U.S. Women’s National Team Closes Golden Year With 2-1 Come-From-Behind Victory Over The Netherlands In The Hague

THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS (Dec. 3, 2024) -- Goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher concluded her storied international career with a dazzling, game-saving performance, while the U.S. Women’s National Team ended a sparkling 2024 with a 2-1, come-from-behind win over the Netherlands in The Hague.

A first-half own goal and a 71st-minute winner from Lynn Williams were just enough for the top-ranked Americans, who closed out a challenging European sojourn that began with a 0-0 draw against No. 2 England at Wembley Stadium on Nov. 30.

The USA extended its lead in the all-time series against the Netherlands to 9W-1L-2D. Naeher had shut out the Oranje in the 2019 Women’s World Cup Final, beat them on penalties in the quarterfinals of the postponed Olympic tournament in 2021, then earned a 1-1 draw in a group-stage game at last year’s World Cup. She ended her USWNT career with 115 caps, 112 starts, 89 wins and 69 clean sheets, all good for third-most in program history.

Hayes made five changes to the team that started against England on Saturday, inserting center back Tierna Davidson and outside back Jenna Nighswonger, midfielder Korbin Albert, and forwards Yazmeen Ryan and Jaedyn Shaw. Among Tuesday’s holdovers were the USA’s Woman of the Match against the Lionesses, center back Naomi Girma; that game’s most effective attacking catalyst, Rose Lavelle; right back Emily Fox, the only player to appear in all 23 USWNT matches this year; and Naeher, who wore the captain’s armband in her farewell international. Midfield stalwarts Sam Coffey and Lindsey Horan rounded out the XI.

Dutch captain Daniëlle van de Donk presented Naeher with a jersey and a bouquet before the coin toss, but Naeher wasn’t ready to call it quits just yet. In the 11th minute, Netherlands forward Jill Roord turned on a pass from Romée Leuchter and fired a low, 12-yard shot that Naeher was able to parry away. A couple minutes later, Naeher denied the Manchester City attacker once again, smothering a bouncing, 15-yard volley.

The hosts’ pressure continued, however, and 18-year-old defender Veerle Buurman lifted them into the well-deserved lead with a deflected, 15th-minute header off a corner kick that Naeher had almost no chance to reach. It was just the second time the USWNT trailed in 15 matches under Hayes.

The Dutch had far more of the play in the first half and a massive statistical advantage but could not find a second goal. Van de Donk nearly doubled the Dutch advantage in the 27th, but her header zipped just wide of the left post. Striker Lineth Beerensteyn, who was trouble all game for the U.S. defense, then hit the crossbar from a tight angle in the 30th as the USA remained pinned into its own half by the Netherlands’ commitment to pressing and attacking with numbers.

Naeher was called upon again following a Dutch corner kick in the 38th and she answered with a stunning reaction save of a full volley from close range. The Chicago Stars netminder finished a demanding first half with three outstanding saves and those plays afforded the Americans the opportunity to flip the script before intermission. They did so in the 44th minute when Buurman misjudged Tierna Davidson’s long free kick and headed the ball into her own net. Despite being outshot 14-1, the USA was level.

At halftime, Hayes brought on forward Williams and defender Emily Sonnett, while Lavelle shifted toward the right and Albert retreated slightly as rain fell steadily. The Americans were more solid in the second period and the Dutch, while unable to create the same volume of clear-cut chances, still did well to limit the U.S. attack. Hayes made three more changes in the 66th minute, sending on forward Alyssa Thompson, midfielder Hal Hershfelt and 17-year-old Ajax midfielder Lily Yohannes, the Virginia-born attacker who committed to the USWNT over the Netherlands on Nov. 11.

Before the refreshed U.S. lineup settled in, Naeher came up huge one more time, getting her foot to an eight-yard, first-time bid from a streaking van de Donk in the 69th. The retiring legend had opened the door once again, and her teammates dutifully stepped through.

As the 70th minute elapsed, Naeher hit a long ball into midfield that was headed by a Dutch defender, and then Yohannes, into the path of Ryan on the right. Ryan, in just her fourth USWNT appearance, raced down the right wing and curled a perfect cross toward the six-yard box where the alert Williams beat her defender before acrobatically sliding to knock the ball home. It was Williams’ fourth goal of the year and the 21st of her international career.

Naeher and the Americans weren’t going to be denied at that point and they held on for the win despite the Netherlands’ 22-5 shot advantage and 9-0 edge in corner kicks. The victory extended the USA’s unbeaten run to 20 matches (16W-0L-4D), dating back to a February loss to Mexico.

That was the only blemish on a brilliant, bounce-back year for the USWNT. Olympic gold medalists for a fifth time and Concacaf champions for a 16th time, the Americans finished 2024 at 18W-1L-4D. They are back atop FIFA’s Women’s World Ranking and are building momentum under Hayes, who is now 13W-0L-2D at the helm.

In the new year, the USWNT will gather for a mid-January training camp in Los Angeles and then reconvene for the tenth annual SheBelieves Cup, presented by Visa, in late February. The Americans will face Colombia (Feb. 20 at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston), Australia (Feb. 23 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.) and Japan (Feb. 26 at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego).

GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN

NED -- Veerle Buurman (Jill Roord), 15th minute: Following a spell of Dutch pressure, Roord took a corner kick from the right that found Buurman in the middle of the penalty area. Her header took an immediate deflection amid a tangle of players vying for the ball and flew over Naeher who wasn’t able to react in time. NED 1, USA 0

USA -- Own Goal (Veerle Buurman), 44th minute: Tierna Davidson hit a high free kick from the left wing. Dutch center back Veerle Buurman, who scored her team’s opener, won the header but inadvertently sent off the back of her head and it looped over goalkeeper Daphne Van Domselaar and into the left side of her own net. NED 1, USA 1

USA -- Lynn Williams (Yazmeen Ryan), 71st minute: A long ball from Alyssa Naeher and a couple of midfield headers freed Ryan down the right wing and she took a touch before curling a cross toward the six-yard box. Williams had run hard through midfield, beat defender Kerstin Casparij to the ball and slid to knock her shot into the right corner from close range. NED 1, USA 2 FINAL

ADDITIONAL NOTES

• Eight of USA’s 13 wins under Emma Hayes have come against opponents ranked in the top 15 of the FIFA Women’s World Ranking.
• The U.S. is now unbeaten in its past 14 games away from home, a streak that dates back to the January 2023 matches against the Football Ferns in New Zealand.
• The USA improves to 9W-1L-2D all-time against the Netherlands and is now unbeaten in its past 11 head-to-head meetings with the Dutch.
• Veerle Buurman’s goal in the 15th minute was just the fifth goal the U.S. has conceded in 15 games under Emma Hayes. It also marked the second time the U.S. has trailed under Hayes. In both instances, the U.S. came from behind and won.
• The U.S. benefitted from an own goal for just the second time in 2024. The other came on Oct. 30 against Argentina.
• Playing in the country where she has lived since age 10, 17-year-old Lily Yohannes came on in the second half to earn her second cap for the USWNT.
• Yazmeen Ryan made her second USWNT start and recorded the first assist of her international career.
• Lynn Williams’ goal in the 71st minute was her second career goal against the Netherlands. She famously scored against the Dutch in the quarterfinals of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Williams now has four goal involvements in four career matches against the Netherlands (2 goals, 2 assists).
• Williams has scored 10 of her 21 international goals as a substitute.
• Former U-20 WNT captain Ally Sentnor, who won the Bronze Ball as the third-best player at the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, came on in the 85th minute to earn her second career cap and help secure the game with some quality possession on the forward line.

-- U.S. WOMENS NATIONAL TEAM MATCH REPORT --

Match: United States Women’s National Team vs. Netherlands
Date: December 3, 2024
Competition: International Friendly
Venue: ADO Den Haag Stadium; The Hague, Netherlands
Attendance: 12,503
Kickoff: 8:45 p.m. local (2:45 p.m. ET)
Weather: 41 Degrees, Light Rain

Lineups:
USA: 1-Alyssa Naeher (Capt.); 23-Emily Fox, 4-Naomi Girma, 12-Tierna Davidson, 5-Jenna Nighswonger (14-Emily Sonnett, 46), 17-Sam Coffey, 3-Korbin Albert (19-Hal Hershfelt, 66), 10-Lindsey Horan (11-Lilly Yohannes, 67); 24-Yazmeen Ryan (9-Ally Sentnor, 85), 8-Jaedyn Shaw (6-Lynn Williams, 46), 16-Rose Lavelle (7-Alyssa Thompson, 66)
Substitutes Not Used: 21Mandy Haught, 2-Emily Sams,13-Emma Sears, 15-Alyssa Malonson, 18-Phallon Tullis-Joyce, 20-Casey Krueger, 22-Eva Gaetino
Head coach: Emma Hayes

NED: 1-Daphne Van Domselaar; 18-Kerstin Casparij (12-Chasity Grant, 87) 4-Veerle Buurman, 20-Dominique Janssen, 11-Esmee Brugts, 14-Jackie Groenen, 19-Wieke Kaptein, 7-Linet Beerenstyen, 10-Daniëlle van de Donk, 6-Jill Roord, 9- Romée Leuchter
Substitutes Not Used: 16-Lize Kop, 23-Femke Liefting, 2- Lynn Wilms, 3-Ilse van der Zanden, 5- Nina Nijstad, 8- Sherida Spitse, 13- Renate Jansen, 15-Kayleigh van Dooren, 17-Chimera Ripa, 21- Fenna Kalma, 22- Lotte Keukelaar, 24-Ella Peddemors, 25-Danique Noordman, 26- Lisa Doorn
Head coach: Andries Jonker

Stats Summary: USA / NED
Shots: 5 / 22
Shots on Goal: 4 / 7
Saves: 6 / 3
Corner Kicks: 0 / 9
Fouls: 6 / 9
Offside: 4 / 2

Misconduct Summary:
USA -- Yazmeen Ryan (Caution) 26th minute
USA -- Sam Coffey (Caution) 80

Officials:
Referee: María Eugenia Gil Soriano (ESP)
Ass. Referee 1: Silvia Fernandez Perez (ESP)
Ass. Referee 2: Rocío Puente Pino (ESP)
4th Official: Elena Pelaez Arnillas (ESP)

Michelob Ultra Woman of the Match: Alyssa Naeher