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USWNT by position: Context and concerns for each group

Rose Lavelle, Lindsey Horan, Sophia Smith and the USWNT will look to bounce back from two losses in October. (Richard Sellers/Soccrates/Getty Images)

When the U.S. women’s national soccer team scheduled friendlies against England and Spain for an October trip abroad, no one quite knew what to expect. The USWNT hadn’t faced many nations in the top 10 of the FIFA rankings since the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, and player absences continued to pile up.

Still, what happened on the trip proved a shock to the system, as the U.S. lost two games in a row for the first time since 2017.

Losses have served as an important part of the World Cup cycle for the USWNT in the past, but the performances against England and Spain nevertheless have fans taking a long look at the panic button.

While a number of issues the USWNT faced this week provide context to the performances on the field, the team also returns to home soil with legitimate causes for concern.

Execution in the midfield

Context

It’s both impossible and unfair to ignore the off-the-field circumstances surrounding the USWNT this week. The Sally Yates report for U.S. Soccer, which detailed years of abuse in the NWSL, dropped just five days before the matchup against England.

For days, players had to field incredibly heavy questions from the news media, some about their direct employers, while also turning their attention to the upcoming matches. While USWNT players have never shied away from using their platform, the toll became evident throughout the week.

The USWNT didn’t lack for energy in their blockbuster battle at Wembley Stadium. Despite a number of significant absences, they were able to keep up in a sometimes frantic transition battle in which they didn’t see much of the ball.

Against Spain, though, the team ran out of gas, mentally switching off on the corner kick that led to Laia Codina’s opening goal—a cleanup shot after the U.S. got caught flat-footed in a goalmouth scrum. The USWNT trailed going into halftime and struggled to force the issue in the second half.

Concerns

There’s no shame in a letdown once the adrenaline wears off, especially after the week the USWNT players had, very far from home. But that letdown only makes the success of Vlatko Andonovski’s system all the more important, as it becomes the backbone that players can rely on when they aren’t firing on all cylinders.

While some progress has been made, top 10 opponents can still make the USWNT feel uncomfortable with concerning ease.

The midfield style, which still prioritizes a ball-winning No. 6 covering superhuman amounts of space, doesn’t lend itself to either Andi Sullivan’s or Sam Coffey’s strengths. Lindsey Horan and Rose Lavelle generate turnovers by pressing opponents’ backlines, but that aggressiveness means the players behind them can be caught in isolation.

We saw during the Concacaf W Championship how the approach can work against teams that concede possession. But neither England nor Spain are that kind of opponent. Against the Lionesses, the USWNT only held the ball for 31.3% of the match, and they paired that with 67.7% passing accuracy.

England and Spain were not able to seize as many opportunities from turnovers as they could have, so the results in both games could have been worse based on the lack of cohesion in the midfield.

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Megan Rapinoe started on the left wing against both England and Spain. (Diego Souto/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)

Evaluating the attack

Context

It feels like every time the USWNT takes the field, another important player is missing. In addition to the previously known absences of Catarina Macario, Christen Press, Tierna Davidson, Sam Mewis, Julie Ertz, Kelley O’Hara and more, the U.S. traveled to Europe without Mallory Pugh, who left camp for a family matter, and without Alex Morgan, who is working through a knee injury.

Adding to the list of October casualties, Emily Fox suffered a concussion against England, resulting in another call-up for North Carolina Courage defender Carson Pickett. Pickett is more than capable of showing what she can do on the world stage, but the last-minute nature of her call-up didn’t set her up for success against Spain.

Concerns

When faced with limited options, the USWNT pulled a few interesting cards. Sophia Smith moved centrally as the team’s main playmaker, and she shined against England. On the wing, Trinity Rodman’s consistent minutes were new at the international level, and she stepped up in big moments.

Other decisions felt distinctly less interesting than they could have been, especially on the left side of the pitch. Megan Rapinoe started both matches at left wing, a decision likely made when Pugh left camp. Rapinoe is clearly an essential locker room presence, and she remains a late-game sub who can turn the tide, but Pugh’s off-ball work was missed in both games.

There’s nothing wrong with seeing what your depth chart can do in the face of injury, but the slotting in of Rapinoe speaks to a larger lethargy. There have been opportunities to bring new forwards into the player pool in recent months, but Andonovski has not taken advantage. Plus, Rapinoe already has so much experience under her belt, so what are she and the coaching staff learning from these losses?

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Naomi Girma's performance against England proved one of the highlights of the European trip. (David Rogers/Getty Images)

What to make of the defense

Context

As with the attack, there are both injuries and absences to take into account when looking at the USWNT defense.

By the second game in the international break, the team started two outside backs who originally joined the squad due to injuries to other players. Crystal Dunn is still working her way back to fitness, and both Kelley O’Hara and Emily Sonnet were missing. The U.S. traveled with just three center-backs: Becky Sauerbrunn, Alana Cook and Naomi Girma.

Girma was a revelation against England, with a sense of spacing and an understanding of how and when to go to ground. Andonovski has avoided pairing her with Sauerbrunn in 2022, which possibly has to do with both players being more comfortable on the left side of the central defense. But it could also mean that Tierna Davidson and Abby Dahlkemper, both out due to injury, still have opportunities to get back in the rotation.

Concerns

The USWNT defense can get overwhelmed when opponents break through. In these matches, they weren’t helped by turnovers in the midfield. Still, in top-tier international competition defenders frequently are called upon for quick decision-making and one-on-one urgency, which the U.S. lacked in both matches.

The USWNT defense can get overwhelmed when opponents break through. In these matches, they weren’t helped by turnovers in the midfield. Still, in top-tier international competition defenders frequently are called upon for quick decision-making and one-on-one urgency, which the U.S. lacked in both matches.

The USWNT’s penchant for prioritizing distribution over defensive comfort can cost them against top teams. While sometimes the only way for players to improve is through the kind of competition we saw this week, the defense has not looked settled or confident yet.

The issue doesn’t always lie in physical attributes but instead can come down to confidence in making decisions. Andonovski needs to decide how long he can wait for the defense to improve before making the call that the group isn’t coming together.

Notre Dame Star Olivia Miles to Forgo 2025 WNBA Draft, Enter NCAA Transfer Portal

NCAA transfer portal entrant Olivia Miles #5 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish dribbles the ball during game against TCU Horned Frogs in the Sweet Sixteen round of the 2025 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament.
Miles will reportedly enter the transfer portal. (Greg Fiume/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

Notre Dame standout Olivia Miles will forgo the 2025 WNBA Draft, instead opting to stay in the NCAA for her final year of college eligibility. But she reportedly will not for the Fighting Irish.

Miles is set to enter the transfer portal, posted ESPN’s Shams Chariana on Monday, moving on from Notre Dame after back-to-back Sweet 16 exits.

"Notre Dame's Olivia Miles — the projected No. 2 pick in the WNBA draft this month — will forgo the draft and enter NCAA's transfer portal, sources tell ESPN," the journalist posted on X. "The 22-year-old top prospect makes unprecedented decision to use her one year remaining of college instead of the draft."

Miles shakes up the 2025 WNBA draft

Miles will certainly have her choice of top-ranked NCAA programs. But the projected No. 2 draft pick’s decision also has major implications on both the 2025 WNBA Draft and the 2026 draft lottery.

The junior started all 34 games this season for Notre Dame. She averaged a career-high 15.4 points per game while maintaining 48.3% effectiveness from the field.

"I love college. I think I've outgrown it a little bit, though, so that makes my decision tougher to stay. It's comfortable, a place where you have security," the star guard told ESPN after Saturday's loss.

With UConn’s Paige Bueckers sitting comfortably at No. 1, expected Top 5 pro recruits USC’s Kiki Iriafen, South Carolina’s Te-Hina Paopao, and fellow Irish Sonia Citron could all see a rankings boost.

Final Four Spotlight: Can South Carolina Win Another NCAA Championship?

Bree Hall #23 hugs Dawn Staley Head coach of the South Carolina Gamecocks after defeating the Duke Blue Devils.
South Carolina has come back from two-straight second half deficits in the NCAA tournament. (Eliana Eichorn/NCAA Photos via Getty Image)

As South Carolina women's basketball returns to the Final Four, the 2024 NCAA champions’ March Madness journey hasn’t exactly mirrored last year’s dominance. But their resilience has kept them very much in contention.

The Gamecocks bounced back from third-quarter deficits in their last two tournament games, relying on tight defense and smart positional rotations to wear opponents down.

“It is that type of year, that for us, there’s not any blowouts,” head coach Dawn Staley said after her team’s Elite Eight win over Duke. “We have to grind for every single win that we can get.”

NCAA tournament player MiLaysia Fulwiley lays up a shot during South Carolina 2024/25 NCAA basketball regular-season finale win over Kentucky.
MiLaysia Fulwiley led South Carolina through this year's SEC tournament. (Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)

South Carolina taps into depth after WNBA departures

After losing center Kamilla Cardoso to the 2024 WNBA Draft, the Gamecocks harnessed their depth, relying on strict minute restrictions to disrupt game flow and launch second-half runs.

Sophomore standout MiLaysia Fulwiley has popped off the bench, complementing leading scorer Joyce Edwards and inside show-runner Chloe Kitts.

One of the team’s key veteran leaders, senior Te-Hina PaoPao has been a grounding force as the only player averaging 25+ minutes per game.

March Madness star Chloe Kitts #21 of the South Carolina Gamecocks celebrates a basket against the Vanderbilt Commodores in the fourth quarter during the quarterfinal round of the SEC women's basketball tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 07, 2025 in Greenville, South Carolina.
Forward Chloe Kitts has been instrumental for South Carolina under the rim. (Eakin Howard/Getty Images)

Defense is key to Gamecocks victory

For the Gamecocks to become back-to-back champs, they’ll have to lean hard on their time-honored calling card: defense.

"Look, I mean, at this point it's not going to look pretty. Okay? It's not," Staley said after South Carolina narrowly escaped Sweet 16 opponent Duke. "There are stretches in each game that is not going to look pretty… Some of it's not going to look as smoothly as us coaches and players envision or how you practice, but you certainly have to get down and play the kind of game that's presented in front of you, and we'll do that."

“If we’re not scoring a whole lot of points, then we gotta up our defense,” she continued. “If we’re scoring a lot of points, we gotta up our defense.”

USWNT Adds Friendly Against Canada as Davidson Exits Camp with Injury

Crystal Dunn #19 of the USA kicks the ball in the first half against Canada in the final of the 2024 SheBelieves Cup.
The US last played Canada in the 2024 SheBelieves Cup. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

The USWNT announced their final match of the summer’s three-game international window yesterday, with the team set to take on northern neighbors Canada in Washington, DC on July 2nd.

The friendly rounds out a bill that also includes two previously announced clashes with the Republic of Ireland scheduled for June 26th (Commerce City, Colorado) and 29th (Cincinnati, Ohio).

Team Canada Coach Casey Stoney on the field ahead of summer friendly with USWNT.
Casey Stoney joined Team Canada in January 2025. (Ira L. Black - Corbis/Getty Images)

Canada coach Casey Stoney has an edge on the US

With much of Europe focused on the 2025 Euros, July’s bout with Canada will mark the North American nations’ 67th meet-up — but the first under Canada’s new boss.

Coach Casey Stoney arrived in Canada after parting ways with the San Diego Wave last June, her two years of NWSL experience providing extra familiarity with many USWNT stars.

Stoney previously led WSL side Manchester United for four seasons, giving her further insight into current USWNT manager — and ex-Chelsea head coach — Emma Hayes’s style.

USWNT faces Brazil without injured defender Tierna Davidson

Yesterday, the US posted a major roster change ahead of this month’s friendlies against Brazil, with Gotham center-back Tierna Davidson officially sidelined due to a knee injury suffered last weekend.

Davidson will be replaced by 19-year-old Angel City defender Gisele Thompson, who earned her first two senior caps during February’s SheBelieves Cup.

While Hayes’s USWNT is all about fierce competition and roster experimentation, mounting injuries could force the team into thinner lineups than expected — and up the competition across the board.

Texas, UConn Punch Tickets to the 2025 NCAA Final Four

Sarah Strong #21 of the UConn Huskies wins the tip off over Rayah Marshall #13 of the USC Trojans during the Elite Eight round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament ahead of March Madness Final Four.
UConn advanced to the Final Four. (Tyler Schank/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

No. 1 seed Texas and No. 2 seed UConn punched their tickets to Tampa last night, joining No. 1 seeds UCLA and South Carolina in the Final Four after two tight matchups closed out the NCAA tournament’s fourth round.

Texas got the best of in-state foe TCU 58-47, behind a game-high 18-point performance from SEC Player of the Year Madison Booker.

UConn then handled USC 78-64, holding off the JuJu Watkins-less Trojans as superstar guard Paige Bueckers followed up her career-high 40-point Sweet 16 performance by dropping 31 points on the night.

"We're just so grateful, but we know like the journey isn't done," Bueckers said after the game. "We want our story to continue as long as possible, and we have business to finish."

Texas books first Final Four appearance since 2003

After four Elite Eight appearances in five years, the Longhorns finally punched their ticket to the Final Four — their first time back since 2003 — behind a tenacious defense that forced 21 TCU turnovers.

“Anybody that watched that game today, when they turned the TV off, they had to go, ‘Wow, that freaking team plays their ass off,’” Texas head coach Vic Schaefer said after the game.

"I'm having fun with it now," Booker told reporters. "March Madness — you’re supposed to have fun."

"I’m so proud of myself and proud of my team to get to this moment," Harmon said after registering 13 points against TCU.

"Rori Harmon is still that girl," echoed Booker.

March Madness star Paige Bueckers #5 of the UConn Huskies reacts to a play under the basket against the USC Trojans during the Elite Eight round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament ahead of the Final Four.
UConn superstar Paige Bueckers dropped 31 points to secure the Huskies' Final Four berth. (Tyler McFarland/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

Bueckers leads UConn to the NCAA Final Four

The Huskies are headed to their fourth Final Four in the last five years. They advanced on a balanced scoring strategy that saw three different players put double-digit points on the board.

In addition to Bueckers’s 30-piece, freshman phenom Sarah Strong ran the frontcourt. Strong paired 22 points with 17 rebounds and four assists for her fifth postseason double-double. Additionally, Princeton transfer Kaitlyn Chen bolstered the backcourt with 15 points of her own.

"There's Disneyland, there's Disney World and then there's UConn World," Auriemma said. "These are fantasy numbers that make no sense. You couldn't predict this and you couldn't script this at all."

All four remaining teams have the potential to win a national championship. Now it’s a matter of who can deliver when the going gets tough.

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