THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Alyssa Naeher ended her national team career with one last win.
The stalwart goalkeeper made two critical saves in her final match for the United States, and the Americans beat the Netherlands 2-1 on Tuesday.
“I definitely wasn’t thinking about it during the game, just wanted to win the game and do what I could to come away with the ‘W’ for us to close out the year,” Naeher said.
Lynn Williams scored the go-ahead goal in the 71st minute for the U.S., which won its fifth Olympic gold medal in France this summer and wrapped up the year on a 20-game unbeaten streak. The Americans were coming off a scoreless draw with England on Saturday at Wembley Stadium.
Naeher announced two weeks ago that the European exhibitions would be her final matches. The 36-year-old goalkeeper played in 115 games for the U.S., with 111 starts, 89 wins and 69 shutouts.
Naeher is the only U.S. keeper with shutouts in both a World Cup and an Olympic final. She was in goal when the United States defeated the Netherlands 2-0 in the 2019 Women's World Cup final.
“I feel like in my heart I would love to keep going. In my head, in my body and mind, I feel like it’s the right time. And I think it’s the right time with this team as well as it builds towards the future and towards 2027,” Naeher said. “This environment, this team, is an incredible team to be a part of, but it’s also really hard and really challenging in a lot of ways as well.
“I feel like I’ve given everything I have to give for this team and that’s why I feel at peace with that.”
The Netherlands took the lead on center back Veerle Buurman's header off a corner kick in the 15th minute. Naeher prevented a second goal when she punched away Dominique Janssen's shot in the 38th.
The United States drew even at the end of the first half on an own goal that deflected off Buurman and past Dutch goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar.
Naeher slid to stop Danielle van de Donk's shot in the 69th minute before Williams, a second-half substitute, scored her fourth goal of the year and 21st of her career.
“I wouldn’t say that this was our prettiest game of soccer ever. And sometimes that’s how games go. You can talk about tactics, you can talk about formations, you talk about everything, but the biggest thing was matching their intensity. Getting to the second ball, getting to the first ball. That was the shift that needed to happen,” Williams said about the team's second-half mindset.
Naeher finished with six saves.
She is not quite finished with soccer yet: She will continue playing next season for the Chicago Red Stars of the National Women's Soccer League.
“She’s been consistent again and again. Even when she’s been questioned at times in her career, she’s always found the answer,” U.S. coach Emma Hayes said. “Not only has she been a great player in this program, but let me tell you, she’s so loved by everyone, players and staff alike. She is the best teammate you could ask for and that just speaks volumes to the person that she is.”
Lily Yohannes came in as a substitute in the second half. Yohannes, who has dual citizenship, opted to play for the United States over the Netherlands last month. She plays professionally for the Dutch club Ajax.
The U.S. finished the year without the trio of Mallory Swanson, Trinity Rodman and Sophia Smith, who were left off the roster for the final two matches to rest and heal nagging injuries.
The U.S. is unbeaten in 15 matches under Hayes, who took over in May.
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer