Lindsey Horan wore the captain’s armband for the USWNT’s match against Australia on Friday, ushering in a new era for both the squad and the 27-year-old.

With 107 caps, Horan was the senior-most player in the starting lineup, which included Casey Murphy in her international debut and Ashley Hatch and Alana Cook in only their third National Team appearances.

Horan also donned the No. 10 jersey, which was passed down to the midfielder by USWNT icon Carli Lloyd before her retirement. “Carli passing down this jersey to me was one of the most special moments of my life and truly such a gift,” said Horan at the time.

In a post to social media after Friday’s game, Horan opened up about her first match wearing No. 10 and the captain’s armband, saying she would remember the moment “forever,” adding that she was “so honored.”

Lloyd shouted out her No. 10 successor, congratulating Horan on her 25th goal, scored from the spot in the team’s commanding 3-0 win over the Matildas on Friday.

The USWNT will face off against Australia again on Tuesday after defeating the Matildas behind goals from Hatch, Rose Lavelle and Horan.

The United States Women’s National Team defeated Australia 3-0 on Friday, with a squad of fresh faces representing the U.S. in front of a record crowd of 36,109 in Sydney.

With an average age of 26-years-old, the starting lineup was the USWNT’s youngest since April 2018.

Goalkeeper Casey Murphy earned her first start and first cap, while Bethany Balcer, Morgan Weaver and Ashley Sanchez all subbed on for their international debuts.

The USWNT didn’t waste much time getting on the scoresheet, with Hatch scoring just 24 seconds into the match for her first international goal. Running onto a pass headed forward by Lynn Williams, Hatch bodied down the ball to slot through a finish from close range to go up 1-0.

The U.S. kept the scoreline at 1-0 throughout the first half, with Murphy making several crucial saves to deny Australian star Sam Kerr.

Rose Lavelle added her name to the scoresheet in the 49th minute, getting on the end of a pass from Margaret Purce, who beat her defender down the flank to send a well-placed ball into the box to double the USWNT’s lead.

The team’s last goal came in the 68th minute, with Lindsey Horan converting a penalty kick from the spot to clinch the 3-0 win. The game was Horan’s first wearing the No. 10 jersey, which was passed down to her from a retiring Carli Lloyd.

Next up: The USWNT will play the Matildas again in Newcastle, airing Tuesday at 4:05 a.m. ET on ESPN.

Lindsey Horan discussed the recent allegations of abuse against former Chicago Red Stars coach Rory Dames ahead of the USWNT’s two friendlies against Australia.

“You can sit here and you just want some positivity,” she said, when asked about the news. “I think the positive you can take out of it is that these coaches are being released or fired or resigning themselves because they know what’s about to come.”

It’s been a tumultuous year for the NWSL off the field, with five out of the league’s 10 coaches resigning or being fired due to abuse allegations. Dames is the latest, with Christen Press, Jen Hoy and Samantha Johnson all coming forward and sharing their experiences with the Washington Post.

“I think the bravery from these women coming out and speaking about it is incredible,” Horan said.

Horan then added that it’s “really hard” to wake up to more news about coaches who are abusing players, adding that she’s also “had a personal experience.”

The forward played under Farid Benstiti with Paris Saint-Germain from 2012 until 2016. Benstiti resigned from the head coaching role with OL Reign in July, reportedly over abuse allegations. Horan has publicly spoken out in the past about her experiences with Benstiti, saying he body shamed her to the point that she considered quitting soccer altogether.

The USWNT will face off against Australia in the first of two friendlies on Friday at 11 p.m. ET on FS2.

Carli Lloyd is passing the torch, bestowing the No. 10 jersey on Lindsey Horan once she retires from the U.S. women’s national team. Lloyd surprised Horan with the honor before the team’s game against Korea Republic on Thursday, when Horan was honored for reaching 100 caps with the USWNT.

In an Instagram post on Sunday, Horan reflected on Lloyd’s gesture, calling it, “one of the most special moments of my life and truly such a gift.”

Horan went on to call Lloyd a “role model.”

“You have showed me what it takes to consistently be at your best, to give everything to your team, to put your head down and ALWAYS work and no matter what, never stay complacent,” Horan wrote.

Lloyd will take the pitch with the USWNT for the final time on Tuesday, retiring from the sport after a storied international career.

Lloyd and the USWNT will take on Korea Republic on Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on FS1.

Carli Lloyd will be passing on her No. 10 jersey to Lindsey Horan after she plays her final game for the U.S. women’s national team next week. Lloyd made the announcement on her Instagram account Thursday ahead of the USWNT’s game against Korea Republic, which resulted in a scoreless draw.

“Seems fitting as we celebrate your 100th cap to also pass the #10 to you Lindsey Horan,” Lloyd wrote. “Could not be more proud of the player you have become and the player you continue to push yourself to be. You are an amazing human being. Never change. I am so honored to pass the 10 to you when I say goodbye on 10/26. Wear it with pride every second you take the field.”

Horan said that Lloyd presented her with a No. 10 USWNT jersey with her name on it in the pregame meeting and, filled with emotion over the gesture, she cried “about seven times.”

The coveted No. 9, Horan’s current number after legends Mia Hamm and Heather O’Reilly donned it in the past, will also be changing hands. Horan said she would keep the new owner of the number “a secret for now.”

On Thursday, Horan celebrated her 100th cap with the USWNT and earned high praise from head coach Vlatko Andonovski for her effort against Korea Republic.

The team will be back in action for Lloyd’s final USWNT game on Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on FS1.

Lindsey Horan was all over the Korea Republic on Tuesday night as the USWNT played to a 0-0 draw.

Horan nearly put one past goalkeeper Youngguel Yoon in the 13th minute, curling it toward the bottom left corner and hitting it off the post.

Horan had another chance on a header in the 19th minute that Yoon deflected away.

Her performance earned high praise from USWNT coach Vlatko Andonovski.

“Lindsey has been tremendous,” he said after the game. “In the two years I’ve been in this job, I can’t remember that she’s had a bad game or even an average one. She’s always been above average or super good. Tonight she controlled the tempo of the team, controlled the tempo of the game and had a great mindset.

“She made unbelievable divisions on when it is time for us to go and when it is time to slow down a bit. Overall, I’m happy with her performance and glad she had that in a milestone game.”

Before the game, Horan celebrated her 100th cap with the national team. The forward played in her 100th game during the Olympics, becoming the 41st member of the USWNT to achieve the feat.

Horan and the rest of the USWNT will face the Korea Republic again on Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on FS1.

Lindsey Horan was the difference maker Sunday as the Portland Thorns took home a 1-0 road victory over the Houston Dash to secure the NWSL Shield. It’s the team’s second Shield after they took home the accolade in 2016.

Horan scored the game’s loan goal in the 43rd minute to secure the team’s third championship this season. It’s the 25th goal of her Thorns career, joining Christine Sinclair and Allie Long as the only Thorns with at least 25 career goals with the team.

Earlier this year, the Thorns captured the NWSL Challenge Cup and the International Champions Cup.

Kristie Mewis nearly equalized twice but couldn’t send one home for the Dash who currently sit tied for the sixth and final playoff spot. For Thorns’ goalkeeper Bella Bixby, it’s her eighth clean sheet of the season and the team’s 12th shutout, which ties a single-season NWSL record.

The Thorns finish off the season against the North Carolina Courage on Saturday, Oct. 30 at 10 p.m. ET. Meanwhile the Houston Dash will play the Washington Spirit in an attempt to secure the final playoff spot on Sunday, Oct. 31 at 2 p.m. ET.

Lindsey Horan has been ruled out of the two upcoming USWNT matches against Paraguay, coach Vlatko Andonovski announced Wednesday.

The news comes following a small knock Horan picked up in the Portland Thorns’ game against the North Carolina Courage.

A member of the 2021 Olympic team, Horan picked up one goal in the Olympic tournament against New Zealand. In total, she has 23 goals through 104 appearances with the senior national team.

The loss of Horan adds to an already thin midfield, with both Sam Mewis and Julie Ertz also set to miss the games due to injury.

As the USWNT looks ahead to their game against New Zealand and holds their own opening ceremony, midfielder Lindsey Horan has said that the team’s 3-0 loss to Sweden left them “pissed off.”

She then added that “the mentality wasn’t there” to win the game.

Largely considered to be gold medal favorites, the path to get there has gotten more difficult following Wednesday’s loss.

Megan Rapinoe was blunt, saying the team got their “asses kicked.” On Friday, Horan said in a news conference that while Sweden executed their game plan well, the US team has a lot they can improve upon moving forward.

“I think every single player in the field feels like they could’ve done more or they could’ve changed certain mistakes they made or certain decisions they made,” she said. “That falls on every single one of us.

“I think it’s great that we can now look back on playing against such an incredible team like Sweden — one of the best in the world now — and take away every single mistake and decision we made there and look towards this game and what we can do more.”

Head coach Vlatko Andonovski said the team has already turned their focus on New Zealand, who lost 2-1 to Australia.

“We’re already in the game mode,” he said. “We already have had our game-plan preparation today, and we’re preparing for the game tomorrow. As bad as it was last game, we don’t have too much time to think about it.

“We have to turn our focus to the next game, and we have to win the game.”