Rodman scores as USWNT blanks Brazil

INGLEWOOD, Calif. -- Trinity Rodman scored in the fifth minute of her return from a lengthy injury absence, and the U.S. women's national team beat Brazil 2-0 Saturday in a friendly rematch of the Paris Olympics gold-medal match.

Captain Lindsey Heaps scored a second-half penalty goal for the Americans in the first of two California friendlies in four days against Brazil, who lost 2-1 in Paris as the U.S. secured its fifth Olympic gold medal.

Rodman, the 22-year-old star and Orange County native, delivered her 11th goal for the U.S. by finishing off a brilliant run by Alyssa Thompson. Rodman had been sidelined by back problems for eight months and hadn't played for the U.S. since the Olympic final.

Phallon Tullis-Joyce made six saves while keeping a clean sheet in the 28-year-old goalkeeper's U.S. debut.

Played before a lively crowd of 32,303, this game was billed as the first professional women's sporting event at SoFi Stadium, the nearly 5-year-old home of the NFL's Los Angeles Rams.

The teams meet again Tuesday night in San Jose, California.

In their most recent outing in late February, the U.S. women took their first defeat of coach Emma Hayes' tenure, falling 2-1 to Japan in San Diego in the final of the SheBelieves Cup. The Americans had been 15-0-2 since Hayes took over in June 2024.

Back at it in SoFi, the Americans struck early - and with style.

Studio City native Thompson got a midfield touch and made an impressive run through Brazil's formation, sending one defender to the grass in confusion before pushing a perfect pass to Rodman for her cool finish into the corner.

After her teammates mobbed her in celebration, Rodman stepped away and grabbed her lower back, pretending to seize up with pain - only to stand up tall and laugh while flipping her pink hair over both shoulders.

Later in the first half, Rodman appeared to be dealing with actual pain from the back injury that she recently said might never be fully healed. She still played 16 minutes into the second half before coming off.

The depleted U.S. defense had several rough moments in front of goal. The Seleção carried significant stretches of play and forced Tullis-Joyce to work hard, but the Long Island native who plays for Manchester United handled every chance capably.

The U.S. was awarded a penalty when substitute Lily Johannes was tripped in the box an instant after releasing a pass in the 64th minute. Heaps hammered it home with flair for her 37th goal.

Despite Rodman's return, the U.S. is playing this spring without 13 members of that Olympic team, dealing with absences due to injuries, retirement and personal leaves.

The Americans are without their two starting center backs for at least the near future. Naomi Girma has been out all year to date with a calf injury, while Tierna Davidson will miss the rest of the NWSL season after she tore a ligament in her knee last week while playing for NJ/NY Gotham FC.

The injured center backs were replaced by Emily Sonnett and Tara McKeown, who only broke into the U.S. lineup earlier this year.

Two weeks after the Mexico men's team won the CONCACAF Nations Cup at SoFi, this friendly match was another early chapter in a series of major soccer events in the Los Angeles area over the next six years.

Several matches in the men's World Cup will be played here in 2026, including the first match for the U.S. men's team at SoFi. The Los Angeles Games arrive two years later, although the Olympic soccer matches in the LA area will be held at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.

The U.S. is also expected to host the Women's World Cup in 2031 as the leader of a CONCACAF-based bid.