Making your international debut is a special moment in any player's career. It's the pinnacle players dream about for years. All too often, that dream is far better than reality. The real thing is usually a cameo, a brief taste of a level of sport that takes time to adjust to.
Dreams became reality for two U.S. women's national team newcomers Sunday night, in the form of Emily Sams and Emma Sears. Both made the most of their chances and, ultimately, proved that they're worthy of more looks from USWNT boss Emma Hayes.
Sears scored and assisted goals in the USWNT's 3-1 win over Iceland. Sams, meanwhile, was one of the best players on the field from her spot in defense, keeping a dangerous Iceland attack quiet. Buffered by cagey second-half goalscoring from USWNT stars Lynn Williams and Lindsey Horan - the veterans overcame a 1-0 deficit with key strikes, securing the victory - both newcomers were fantastic, among the best players on the field.
Hayes started seven different players from the lineup in Thursday's game against Iceland, with only three players kicking off on Sunday claiming more than 30 career USWNT appearances - and for the first time since April 2018, there were two teenagers on the field at the start, 19-year-olds Olivia Moultrie and Jaedyn Shaw.
So yeah, experimentation.
This wasn't a perfect performance for the USWNT, but it was a near-perfect debut for Sams and Sears, who have plenty of reason to be thrilled with their first taste of the international stage as the Americans rolled up a second consecutive 3-1 win over Iceland - and kept Hayes unbeaten in 12 matches with the team.
GOAL breaks down the winners and losers from Geordis Park.