Emma Hayes commended Lo'eau LaBonta for becoming the oldest debutant in USWNT history at 32 years and 74 days during a friendly match where the USWNT secured a 3-0 victory over China. The match highlighted LaBonta's perseverance and consistent performances in the league, even without national team appearances. Other players such as Catarina Macario also stood out, contributing significantly to the team's success. The game marked LaBonta's long-awaited debut, highlighting her maturity and valuable experience on and off the field.
I know that a lot has been made about [LaBonta's age], but again, I watch the league. She was a player who didn't give up on herself.
Her maturity... you could see that was there. I think her experience around the camp has been really helpful, and I'm looking for more in the future.
Lindsey Heaps' header put the game beyond China early in the second half. Her 13 headed goals for the USWNT are the joint-second most by any player since the start of 2015.
Catarina Macario has now contributed to at least one goal in eight of her last nine international starts, scoring eight goals and assisting five in that span.
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