USWNT hammers Ireland in Rose Lavelle's return

Rose Lavelle scored and had an assist in her return as the U.S. women's national team sent a friendly reminder of its dominance with a 4-0 victory over Ireland in Commerce City, Colo., on Thursday.

Lavelle played for the U.S for the first time since Dec. 3, 2024, after undergoing ankle surgery.

Avery Patterson scored her first U.S. goal in the 18th minute and Sam Coffey doubled the lead in the fourth minute of first-half stoppage time.

Lavelle made it 3-0 in the 53rd minute with her 25th career goal from a set-up by Ally Sentnor before being subbed six minutes later. She will have a chance to add to her total in her hometown of Cincinnati on Sunday against Ireland.

Alyssa Thompson dribbled from midfield and made a cut to her right before going to the upper right corner for a 4-0 lead in the 63rd minute.

With so much attention on the men's game with the Club World Cup and CONCACAF Gold Cup being competed concurrently across the U.S., it would be easy to forget how good the USWNT remains.

The match at Dick's Sporting Goods Park was the site of Emma Hayes' first as coach of the Americans on June 1, 2024. She is 19-2-2 including a gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Hayes has the luxury of time before the 2027 World Cup which allows her ample opportunity to evaluate new players. Goalie Claudia Dickey and defenders Lilly Reale and Jordyn Bugg made their debuts, bringing the total to 21 debutantes during Hayes' tenure.

Reale assisted on the Thompson goal while Dickey did not have to make a save.

Patterson was among the four players in the starting lineup with seven or fewer appearances and she responded with her first international goal. Off a short corner kick, Lavelle whipped a cross into the box where Patterson headed the ball down and squeezed it past Courtney Brosnan.

Coffey made it 2-0 by going wide around three Ireland players and using her left foot to score her third goal.

--Field Level Media