Trinity Rodman, fresh off signing a contract with the Washington Spirit, scored and the United States had five second-half goals in a 6-0 rout of Paraguay on Saturday.
Ally Sentnor added a pair of goals and Reilyn Turner scored in her debut match for the United States. Emma Sears also scored.
Turner, who plays professionally for the Portland Thorns, scored in first-half stoppage time on an assist from Thorns teammate Olivia Moultrie.
Sentnor added a goal in the opening minutes of the second half to put the United States up 2-0.
After an own goal in the 53rd minute, Rodman scored her 12th international goal in her 48th appearance with the team. Rodman, named captain for the match, celebrated with a brief dance for the U.S. bench.
Sentnor added her second in the 57th minute, capping a span that saw the United States add three goals in four minutes. Sears made it 6-0 with a goal in the 72nd.
“I think in the first half there were definitely nerves. We were rushing a lot,” Rodman said. “I think there was almost too much space, that we were overthinking things.”
[MORE: What’s Next: USA Star Trinity Rodman’s New Deal Is A Massive Boost for NWSL]
It was the first of two matches for the U.S. team to conclude its January training camp. The United States also plays Chile in Santa Barbara on Tuesday night.
European-based U.S. players were not included in the camp because they are in the midst of their seasons. Gotham players were also left off the roster as they prepare for the final stage of the first Women’s Champions Cup in London next week.
The players in the starting lineup Saturday averaged just 10 appearances with the national team. Coach Emma Hayes was working with a group of National Women’s Soccer League players coming off an offseason.
“We had three debutantes, players that have only maybe played a second or third cap. There was a lot of inexperience for us, and a lot of nerves that come with that,” Hayes said. “But I thought the team handles themselves really well, considering.”
The team honored retired forward Christen Press before the match. Press won Women’s World Cup titles with the United States in 2015 and 2019 and a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Over a decade with the national team, she appeared in 155 matches, scoring 64 goals and 43 assists.
Press, who formally retired from professional soccer in October, was among the national team players who fought for equal pay and also advocated for better pay and playing conditions in the NWSL.
Rodman agreed on Thursday to a three-year contract to remain with the Washington Spirit, ending months of speculation about her future in the NWSL. At issue was the NWSL’s salary cap and whether it has hampered the league from attracting and maintaining top players.
[MORE: USA Star Trinity Rodman Announces She’s Re-Signing With Spirit, Staying In NWSL]
The 23-year-old Rodman became a free agent at the end of last season after five years with the Spirit. One of the biggest stars in the NWSL, keeping her in the league was considered important as other U.S. national team stars, including Naomi Girma and Alyssa Thompson, opted to play in Europe.
The financial details of Rodman’s contract were not disclosed, but the Spirit called it “one of the most significant deals in NWSL history.”
Hayes called it a “monumental achievement for the NWSL.”
“I think it’s really fantastic for the NWSL that they’ve been able to keep Trinity Rodman,” Hayes said in a prematch news conference. “I think knowing that she’s going to be settled and happy in Washington is going to be a win for the U.S. national team, because, as I’ve always said, happiness and what they want is of the highest order to me.”
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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