USWNT youth, depth on display: Lily Yohannes, Catarina Macario, and Ally Sentnor shine in SheBelieves opener

The national team of American women started an exciting start at the 10th annual Shebelieves Cup. The USWNT beat Colombia on Thursday evening with goals from Catarina Macario and Ally Sentnor. The program is looking for a sixth consecutive title, a potential eighth in general, and does it without different cornerstone players on the Roster.

The schedule of 23 players from Hayes is a healthy mix of 2024 Olympians, NWSL players in the previous season, Americans playing abroad in Europe and non-exhausted players with limited international experience. Injury, shape and commitments have kept this tournament important starters.

There is No “triple espresso” attacking line With Trinity Rodman, Mallory Swanson or Sophia Wilson. Rose Lavelle recovers from ankle operation and Naomi Girlma manages a calf injury.

So how is a selection with potential “depth” players honest in Game One of the Shelieveves Cup?

A budding midfielder

It was the 17-year-old Lily Yohannes who stole the show in the middle for the USWNT against Colombia. Starting in addition to team captain Lindsey Heaps and Sam Coffey, the coaching staff has largely preached patience when it comes to developing Yohannes. She has grown her game in the Netherlands and plays with AFC Ajax and could have had a path to play internationally with the Dutch, but she dedicated to the USWNT in November After her USWNT debut in June.

“I don’t think we should be dragged,” Hayes said in Postgame after several questions about the player.

“She comes from an established, extremely structured, 4-3-3 environment, plays on the Ajax way, and I think qualities on the ball are undisputed.

She plays with adulthood that is not usually seen for her role, a deeper midfielder, with vision and consciousness that is only accompanied by extensive experiences on the field. Hayes emphasized the journey that players make on the international stage, referring to all the work and representatives they have done to earn their pillar, and referred to Coffey and hope as examples.

“Lily sometimes plays past her years, but I also think she is in Europe in the season, and that turned out. She has certainly developed in the last 12 months since I saw her, but there will be more difficult tests, and me Think was really a good game to show the development she has made in the last 12 months.

Macario can finally come back

The 25-year-old Macario scored the opening goal against Colombia and celebrated her first international goal in three years with a roaring smile and clenched fists.

The Brazilian international has worked their way back to fitness after stopping an ACL injury in 2022. She had to manage her comeback between a world cup and the Olympic Games and eventually retired from the 2024 summer matches due to knee inflammation.

“Absolutely not easy,” Macario said after the game. “Probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life. There are many tears that are shot, a lot of heartache, that’s for sure. I often thought I could no longer play. Just a lot of adversity and I am just so grateful to again to play. “

Macario’s goal came just after half an hour of half an hour when she made an alternative run in the box and threw the ball into the goal after the service of Yazemeen Ryan on the wing. She suppressed after an hour of play and she and Hayes shared a hug after her performance. Hayes signed Macario at Chelsea and was at the end of the coach to help a player in shape again due to a persistent injury.

“I think my first feeling was, apart from being happy for her, was that I just felt proud because of how long she was gone and how difficult it had been for her,” Hayes said in Postgame.

‘And also because I thought she was playing well. I thought she had held the ball so well, exceptionally well connected … She has an instinct in and around the goal that was demonstrated with the goal [she scored]. So I told her when she came off. I said, “Everyone is super happy, super proud, and I am sure everyone back in Chelsea is.” “

Sentnor’s Blast Off

After extensive performances at the level of the national team of Youth National, Ally Sentnor opened her scoring account at the senior national team against Colombia. Sentnor gave an insurance goal and did it in a trusted way when she scored from outside the box.

Four of her five goals for Utah Royals in 2024 came from outside the box, and as no stranger to take the space that gave her, Sentnor did exactly that and Vongen Colombia look when she scored a stunning goal at a distance.

What is the following

The USWNT will be confronted with Australia on Sunday before they close the Shelieves Cup against Japan on Wednesday. The stars and stripes are currently in second place on the Shelieves Cup table after Japan opened their tournament with a 4-0 win against Australia on Thursday.