The USWNT were leading Netherlands 1-0 after a Megan Rapinoe penalty kick. It was the 69th minute of the World Cup final, and Netherlands played the ball up the field.
Crystal Dunn stepped in with a fantastic tackle, got the ball to a teammate, who fed it to Rose Lavelle in the middle of the field. And then magic happened.
Lavelle dribbled the ball into the heart of the Dutch defense, beat her defender, got the ball on her left foot, hesitated for just a moment, and then ripped in a shot into the bottom right corner. The USWNT had their 2-0 lead, and Lavelle, who wasn’t even certain to play in this game after exiting the semifinal with what appeared to be a hamstring injury, had her iconic moment.
Just look at this goal.
The photos of the goal are so good as well.
Lavelle is just 24 years old, and has been called the future of the USWNT. With goals like that, it’s clear, she’s the present.
