Photo Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
The National Women’s Soccer League is set to grow to 16 teams this year, the U.S. women’s national team is slowly but surely barreling toward the World Cup in Summer 2027, and soccer will be on full display this summer. Dan Lauletta and Jenna Pel offer some WoSo wishes for the year ahead.
Triple Espresso brews again
The United States women’s national team was mired in a state of malaise following a historically poor early exit from the 2023 Women’s World Cup. Enter Triple Espresso to jolt the program back to life.
A vaunted front line led by the Chicago Stars’ Mallory Swanson, currently unattached Trinity Rodman, and the Portland Thorns’ Sophia Wilson (née Smith) powered the USWNT back to its first gold medal since the 2012 Olympics. The trio scored three goals apiece as the self-anointed Triple Espresso proved to be an unstoppable attacking force and struck gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Fittingly, all three played the role of hero in the knockout round. Rodman netted the late-game winner in the quarterfinal against Japan, Wilson scored the lone goal against Germany in the semifinal, and Swanson tallied the match-winner in the gold medal game against Brazil.
The trio got their first run-out together in head coach Emma Hayes’ first match on June 1, 2024. It did not take long for championship chemistry to develop.
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