Rodman lights up LA as USWNT steamrolls Brazil | OneFootball

It was a business game. No fooling, no party vibe. USWNT treated Brazil like a real opponent and profited from their jersey and tactical discipline, 2–0. The early goal came courtesy of Trinity Rodman, who returned to the national team and made a real impact, giving Brazil's defense a hard time. She was in the box, scored calmly, and got the job done. The United States side was already playing much more even, but then having scored the goal they felt totally at ease dominating the rhythm. Then subsequently, Brazil stalked without being precisely clear on what to do with the ball.

Brazil sticks to its shape, defense disorganized, attack disjointed

The opposing team did try to get organized. But in theory, they were stalking the game all match. Their marking didn't function, the build-up play was atrocious, and the midfield never established control over the game at any point. The defense were stumped on through balls and continued to be harried. The US got five shots on target alone during the first half, and overall, seven attempts. When Brazil tried to go forward, they made poor decisions. And in contemporary soccer, that's costly. The attack was bursts hither and yon, and it was clear there wasn't a set game plan. Brazil played seat-of-the-pants soccer and got overwhelmed by the Americans' organization. There was work rate, there was passion, but the game simply wasn't materializing.

Heaps buries the game with her foot and her head in the right position

In the 66th minute, with the game won, Lily Yohannes was fouled in the box. She had just come on. And it was captain Lindsey Heaps who came to the fore. Ball on the spot, clinical strike, no-nonsense. Brazilian goalkeeper Lorena read her properly, but it didn't matter. Goal. That took Heaps to 37 goals for the USWNT, past Tobin Heath.

Brazil needs to sort the basics out before 2027

Brazil is hosting the 2027 World Cup. And because of that, games such as this cannot be considered simply another game. Yes, there's talent. Yes, there are players with real potential to grow. But there are basic adjustments missing that make all the difference. Stop wasting chances upfront. With the team they have, they can do better. But they need to stop passing errors down the line. These next years until 2027 can be utilized to build something substantial, or redo what failed in the past.