Omar Vega/Getty Images
From the photographer, Omar Vega:
"For the debut of the new Q2 Stadium in Austin, the United States Women's National Team played against Nigeria in the 2021 WNT Summer Series tournament. This was especially a monumental moment for the team, celebrating Carli Lloyd's 300th game with the national team in a beautiful ceremony before the game. During the first half, United States forward Christen Press was a standout player for her assists and several goal attempts. Her first goal attempt was deemed offsides and after several other attempts, Press received a riveting pass from teammate Carli Lloyd. In that moment, Press seized the opportunity, sending the ball right into the Nigerian net. At the celebration, Press reacted with a sigh of relief and a big smile from ear-to-ear, which ended in a hug from Lloyd and her other teammates. For this photo, I used a Canon 1DX Mark II and a 2.8 400mm lens. It was a bit challenging to cover this game because I didn't know the stadium well with it being my first time covering a game there. Photographers were put in the front row of seats for the public, as we had to be a significant distance from the field due to COVID protocols. With that being said, I had to focus much more on the plays because the screaming and the support of fans were much more prominent and felt closer to me. However, when I looked at the viewfinder of my camera during the celebration, especially Press's reaction, in my mind this became the photo of the game."