Jaedyn Shaw scored the go-ahead goal in the 85th minute as the United States women’s national team kicked off its victory tour with a 3-1 victory against Iceland in Austin, Texas, on Thursday.
Shaw slalomed through several defenders before toe-poking the ball past goalkeeper Telma Ivarsdottir to make it 2-1 before Sophia Smith added a goal off a half-volley in the 88th minute.
Smith has 24 international goals, her ninth this year. Shaw has scored six of her eight goals this year. Each was a second-half substitute.
The match was the first since the U.S. defeated Brazil 1-0 on Aug. 10 to win the 2024 Paris Olympics tournament.
Teenager Alyssa Thompson made it 1-0 in the 39th minute prior to a breakthrough goal before Selma Magnusdottir tied it in the 56th for Iceland’s first goal against the U.S. in four matches.
Magnusdottir made a sharp cutback near the arc and unleashed a drive to the left corner after Gudny Arnadottir forced a turnover.
Ivarsdottir made three saves as did Alyssa Naeher for the U.S.
The U.S. is 14-0-2 vs. Iceland with the ties coming in 2000 and 2015.
Thompson, 19, scored with a laser strike from a low angle on the left side of the box to the far upper corner in her 10th match, third start, in her first appearance for the U.S. since last Dec. 5.
Despite the halftime score, Iceland, the No. 13 ranked team in the world, held a 3-2 shots on target advantage through 45 minutes.
There are 18 members from the gold medal squad on the current roster for matches Sunday vs. Iceland in Nashville and Oct. 30 in Louisville, Ky., against Argentina.
Absent Olympians due to injuries were Tierna Davidson, Croix Bethune and Trinity Rodman while Crystal Dunn has a personal commitment.
World Cup and Olympic champion Emily Sonnett became the 45th player to make 100 appearances for the USWNT.
Midfielder Hal Hershfelt and forward Yazmeen Ryan made their U.S. debuts.
–Field Level Media
