Ajax midfielder Lily Yohannes became the third-youngest scorer ever for the United States women’s national team, scoring in the 82nd minute in a friendly against South Korea on Tuesday night.
Yohannes has already made history simply by being on the field for the match. When she stepped onto the pitch, the 16-year-old became the youngest player to play for the national team since 2001, and only the eighth to make her debut before turning 17. In terms of goals, she was followed only by Kristine Lilly and Tiffany Roberts. as the USWNT’s youngest scorers.
“It’s a dream come true, really,” Yohannes told TNT Sports after the USWNT won 3-0. “I’ve replayed the scenario in my head I don’t know how many times before. The support of my teammates running towards me made it even more special.”
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How did Yohannes score?
Although a friendly appearance doesn’t mean a player’s draw, seeing Lily Yohannes come into the game in the 72nd minute was another step in the team’s ongoing post-World Cup upgrade. She was given some freedom to distance herself from Sam Coffey, trying to play on her wings, which she seemed comfortable doing from the start. At some points she was also asked to go around the venerable Ji So-yun, a big ask for a first assignment, but an important one that demonstrated both a level of trust and a level of willingness to let Yohannes fly or fall on merit her. .
Yohannes chose “flight” to score his first goal, a calmly placed shot that ended up just under goalkeeper Kim Jung-mi.
Yohannes wrote his name in the record books, aged just 16 years and 358 days.
A DREAM DEBUT FOR LILY!!!!#USWNT X @VW pic.twitter.com/RWlOYpLSjj
— United States women’s national soccer team (@USWNT) June 5, 2024
“Lily is a dancer. From the day she walked on the field, she made passes that you don’t see a 16-year-old make,” forward Sophia Smith said. “You don’t even see veteran players make these passes. She’s confident, she’s composed. We knew she would entered this game, hopefully, and came in and didn’t miss a beat.
“He seemed like a natural out there, and then to get an extra goal is amazing and deserved.” — Steph Yang
Who is Lily Yohannes?
Born in Springfield, Virginia, Yohannes spent his early childhood playing alongside his siblings and father in an Ethiopian and Eritrean expatriate community. When the family moved to the Netherlands, Yohannes made his way through Ajax’s youth system, eventually becoming a regular for the team this season.
She played 20 games this season, scoring five goals with four assists and helping Ajax reach the quarter-finals of the UEFA Women’s Champions League, where they were defeated by Emma Hayes’ Chelsea.
“She’s the most mature 16-year-old I’ve ever met,” USWNT midfielder Rose Lavelle said Tuesday. “I feel like she’s more mature than me, honestly. She was so impressive. I told her: “I will always remember my hundredth cap because it was Lily’s first and her first goal.”
Mandatory reading
(Photo: Brad Smith / ISI Photos / USSF / Getty Images)
