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Jill Ellis, Christen Press and Tobin Heath debate USWNT starting lineup

Trinity Rodman runs drills with her USWNT teammates during their World Cup training. (Carmen Mandato/USSF/Getty Images)

Former U.S. women’s national team coach Jill Ellis joined Christen Press and Tobin Heath to discuss who she thinks her successor should start on the attack in Friday’s World Cup opener.

The USWNT kicks off its 2023 World Cup campaign at 9 p.m. ET Friday against Vietnam. While a number of players seemingly have solidified their spots in the starting lineup, the forward line includes at least one question mark.

Press and Heath, who played on the 2015 and 2019 World Cup-winning squads, are producing and hosting “The RE-CAP Show” throughout this year’s tournament. Veteran forwards themselves, both players are dealing with injuries that kept them off this year’s roster. Ellis, who coaches the USWNT to its two most two World Cup titles, joined her former players for the first episode of their show.

The USWNT’s forward pool includes Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe, Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith, Alyssa Thompson and Lynn Williams. Rapinoe has acknowledged her role as a bench player in the lead-up to the tournament, while Morgan and Smith look like clear-cut starters. That leaves one forward slot remaining in the lineup.

“We know that it’s going to be Alex and Soph, and then we have a big decision on the other side,” Heath said.

So who would Ellis put in her starting XI against Vietnam?

“I would probably play — obviously Alex central, I’d play Soph, and I’d play Trinity,” Ellis said. “I think Trinity is a player that’s evolving. I think she’s got an incredible passing game that we don’t see that much. She can pick out and thread balls… That’s the three I would go with.”

Still, Ellis, Press and Heath all were quick to point out the importance of both starting and bench roles, especially since rotating lineups are the rule at the World Cup to rest players’ legs and adjust team strategies.

“Every single player, whether a game changer or starter, got all the same information,” Ellis said of the 2019 tournament. “It was flawless. When Pinoe was out, you came in, it was just flawless, because everybody who I think was afforded the same information and trust.”

Press and Heath debated earlier in the episode whether it is easier to start a match or to come on as a substitute. Heath, who started six of seven matches at the 2019 World Cup, finds it easier to start a game.

“I think it’s a million times easier to start a game,” Heath said. “You’re more prepared, you know exactly your routine. Even if you talk about how you prepare, you know you’re going to be starting, you know how you want to fuel your body for the game you can psychologically prepare.”

As a substitute, players need to be prepared to take on “whatever role is needed,” according to Heath, which is what makes it so difficult.

“Knowing that you are that player that’s first off the bench, especially as an attacker, you don’t know if the team’s gonna need a goal. You don’t know if you’re going to be defending for your life. You don’t know if there’s going to have been a red card,” Heath added. “You are emotionally playing out the game [while] physically and literally warming up all the time.”

On the other hand, Press believes being a starter is the harder job; she started in one group-stage match and the semifinal in 2019, but she entered as a substitute in other matches.

Coming off the bench “is easier because when you come on as a game changer you have a very, very clear role and expectation on what you need to do,” she said. “If you’re defending a lead, if you are down and trying to score, if you are going to have a certain role in set pieces. When you start a game you have all of your expectations of how you want that game to go.”

Press did have one big moment as a starter back in 2019, when she was named to the starting lineup against England for the semifinal match. She scored just nine minutes into the match to give the USWNT an early lead, and the team held on for a 2-1 win.

Still, while that goal stands out as her big moment, she thrived a substitute for most of the tournament.

“The reality is you almost never get what you want. It almost always goes awry. When I came in in big games and I did my job, I felt valued. I felt seen. And I felt like I knew exactly how to execute on a very specific task,” Press said. “The whole world of football gets condensed down into 10 minutes of a performance and you do your freaking job. You could do anything for 10 minutes. You could do anything in the world for the limited position that you have and in order to do it well you have to let go of all your expectations. It’s not me me me, and as a starting player you’re managing your ego the whole game.”

While Heath tried to argue that bench players often are called upon to take penalty kicks after starters are subbed out of the match, a negative in her book, Press had a simple retort.

“It’s such a breeze taking penalties,” she said.

Team USA Keeps Women’s Rugby World Cup Dreams Alive with Australia Draw

Team USA rugby players celebrate an Australia turnover during their second group-stage game at the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup.
Team USA tied Australia on Saturday to better their chances of advancing past group-stage play at the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup. (George Wood/World Rugby via Getty Images)

The USA Women's Eagles still have a shot at a 2025 Rugby World Cup knockouts run thanks to a dramatic 31-31 draw against Australia on Saturday — putting all the pressure on next weekend's group-stage finale.

After falling to host nation — and world No. 1 — England in the tournament's record-breaking opener, the now-No. 8 US squad kept their World Cup dreams alive by pulling level with the No. 7 Wallaroos.

Saturday's thrilling draw brought drama to the competition's mostly lopsided pool-play results so far, and spoiled what would have been a guaranteed spot in the quarterfinals for Australia.

"The mood is disappointment because we were so close [to a win]," said US star Ilona Maher following the game. "But also excitement because there is more to play for in that we're not going home just yet. We're definitely proud of the fight."

With England officially clinching the top spot in Pool A, Team USA now needs a blowout win over No. 15 Samoa with at least four tries scored (called a bonus point), as well as an Australian loss to England without a bonus point — plus a positive score differential over the Wallaroos — to advance.

How to watch Team USA at the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup

The No. 8 USA will close out their group-stage run by taking on No. 15 Samoa at 8:30 AM ET on Saturday, before awaiting their fate when No. 7 Australia plays No. 1 England at 12 PM ET.

Live coverage of all 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup games streams on Paramount+.

Naomi Osaka Ousts Coco Gauff from US Open, Books 1st Grand Slam Quarterfinals in 4 Years

Naomi Osaka hugs Coco Gauff after her Round-of-16 upset win over Gauff at the 2025 US Open.
World No. 24 Naomi Osaka beat No. 3 Coco Gauff in Monday's fourth round of the 2025 US Open to book her first Grand Slam quarterfinal since 2021. (Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)

The Naomi Osaka comeback tour continued on Monday, as the world No. 24 tennis star took down No. 3 Coco Gauff 6-3, 6-2 in the pair's Round of 16 match at the 2025 US Open — booking her first Grand Slam quarterfinal since 2021 in the process.

"I'm a little sensitive and I don't want to cry, but honestly, I just had so much fun out here," Osaka said following the upset victory. "I was in the stands like two months after I gave birth to my daughter, watching Coco. I just really wanted an opportunity to come out here and play."

Already a two-time US Open champion, Osaka has been eyeing a deep tournament run since returning from maternity leave in January 2024 — and she managed to take advantage of Gauff's fluctuating form to achieve her goal.

"It's disappointing," Gauff said after Monday's loss. "For sure it was not the level that I wanted to bring, but it is a step in the right direction, I feel. I maybe was a little bit empty — she forced me to earn every point out there today."

Japan's four-time Grand Slam winner will next face No. 13 Karolína Muchová in a Wednesday quarterfinal, with Osaka most recently ousting the Czechia national from the 2025 Australian Open's Round of 64.

How to watch the US Open quarterfinals

The 2025 US Open quarterfinals kicked off on Tuesday, with US star and world No. 4 Jessica Pegula booking her second straight semifinals berth at the New York Slam by defeating Czechia's No. 62 Barbora Krejčíková in straight sets.

The quarterfinals will continue when defending champion No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka faces another Czech contender, No. 60 Markéta Vondroušová, at 7 PM ET on Tuesday.

Wednesday will cap the round, with Osaka battling Muchová and Poland's No. 2 Iga Świątek taking on No. 9 US star Amanda Anisimova in a rematch of the 2025 Wimbledon final.

Live coverage of the 2025 US Open airs across ESPN platforms.

Ludmila Helps Fuel Chicago Stars FC’s Five-Match Unbeaten Streak

Chicago Stars forward Ludmila points after scoring a goal during a 2025 NWSL match.
A series of dramatic draws have forward Ludmila and her Chicago Stars now unbeaten in their last five NWSL matches. (Scott Taetsch/NWSL via Getty Images)

Despite a season spent at the bottom of the table, the No. 13 Chicago Stars have quietly become the NWSL team to beat, racking up a five-game undefeated streak behind a slate of dramatic draws — including Sunday's 1-1 result against the No. 2 Washington Spirit.

Come-from-behind draws fueled all five of the Stars' most recent points, with striker Ludmila having a particularly impressive star turn as of late.

The Brazilian national scored five times across Chicago's last three matches, including Sunday's lone team goal as well as a sub-10 minute hat trick that pulled the Stars level with the No. 10 North Carolina Courage on August 22nd.

"I think we'd be doing a disservice to the league if we laid down just because we're in last place and felt sorry for ourselves," quipped Stars defender Sam Staab.

Chicago will continue trying to extend their unbeaten streak under new interim manager Anders Jacobson, who oversaw his first NWSL match on Sunday while the Stars await the arrival of incoming permanent boss Martin Sjögren.

"It'll be a lot of him getting to know us, and us getting to know him in this next week or so," Staab said of the team's temporary head coach. "This league moves fast. Everything happens fast."

Unbeatable Kansas City Current Clinches 1st NWSL Playoffs Berth

The Kansas City Current celebrate a goal by left back Izzy Rodriguez during a 2025 NWSL match.
With their Saturday win, the Kansas City Current became the first NWSL team to clinch a 2025 playoff. (Kyle Rivas/NWSL via Getty Images)

The No. 1 Kansas City Current tightened their grip atop the league on Saturday, claiming a 2-0 victory over the No. 10 North Carolina Courage to become the first NWSL team to clinch a spot in the 2025 playoffs.

Still undefeated at home on the year, Saturday's win marked the Current's sixth straight regular-season shutout and extended their lead in the NWSL standings to a massive 14 points.

"Our goal is to come out as a group and be the best that we can possibly be every game we play," said KC head coach Vlatko Andonovski afterwards. "We celebrate tonight, we rest tomorrow, and we get ready for the next one."

Though Kansas City is reaching historic heights, the rest of the league is sparking more questions than answers: The No. 4 Orlando Pride and No. 5 Seattle Reign are now on multiple-game winless streaks, and the No. 6 Portland Thorns have managed just one win in their last five matches.

On the flip side, No. 9 Angel City is making a concerted effort, extending their unbeaten run to four games with Monday's 2-1 win over No. 12 Bay FC — all while star winger Alyssa Thompson sat out amid mounting midseason transfer rumors.

"This group, the way they play and how they can grow together, I'm so proud of them today," said LA head coach Alexander Straus. "It's not been easy with all these things, the speculation and stuff."

2025 NWSL standings: Week 18

1. Kansas City Current (15-2-1)
2. Washington Spirit (9-4-5)
3. San Diego Wave FC (8-4-6)
4. Orlando Pride (8-6-4)
5. Seattle Reign FC (7-5-6)
6. Portland Thorns FC (7-6-5)
7. Racing Louisville FC (7-6-5)
8. Gotham FC (6-6-6)
9. Angel City FC (6-7-5)
10. North Carolina Courage (5-7-6)
11. Houston Dash (5-8-5)
12. Bay FC (4-9-5)
13. Chicago Stars FC (1-9-8)
14. Utah Royals (2-11-5)

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