Grant was second half substitute in the 5-0 defeat and has been regular member of Sue Ronan’s squad since, winning 14 caps in the process, as she juggles her football commitments with her medical studies at UCD. Even though the Irish suffered a heavy loss to the Olympic champions, Grant, who was 19 at the time, has fond memories of the day and her call-up.

“I was called in two years ago just before Christmas and I remember my friends saying ‘what about your exams?’ I was like ‘what about the exams?’ The college actually helped me rearrange everything and I was able to go to Oregon,” she recalled.

“I thought I was only going over for experience and it was just to give me a little boost but training went very well over there and then with about half an hour to go in the first game Sue told me I was going on at right back which really made my heart drop because I hadn’t played right back in years. But she gave me some steps to follows and I went on,” recalled the Donegal girl.

“I remember getting the ball and I could have sworn Sydney Laroux was ten yards away from me and suddenly she tackled me straight away and I was thinking ‘oh, so this is how quick this game is.’ I soon got into it and did my best and even though we lost 5-0 the experience was amazing. There were 11,000 people at the game and it was something I had never really experienced before. I was really happy with the whole thing.”

Thirty months on and Grant is firmly established in the squad and admits she is a lot more assured than she was back then.

“I am bit more senior in the team now and I am more comfortable. I am not really as nervous as I was then.”

Back then the Americans were on a victory tour after capturing gold at the London Olympics but this time they are preparing for next month’s World Cup Finals in Canada and this match is the first game of a three match Send-off Series. Grant knows that Sunday’s assignment is going be tough, especially with several of the squad’s most experienced and influential players missing.

“Obviously they are a different stage. They are 30 days out from the World Cup so they will be sharper and obviously trying to peak for the World Cup so it will be a different challenge. It is going to be a proper competitive game. We are also going to be a bit understrength as it is not an official international date but I am looking forward to it and hoping I get a run out again and see what I can do.”

Now in her fourth year of medical studies, Grant is currently on work placement at St Vincent’s University Hospital in Dublin, and has got great encouragement from her team there as well UCD where she is on a soccer scholarship and plays for UCD Waves in the Continental Tyres Women’s National League.  

“The studies are going well still. I am managing to juggle it.”