The United States’ Ashley Hatch celebrates after scoring her team’s first goal during their 3-0 exhibition victory over Australia on Saturday (Friday night PT) at Stadium Australia in Sydney. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
The United States’ Lynne Williams, right, and Australia’s Ellie Carpenter battle for the ball during their exhibition match on Saturday (Friday night PT) at the Olympic Stadium in Sydney. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
The United States’ Ashley Hatch celebrates after scoring her team’s first goal 24 seconds into their 3-0 exhibition victory over Australia on Saturday (Friday night PT) at the Olympic Stadium in Sydney. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
The United States’ Ashley Hatch celebrates after scoring her team’s first goal 24 seconds into their 3-0 exhibition victory over Australia on Saturday (Friday night PT) at Stadium Australia in Sydney. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
Australia’s Ellie Carpenter, left, and the United States’ Emily Fox battle for the ball during their exhibition match on Saturday (Friday night PT) at the Olympic Stadium in Sydney. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
Australia’s Kyah Simon reacts after a missed shot at goal during their exhibition match against the U.S. on Saturday (Friday night PT) at the Olympic Stadium in Sydney. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
Australia’s Ellie Carpenter, left, and the United States’ Emily Fox battle for the ball during their exhibition match on Saturday (Friday night PT) at the Olympic Stadium in Sydney. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
Australia’s Sam Kerr, left, and the United States’ Alana Cook battle for the ball during their exhibition match on Saturday (Friday night PT) at the Olympic Stadium in Sydney. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
Australia’s Stephanie Catley, left, and the United States’ Sofia Huerta compete for the ball during their exhibition match on Saturday (Friday night PT) at the Olympic Stadium in Sydney. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
U.S. coach Vlatko Andonovski gestures to a match official during their exhibition match against Australia on Saturday (Friday night PT) at the Olympic Stadium in Sydney. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
Australia’s Kyra Cooney-Cross, left, and the United States’ Sofia Huerta battle for the ball during their exhibition match on Saturday (Friday night PT) at the Olympic Stadium in Sydney. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
The United States’ Lynne Williams takes a shot at goal during their exhibition match against Australia on Saturday (Friday night PT) at the Olympic Stadium in Sydney. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
The United States’ Lindsay Horan reacts as she is fouled in the penalty box during their exhibition match against Australia on Saturday (Friday night PT) at the Olympic Stadium in Sydney. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
The United States’ Lindsay Horan, second left, scores her team’s third goal from the penalty spot during their exhibition match against Australia on Saturday (Friday night PT) at the Olympic Stadium in Sydney. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
The United States’ Lindsay Horan, left, scores her team’s third goal from the penalty spot during their exhibition match against Australia on Saturday (Friday night PT) at the Olympic Stadium in Sydney. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
The United States’ Lindsay Horan, second right, is congratulated by teammates after scoring her team’s third goal during their exhibition match against Australia on Saturday (Friday night PT) at the Olympic Stadium in Sydney. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
A U.S. fan celebrates during their exhibition match against Australia on Saturday (Friday night PT) at the Olympic Stadium in Sydney. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
The United States’ Bethany Balcer takes the ball toward the goal during their exhibition match against Australia on Saturday (Friday night PT) at the Olympic Stadium in Sydney. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
Australia head coach Tony Gustavsson reacts during their exhibition match against the U.S. women’s national team on Saturday (Friday night PT) at the Olympic Stadium in Sydney. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
The United States’ Lindsay Horan, left, and Australia’s Ellie Carpenter compete for the ball during their exhibition match on Saturday (Friday night PT) at the Olympic Stadium in Sydney. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
The United States’ Lindsay Horan falls after a tackle from Australia’s Caitin Foord, left, during their exhibition match on Saturday (Friday night PT) at the Olympic Stadium in Sydney. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
Australia’s Stephanie Catley, left, and the United States’ Sofia Huerta compete for the ball during their exhibition match on Saturday (Friday night PT) at the Olympic Stadium in Sydney. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
The United States’ Lynne Williams, right, and Australia’s Ellie Carpenter battle for the ball during their exhibition match on Saturday (Friday night PT) at the Olympic Stadium in Sydney. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
U.S. women’s national team coach Vlatko Andonovski gestures during their exhibition match against Australia on Saturday (Friday night PT) at the Olympic Stadium in Sydney. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
The United States’ Lindsay Horan, left, kicks the ball past Australia’s Tameka Yallop during their exhibition match on Saturday (Friday night PT) at the Olympic Stadium in Sydney. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
Australia’s Sam Kerr, right, is replaced by teammate Kyra Cooney-Cross during their exhibition match on Saturday (Friday night PT) at the Olympic Stadium in Sydney. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
Australia’s Kyah Simon takes a shot at goal during their exhibition match against the U.S. on Saturday (Friday night PT) at the Olympic Stadium in Sydney. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
The United States’ Lindsay Horan, left, battles for the ball with Australia’s Emily van Egmond during their exhibition match on Saturday (Friday night PT) at the Olympic Stadium in Sydney. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
Australia’s Emily van Egmond heads the ball during their exhibition match against the U.S. on Saturday (Friday night PT) at the Olympic Stadium in Sydney. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
Australia’s Ellie Carpenter, left, shakes hands with the United States’ Bethany Balcer after their exhibition match on Saturday (Friday night PT) at the Olympic Stadium in Sydney. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
SYDNEY — Playing in Australia for the first time in 21 years, the United States women’s soccer team needed only 24 seconds to score against the Matildas on Saturday (Friday night PT).
It turns out that was all the new-look American side needed in a 3-0 win at Sydney’s Olympic stadium before a Matildas-record crowd of 36,109.
Ashley Hatch scored her first international goal when Australia’s defense failed to clear the ball from the opening kickoff. Hatch found herself one-on-one with goalkeeper Teagen Micah, and Hatch calmly slotted a low shot to the right of Micah.
Hatch, the 2021 Golden Boot winner as top scorer in the National Women’s Soccer League for the champion Washington Spirit – 10 goals in 20 matches – was making just her third appearance for the U.S. and first since 2018.
Rose Lavelle scored the second American goal in the 49th minute and captain Lindsey Horan finished the scoring from a penalty in the 68th.
Australia dominated much of the first half after Hatch’s first-minute goal. U.S. goalkeeper Casey Murphy – in her international debut – was the player of the opening 45 minutes as she saved a half-dozen chances, including two from Australia veteran Sam Kerr.
The best Australian chance came from Kyah Simon, who missed from inside the 6-yard box when the goal was open.
“As a striker, you pride yourself on scoring goals and I take full responsibility that I should have finished that,” Simon said. “The game (would have been) 1-1 at that point, so that could definitely change the momentum of the game.”
It was the first time since April 9, 2013, that the U.S. had a starting lineup with every player under the age of 30. The average age for this one was 26 years, making it the youngest starting lineup to take the field for the USWNT since April 5, 2018.
Horan and Tierna Davidson were the only players in this starting side who started in the most recent match with the Matildas in the Olympic bronze medal game on Aug. 5 in Tokyo, a match won, 4-3, by the Americans. Lavelle and Emily Sonnett also saw action in that match as second-half substitutes.
The U.S. women have won the World Cup four times, including the last time in France in 2019. Australia and New Zealand will co-host the next World Cup in 2023, with the tournament’s first match scheduled for 600 days from Saturday.
The last time the Americans played in Australia was while winning the silver medal at the 2000 Olympics.
The teams will meet again Tuesday in Newcastle, north of Sydney.
I’ll remember this moment forever. Wearing the 10 for the first time and of course, with the armband. I’m truly so honored. I’m proud of the team for the win and Sydney gave us an incredible atmosphere. Thank you pic.twitter.com/HDxrsq2Ijf
