Catarina Macario scored two goals as the United States defeated Italy 3-0 on Friday night in a friendly match at Orlando’s Inter&Co Stadium.
It was the first of two friendlies between the teams, with the second scheduled for Monday in Fort Lauderdale.
Olivia Moultrie also scored while goalkeeper Claudia Dickey earned the shutout in just her fifth appearance at the senior level.
“I think obviously we wanted to keep building on the performances we had last camp, and the emphasis on coming out strong and sticking to our principles, and I think that’s what we did,” said U.S. veteran Rose Lavelle, who earned her 116th cap. “Overall, I think a really good team performance.”
Head coach Emma Hayes echoed Lavelle’s thoughts in the post-match presser. “Starting fast is one thing, but we’ve often started fast and conceded just as quickly. So, a clean sheet means as much to us this evening as the result and the performance,” said Hayes. “I’ve said it many times; they’re so coachable, players, malleable, and everything. We’re starting to drive in, in terms of the messaging; it’s really sinking amongst them all. And look, if I’m honest, there’s so many areas I still think we have to do better, but I thought it was a really good team performance.”
It was a really fast start by the United States, as they attacked Italy’s goalie Laura Giuliani from the off, scoring inside the first two minutes.
Fresh off their WSL title with Gotham, Lilly Reale found teammate Lavelle to start the sequence. Lavelle then went wide to Alyssa Thompson, who quickly returned the ball. Lavelle found Moultrie, who went far side for her second goal in as many appearances with the team.
“We talked about starting fast and starting strong, and I think the momentum carried out,” Moultrie said. “We had a really good week of training, so I feel like it flowed into the first minutes of the game.”
An offside call on Lavelle at the 48-minute mark denied Moultrie her second goal.
In the 64th minute, Sam Coffey dribbled down the middle and found Macario breaking on her left. Macario took the pass and fired a shot far side to give the United States a two-goal lead.
Macario added her second in the 76th minute when she snared a pass from the team’s youngest player, 18-year-old Lily Yohannes, and fired a shot from the top of the right side of the box to the far side of the goal.
It was Macario’s 15th goal in 28 international appearances. Macario has now been involved in 18 goals in her last 14 U.S. appearances.
“It was a great win, it’s always a pleasure being with this team,” said Macario, who has 12 goals and six assists since February 2022. “I feel so happy to be in this environment, and I feel like it really just helps you be the best version of yourself.
“Lucky enough that Emma [Hayes] knows me very well, and she knows what I can bring to the team. This was a good year … in which I have just been trying to find some consistency … just trying to find my rhythm.”
For Hayes, these friendlies are about ensuring they try out different combinations. “I’ve always said that we’re building towards something and we have to build cap accumulation across the squad. There’s a lot of players that lack experience…it’s going to take us a little bit of time. We’re not there yet and we have to experiment with players to give them the right experiences and yes, some of that will be for 2027 and some beyond that.
“But my goal is always to create successful competitive teams, not just one. And then you have to rebuild again over another four-year period. This is how I know to build teams. So, I want to give opportunities to players that are not only deserving of it, but they develop the experiences that might be needed whenever we need them.”
Hayes also stressed that the team’s current focus is on qualifying for the World Cup. “We’re in the middle of [planning for the qualifiers.] All of our energy is in qualifying for the World Cup, that’s everything we are focused on. And we close out the year with one more game and then we have January, then She Believes, and two other opportunities before we get into October. We need to recognize there’s not a lot of time so every single minute matters,”
