USWNT goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher comes up big in her final game for the United States
Goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher played her final game for the United States women’s national team in a 2-1 win against the Netherlands on Tuesday to close out the year for the team. Naeher ends her international career with 115 caps and 69 shutouts. Although there wasn’t a clean sheet against the Netherlands, she came up with several key saves, including a leaping reaction block in the 38th minute and a sprawling stop with her feet in the 69th minute.
It was a poor first half from the United States. Head coach Emma Hayes made an unusual shift in her lineup, pushing Rose Lavelle into the left-wing position while lining up Sam Coffey, Korbin Albert and Lindsey Horan in midfield. But they were ineffective in the middle, which, combined with Jenna Nighswonger having a bad game at left back, left the defense largely exposed.
The Netherlands took full advantage, running the midfield and pressing deep while the U.S. struggled playing out under pressure. In the 11th minute, the Netherlands scored the opener from a set piece as Albert didn’t mark her player in the box tightly enough, leaving 18-year-old Veerle Buurman in the right spot for a header that looped over Naeher’s outstretched glove to make it 1-0.
Buurman headed in another goal for the Netherlands, although it was into her own net in the 44th minute, gifting the U.S. the momentum going into the break at 1-1.
Hayes made two changes to start the second half, bringing on Lynn Williams for Jaedyn Shaw and Emily Sonnett for Nighswonger while shifting Emily Fox to left back. She also withdrew Lavelle deeper, although she had already been dropping throughout the first half, as well as switching sides of the field to find an outlet for the attack.
Hayes went with almost a complete line rotation in the 67th minute, subbing out Horan, Albert, and Lavelle for Lily Yohannes, Hal Hershfelt, and Alyssa Thompson. This was Yohannes’ first cap for the U.S. since formally declaring her intention to play for the team. Yohannes was used in an attacking-midfield role behind Williams while Thompson assumed her usual spot on the left wing and Hershfelt dropped deep in midfield.
Williams gave the U.S. the lead in the 70th minute, smartly finishing a cross delivered from Yazmeen Ryan on the right. Ryan was a constant source of energy throughout this game, following up a similarly bright performance in the previous game against England.
The 17-year-old Yohannes looked slightly nervy on the ball, which was understandable given she was playing against the other nation courting her senior national team allegiance. Dutch fans booed and whistled whenever Yohannes was on the ball, presumably in disapproval of her decision to play for the U.S.
Hayes’ final sub was Ally Sentnor for Ryan in the 85th minute in a like-for-like swap.
The U.S. had a late chance on goal as Thompson fought her way past a defender and tried to put in a hard shot on goal at a steep angle. Thompson, like Ryan, once again looked comfortable in her position in the minutes she had on the field.
Conversely, a few obvious positions were lacking in this game, with Albert looking disconnected from the front line in the midfield to Nighswonger getting beaten on defense. Horan also couldn’t find the right sense of timing or urgency on the ball. With Hershfelt, Yohannes and Shaw all circling starting roles, Hayes will undoubtedly experiment further throughout 2025.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
US Women's national team, Netherlands, Soccer, NWSL
2024 The Athletic Media Company
