Rio Tinto Stadium erupted with applause when Utah Royals forward Amy Rodriguez stepped up to the edge of the sideline. Fans stood and pulled out their cellphones to capture the comeback appearance and Royals debut of a woman who has scored 30 goals for the U.S. women’s national team as she was subbed on in the 77th minute.
Rodriguez had reminded herself on the bench to stay calm. It was the first time she was available for a match since tearing her ACL last year. But she wasn’t worried about nerves anymore as she sprinted onto the field with 19,000 fans cheering her on.