The United States women’s national team continued to dominate Group A at the Concacaf W Championship, thumping Jamaica 5-0 Thursday, three days after blanking Haiti 3-0 in the opener.

Thursday’s shutout puts the USWNT in a prime position to qualify for the World Cup. The team has the advantage of an eight-point goal differential entering the group-stage finale against Mexico on Monday.

Here are three takeaways from the USWNT’s shutout of Jamaica.

Young USWNT defense keeps a clean sheet

Two new faces joined the USWNT’s backline against Jamaica. Naomi Girma and Sophia Huerta replaced veterans Kelley O’Hara and Becky Sauerbrunn, who anchored the backline against Haiti in Monday’s Concacaf opener.

Coach Vlatko Andonovski’s rotation paid off early, with Girma and Huerta each logging assists in the first half and serving impressive long balls up the field to Sophia Smith.

Girma played alongside Alana Cook at center back, and the two shut down Jamaican sensation Khadija “Bunny” Shaw with apparent ease. The pair’s chemistry was evident, after the two played together for a year at Stanford.

The young defenders have a combined 15 USWNT caps compared to Sauerbrunn’s 204 international appearances. Andonovski has been eager to usher in young talent and build chemistry with the team’s seasoned leaders. The success of the Girma-Cook combination could complicate Andonovski’s plans, as the coach has yet to cement a go-to lineup ahead of the 2023 World Cup.

Sophia Smith shines

Smith put her mark on Thursday’s matchup early, notching a brace in the opening eight minutes of the game.

In the fifth minute, Smith sprinted into the box before beating her defender and striking the ball with the outside of her boot for the go-ahead goal. Three minutes later, Smith got on the end of a Huerta long ball to double the USWNT’s lead.

Thursday marked Smith’s eighth start of the year, tying her with defenders Cook and Emily Fox for the most by any USWNT player in 2022. With each game, the 21-year-old appears to be solidifying herself as the foundation of the team’s forward lineup.

Smith is currently tied for the most goals in the Concacaf Championship with two, alongside teammate Alex Morgan and Canada’s Julia Grosso.

After a prolific 45 minutes, Smith was replaced by Midge Purce at the break as part of Andonovski’s effort to get a range of players minutes.

The first of the evening for @sophsssmith ☝️

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— U.S. Soccer WNT (@USWNT) July 7, 2022

Rotation, rotation, rotation

Andonovski has been known to rotate players often, and his approach to the Concacaf W Championship has been no different. The USWNT coach made five switches from his starting lineup against Haiti, including the swap in the backline. Alyssa Naeher replaced Casey Murphy in goal, Ashley Sanchez took over for Andi Sullivan in the midfield, and Ashley Hatch got the start over Alex Morgan in the attack.

Five substitutes came on in the second half, further shaking things up for the USWNT. Emily Sonnett relieved Emily Fox at left back, while Purce took over for Smith at the break. Then, in a surprise move, Trinity Rodman came on for Hatch at the No. 9 position, a role the 20-year-old rarely fills.

Kristie Mewis and Taylor Kornieck also got minutes, replacing midfielders Rose Lavelle and Lindsey Horan.

The heavy rotation from Andonvski gave players new looks, with Rodman scoring her second career USWNT goal and Mewis notching her first international penalty to lead the squad to an emphatic 5-0 victory over Jamaica.

Andonovski’s lineup changes continue to sow speculation about starting positions and roster movement ahead of the 2023 World Cup cycle.

The NWSL is expanding its footprint across ESPN, with the broadcaster signing on to carry 16 additional regular-season games in both the 2026 and 2027 seasons, upping the platform's total to 33 matches per year.

ESPN will also introduce a season-long "Match of the Week" centerpiece series, as well as live coverage of NWSL Decision Day, when eight concurrent matches will close out the season on the same day. 

"The NWSL showcases some of the best athletes in the world," ESPN EVP of programming and acquisitions Rosalyn Durant said in a press release. "We are proud to increase our commitment on ABC and ESPN, and to further elevate women's sports and the athlete stories."

This media rights extension builds on the league's ongoing blockbuster four-year, $240 million TV deal with ESPN, adding inventory for the final two seasons of the November 2023 agreement.

The deal expansion comes in light of the league's significant growth this season, with the NWSL seeing gains across both attendance and viewership, including a 72% year-over-year ratings rise on ESPN.

"This supplemental agreement underscores the growing demand for women's soccer and ensures our players and clubs receive the visibility they deserve on some of the most prominent sports platforms," said NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman in a statement.

The 2025 WNBA season is over for Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese, but the 23-year-old star is still making headlines, with Reebok set to drop her signature Angel Reese 1 sneakers on Thursday.

The Angel Reese 1 is a cornerstone of Reebok's re-entry into the basketball market, with the sportswear giant engineering the signature shoe for on-court performance by including features like responsive cushioning and added upper support.

Inspired by the brand's classic Mobius line, the shoes will hit the shelves in three colorways — an iridescent white "Diamond Dust," a bold pink "Mebounds," and a black and white "Receipts Ready" — with Reese's personal logo incorporated into the design.

Reese first signed with Reebok as an NIL athlete at LSU in 2023, a little over six months after winning the NCAA championship with the Tigers.

This week's rollout follows the July sneak peek of the signature sneakers worn by Reese on the cover of NBA 2K26's WNBA Edition.

"This isn't just a shoe, it's my style, my story, and my stamp on the game," Reese said in Reebok's press release. "I wanted to design a basketball shoe that elevates performance, innovation, style, and creative expression, all at once."

"Reebok and I built something that's true to who I am, and I hope it pushes others to stand in their power too."

How to buy the Angel Reese 1 Reebok sneakers

All three colorways of the Angel Reese 1 sneakers will be available for a retail price of $120 beginning at 10 AM ET on Thursday at Reebok.com as well as in select stores.

No. 5 New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart isn't letting Sunday's left knee knock take her off the 2025 WNBA Playoffs court, with the forward planning to compete in Game 2 against the No. 4 Phoenix Mercury on Wednesday night.

An emotional Stewart finished Game 1 on the bench, going down with a knee injury in overtime of the Liberty's 76-69 upset win over the Mercury on Sunday.

"What I felt in that moment scared me more than anything," Stewart told reporters on Wednesday morning.

A Monday MRI revealed a sprained MCL, and though the two-time WNBA MVP did not practice on Tuesday, she participated in the team's Wednesday shootaround and said her pain had diminished to a three out of 10.

"[As long as] I don't wake up from my nap and feel like s—t," said Stewart, "I'm willing to take that [chance of re-injury] because I want to be out with my team, and they told me that structurally everything looks OK."

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Even when the game-day status for Stewart was still unknown, New York Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello promised that the defending champions would give their star "as much time as we can."

"We know what's at stake," Brondello told reporters on Tuesday. "We don't want to go back to Phoenix [for Game 3], but they're going to come in hungry."

Stewart echoed that sentiment on Wednesday morning, saying "We want to finish it here. Not having to go back to Phoenix is our main priority."

How to watch the Phoenix Mercury vs. New York Liberty in Game 2

No. 5 New York will look to oust No. 4 Phoenix from the 2025 WNBA Playoffs with a first-round sweep on Wednesday night, when the Liberty host the Mercury for Game 2 at 8 PM ET.

The matchup will air live on ESPN.

Star sprinter Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is reaching new heights, setting a new US record for the 400-meter race in the event's Tuesday semifinals at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.

The four-time Olympic gold medalist finished the flat event in 48.29 seconds, shaving more than 0.40 seconds off the previous US record of 48.70 seconds set by track legend Sanya Richards-Ross in 2006.

Both her personal best and the fastest time in the world for that event this year, McLaughlin-Levrone's performance also makes her the seventh-fastest woman of all time in the 400-meter dash — elevating expectations that she could challenge the long-standing world record of 47.60 seconds, set by then-East German sprinter Marita Koch in 1985.

Known for her dominance in the 400-meter hurdles, the 26-year-old made the decision to focus on the flat 400-meter event ahead of this year's competition. 

"I definitely wasn't expecting that time," she said afterwards. "It just shows the fitness is there. I'm excited for the finals and grateful to have taken down a record by an amazing woman."

How to watch McLaughlin-Levrone in the 400-meter final

McLaughlin-Levrone will take aim at the 2025 World Athletics Championships' 400-meter podium — and, perhaps, another record time — during the event's final on Thursday.

The US star will race against 2024 Olympic champion Marileidy Paulino and silver medalist Salwa Eid Naser when the final begins at 9:24 AM ET.

Live coverage will air on USA Network.