Trinity Rodman's Sideline Dance with Hayes Caps USWNT's 5-0 Rout of Chile
The United States women's national team continued their impressive form with a commanding 5-0 victory over Chile on Tuesday night at UC Santa Barbara's Harder Stadium in California. The match was highlighted by Trinity Rodman's goal and a memorable sideline celebration that saw her coax coach Emma Hayes into joining a dance.
Rodman Strikes Again as USA Extend Unbeaten Run
Trinity Rodman, coming off the bench, scored in the 68th minute for her second consecutive goal in as many matches. Just five minutes after entering the game, Rodman found the back of the net, then sprinted to the bench where she performed a celebratory dance, urging Hayes to participate. The coach, with a laugh, reluctantly obliged before Rodman turned to energise the crowd.
"I'm proud of myself. I told you guys I was going to do it and I did it. I'm just really happy and happy that Emma was confident enough to do it with me," Rodman said post-match.
First International Goals for Bethune, Joseph, and Sams
The scoring opened early with Croix Bethune, of the Washington Spirit, netting her first international goal in the 18th minute. Jameese Joseph, earning her first start for the US and playing for the Chicago Stars, doubled the lead in the 26th minute. Captain Emily Sams made it 3-0 in the 33rd minute, converting a cross from Emma Sears.
Emma Sears added a fourth goal just 28 seconds into the second half, placing a shot into the far upper corner. Rodman's strike completed the rout, maintaining the US team's streak of not conceding a goal in five matches and extending their unbeaten run to six games.
Hayes Praises Inexperienced Lineup's Maturity
Coach Emma Hayes fielded a completely different starting lineup from Saturday's 6-0 win over Paraguay, with players averaging only 5.2 national team appearances—the fewest for a US lineup since 2001. Despite the inexperience, Hayes commended the team's performance.
"I think in both games, the team, regardless of its inexperience as a collective, regardless of the connections that are there because they haven't played together before, I think they showed an awful lot of maturity in the performance, and that's all I can ask from them," Hayes stated. "They always do me proud. But I'm impressed by everybody's approach."
Debuts and Absences Mark January Camp
The match saw midfielder Riley Jackson and defender Ayo Oke make their first international appearances. This camp also featured debuts for forwards Reilyn Turner and Maddie Dahlien, and midfielder Sally Menti against Paraguay. Notably, the roster excluded US players based in Europe due to their ongoing seasons and Gotham FC players, who are in London for the FIFA Women's Champions Cup semi-finals.
This victory concludes the US team's January training camp, as Hayes focuses on solidifying her player pool for the upcoming SheBelieves Cup in March and Women's World Cup qualifying later this year.
Historical Context and Future Outlook
The last meeting between the US and Chile was a 3-0 US win at the 2019 World Cup. Chile, ranked 47th globally, has only one World Cup appearance. Interestingly, the US previously trained at UC Santa Barbara ahead of the 1991 World Cup, with that team, featuring legends like Mia Hamm and Michelle Akers, going on to win the tournament.
Rodman reflected on the camp's challenges, noting, "I don't think you can really look at this camp as like 'They didn't do their job, they're not as good as we think they should be,' because after all we're coming off an offseason of a lot of players not playing, some players playing, a bunch of new faces." She added that staying fit in the offseason helped her feel strong on the pitch.
