Ali Krieger

But once you start knocking the ball around, once you connect your passes, once you get into good positions and scoring positions like she did, and being able to follow through with that and put the ball in the back of the net, I think then maybe she could take a breath and her nerves settle down a little bit more.

But I'm really happy for her.

She deserves to be there.

She had six goals with Portland this season.

She was thriving by the end of the year with Portland and really carrying them through the end of the season to get them back at the top of the table.

So well done by her.

She definitely deserves that opportunity.

And so I'm really happy that she could come through with at least scoring a goal and show us what she's all about.

What we've spoken about her all season long, she definitely proved that in this performance.

Were they a little bit rusty here and there?

Of course.

But once again, these are players who might not have had any other opportunity at this type of level before.

And I think they did a great job to start the year off.

And also, preseason is coming up.

So they've been in their off-season mentality and just back with the squad.

So credit to her for performing well and getting out there and representing our country.

Well, this is a perfect time.

It's right before the season starts, right before preseason begins, and a time where a lot of the players in this pool, in this big pool now, can kind of showcase themselves and come together and really take this opportunity that they've been given.

They've worked so hard for however long in order to get to this position, and now you are right in front

of the national team coach and you're in an environment with the best players in the country.