Trinity Rodman took just five minutes to to make her mark on her long-awaited return to the United States women’s national team, opening the scoring in a 2-0 win over Brazil at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, on Saturday.
It was Rodman’s first game for the USWNT since helping the team claim Olympic gold with victory over Brazil in Paris.
But she showed little sign of the lingering back issues that have kept her on the sidelines for her country in the intervening eight months, as she fired a low shot into the net following a defense-piercing assist from 20-year-old Alyssa Thompson.
Rodman, 22-year-old star and Orange County native, followed the goal by theatrically grabbing her back in a sarcastic celebration that nodded to the issues that have hampered her since her rookie season with the Washington Spirit in 2021.
“It felt amazing, especially in this stadium. It as unreal,” Rodman told TNT Sports.
“But what I’ve been saying all week was I wanted to be a portable charger on the field, I wanted to be a provider of energy and be able to charge everybody’s batteries. So I think I did that pretty well today and obviously to have a goal come with it, an amazing slip ball from Alyssa, was great.”
Despite featuring just five members of the starting lineup that beat the same opponents in Paris, including a defense missing key starters Naomi Girma and Tierna Davidson through injury and debutant Phallon Tullis-Joyce in goal , the USWNT was able to keep the Brazilians at bay.
And Emma Hayes’ side effectively sealed the win midway through the second half, with captain Lindsey Heaps converting a penalty after 17-year-old substitute Lily Yohannes was fouled in the box.
It was a 16th win in 19 games since Hayes took charge last year and delighted a crowd of 32,303 that were in attendance for what was the first-ever professional women’s sports event at the home of the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers.
The teams meet again Tuesday night in San Jose, California.
In their most recent outing in late February, the U.S. women took their first defeat of Hayes’ tenure, falling 2-1 to Japan in San Diego in the final of the SheBelieves Cup.
Back at it in SoFi, the Americans struck early — and with style.
Studio City native Thompson got a midfield touch and made an impressive run through Brazil’s formation, sending one defender to the grass in confusion before pushing a perfect pass to Rodman for her cool finish into the corner.
After her teammates mobbed her in celebration, Rodman stepped away and grabbed her lower back, pretending to seize up with pain — only to stand up tall and laugh while flipping her pink hair over both shoulders.
Later in the first half, Rodman appeared to be dealing with actual pain from the back injury that she recently said might never be fully healed. She still played 16 minutes into the second half before coming off.
The depleted U.S. defense had several rough moments in front of goal. The Seleção carried significant stretches of play and forced debutant goalkeeper Tullis-Joyce to work hard, but the Long Island native who plays for Manchester United handled every chance capably.
The U.S. was awarded a penalty when substitute Yohannes was tripped in the box an instant after releasing a pass in the 64th minute. Heaps hammered it home with flair for her 37th goal.
Despite Rodman’s return, the U.S. is playing this spring without 13 members of that Olympic team, dealing with absences due to injuries, retirement and personal leaves.
The Americans are without their starting center backs for at least the near future. Girma has been out all year to date with a calf injury, while Davidson will miss the rest of the NWSL season after she tore a ligament in her knee last week while playing for NJ/NY Gotham FC.
The injured center backs were replaced by Emily Sonnett and Tara McKeown, who only broke into the U.S. lineup earlier this year.
Information from The Associated Press was used in thiss report.
