“She’s completely excited for that,” is how Emma Hayes described Rose Lavelle’s feelings about playing the return fixture of the doubleheader clash against the Republic of Ireland at the Cincinnati, Ohio-based TQL Stadium. Quite a natural reaction, especially knowing it was the USWNT midfielder’s hometown. Yet, even after knowing the significance of this match, guess how much Lavelle played?
5 minutes. Yes, you heard it correctly! In another 4-0 win over the Irish women, the NJ/NY Gotham FC star came off the bench in the 87th minute. Little it must have upset home fans who were looking for their city’s soccer star to see such little of Lavelle in action. Then again, one should know that Hayes had her own reasons to do so.
“We respect that she’s been out a long period of time so we can’t expect she’s going to play a game every four days,” began the 48-year-old in the aftermath of another similar win like the opening clash at Colorado’s DSG Park on Friday, June 27.
“I wanted her to be involved with the first and the third game but I knew I was going to get pressure from the crowd and I welcomed it because even if everybody quite rightly wants to do the best for Rose, I felt it was important for our fans and I can’t do that all the time because I have to support the player’s welfare first. But for five minutes it’s a nice cameo run out.”
“I was desperate for her to get a goal and yes she deserves her flowers because she’s unique in the world game. There’s not many players like Rose Lavelle and I genuinely think there is another level for her to go with our team. So with permission from the medical and the performance teams, I put her in to give the crowd the opportunity to acknowledge and embrace a very special human being.”
“In the world game, there’s not many players like Rose Lavelle.”
Rose Lavelle only played four minutes today as she works back from an ankle injury, but it was important for head coach Emma Hayes to give the Cincinnati-native her flowers.@WLWT pic.twitter.com/62p5ytkuE1
— Jaron May (@jaron_may) June 29, 2025
(This is a developing story…)
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