The USWNT lived up to the hype and came back to beat South Korea 3-0 at Allianz Field in the last game before the 18-name shortlist for the Paris Olympics. Emma Hayes made good use of these two games to change the team, with nine different players compared to the first game in Dever. However, one player who came off the bench caught everyone's eye: Lily Yohannes.
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The young midfielder made history. She represents the new generation of the US women's national team. At 16 and 358 days old, Yohannes became the eighth youngest player to debut for the USWNT senior team. The Ajax player scored the last goal in Minnesota. She came on in the 72nd minute and needed just 10 minutes to make history. The midfielder, who was even grabbed by her marker, managed to break away from her marker and hit a first-time shot after an assist from Trinity Rodman, becoming the third youngest player to score and the first in 1994.
With experience of even the Women's Champions League, the youngster, who will turn 17 in a few days, already has a maturity that others her age don't have, such as passing. Rose Lavelle, who completed her 100th international appearance, revealed that “she's the most mature 16-year-old” she's ever met.
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This has a lot to do with her new coach, Emma Hayes, who wanted her in the team. Her schooling in Europe has helped her be more focused and aware of her capabilities on the pitch: “She doesn't look 16. She knows what I think of her. She's a natural footballer who has confidence in her abilities. I think playing in Europe has helped her, accelerated her,” Hayes told ESPN.
Ajax were the smart ones to see all the potential in the youngster and quickly brought her up to the professional team. It's a scenario that all young women can imagine, and it quickly became a reality. Yohannes is the new generation and will be one of the players that Hayes will certainly use in this rethinking of the USWNT.