The USWNT came away with the win in front of a sellout crowd in Austin, Texas. But the win feels overshadowed with the injury of Mallory Swanson during the match.
After two hard-fought halves, the USWNT managed to pull off the win against the Republic of Ireland on Saturday.
However, the final score of 2-0 doesn’t reflect the sweat and tears that went into the win. There were lots of important milestones and moments, but the biggest story of the game puts a damper on the win. Mallory Swanson was stretchered off the pitch just at the end of the first half.
She appeared to have gone down for a knee injury and stayed down on the pitch for several minutes before ultimately being taken off. Her teammates were quick to call for assistance, with the injury appearing severe.
There weren’t any updates after the game, but Swanson was taken straight to the hospital to be evaluated. Trinity Rodman came on to replace Swanson for the rest of the game.
Mallory Swanson’s injury overshadows USWNT team win over Ireland
There’s no beating around the bush on this one, losing Swanson would be a tough blow to this USWNT squad who are looking to become three-peat world cup champions. Swanson has been on fire recently, scoring seven goals in just five matches so far this year. She was undeniably headed for the World Cup this summer.
Manager Vlatko Andonovski will have to reevaluate his forward pool if her injury does turn out to be serious.
The game in general was rough. Ireland’s tight structure shut out the typical USWNT press, stifling Sophia Smith and Alex Morgan. The USA looked rocky on set pieces in particular, which Andonovski assured the press afterward that they’re something he’s looking to improve on.
They also struggled with finishing chances, with both Ashley Hatch and Trinity Rodman unable to finish several shots in the box. The USWNT had twenty-six shots, with nine of those on target, which is a credit to Ireland’s goalkeeper in Courtney Brosnan, but a concern for the US.
Positives from USWNT win over Ireland
There were some positives in this match.
Rose Lavelle continues to impress and create exceptional chances for her teammates, crossing in beautiful balls and dancing around defenders.
The USWNT debuted their new World Cup kits, which are undeniably better than the ones before.
Emily Fox earned her first international goal in the 37th minute, finally getting the US on the board with a powerful strike from just outside the box. The second goal came from a Lindsey Horan penalty kick in the second half to secure the victory. On the Irish side, Sinead Farrelly made her debut for the Irish National Team and had an immediate impact within the Irish midfield.
Julie Ertz also made her return to the pitch today for the first time in 611 days. She was honored before the match for her 100 cap milestone which she achieved back in March 2020 during the SheBelieves Cup. She made an impact on the field, subbing in for the current starting number six, Andi Sullivan.
While Ertz is currently not attached to a club, she’s mentioned being in talks with several. She made a splash by appearing on this roster with just two friendlies to go before the World Cup roster drops, likely in early June. It’ll be interesting to see if she makes the final cut after such a long time away from the team.
With a shaky performance that ultimately resulted in victory, the USWNT has a lot of work to do if they plan on being five-time World Cup champions, especially if Swanson is down for the count.
