newcomer M.A. Vignola. The latter was called up to the National Team for the first time on Saturday as a replacement for the injured Kelley O’Hara.
From training on the Ohio Elite grounds on Tuesday, the very club grounds she started her soccer career in, to making her National Team debut in her hometown, Vignola was very visibly emotional after the match.
“The last week has been a whirlwind of emotions I feel like. I’ve had a journey up until this point and starting with the first day of camp, I was just trying to take it all in and just trying to realize that I’m here for a reason and being surrounded by the best group of girls in the world, I couldn’t ask for anything more for a first cap.
(It was) Surreal. I could hear the fans as soon as my name was called, and I just had to take that moment in for what it is and wearing the crest of the first time in the home city. It’s just a feeling that you’re never gonna be able to feel again.”
The USWNT flourished with their play on the wings, with Lynn Williams and Trinity Rodman lighting up the scoreboard late in the first half. Sure, there’s cause for concern as outside of the 15 minute stretch to close out the first half, the USWNT were really unable to create anything offensively. They were outshot in the first 30 minutes, and South Africa’s captain Thumb Kgatlana (Racing Louisville) consistently caused problems on the counter for the USWNT defense. Ultimately, the USWNT scored three goals, and that shouldn’t go unnoticed after they only managed to score 4 goals across 4 matches in the World Cup just a few months ago.
You do also have to put everything into perspective – it’s the first match for Twila Kilgore as the Interim Head Coach of the USWNT, and she got a convincing result against a decent South Africa side. And with the retirement (from International Soccer) for Julie Ertz and Megan Rapinoe on Sunday in Chicago, this tour may mark the end of the “old” USWNT.
The USA plays South Africa (yes, again) on Sunday in Chicago, IL. It’ll be the farewell for another USWNT legend – Megan Rapinoe.
Photos: Ryan Fleming
