World Cup week is finally here, with the U.S. women’s national team kicking off their 2023 campaign on Friday evening against Vietnam. Each of the USWNT’s group-stage opponents have distinctly different styles of play, and head coach Vlatko Andonovski will have to select his starters and reserves with tactics in mind.

In the team’s send-off match against Wales, patterns emerged indicating how the U.S. plans to approach defenses that are willing to let them possess the ball and dare them to find a breakthrough. With that in mind, there are a few positional tweaks Andonovski could make to his starting XI in his World Cup debut.

Here is how I would deploy the USWNT lineup against Vietnam, from the starting group to the bench players.

Goalkeeper

Alyssa Naeher

Naeher played the full 90 minutes against Wales in the USWNT’s send-off match, which all but tipped the scales in her favor to start the team’s World Cup group-stage opener. Naeher has had some trouble on set pieces and low xG opportunities in the NWSL this season, but the game against Vietnam will be more about organization and keeping early jitters in check.

Defense

Crystal Dunn, Naomi Girma, Alana Cook, Sofia Huerta

Against what will likely be an organized lower block, the USWNT defense should lean as much as possible into their chance creation and ball distribution. Enter Sofia Huerta, a crossing specialist who can unlock the very type of defense the U.S. anticipates from Vietnam. Huerta’s presence also allows for rotation, with the possibility of Crystal Dunn and Emily Fox sharing minutes to prepare them for longevity through the tournament. Fox could also relieve Dunn in a left-back role to let the natural attacking player push forward into the midfield if the U.S. is still searching for a goal.

I think Emily Sonnett could start this match alongside Naomi Girma, a reflection less of my faith in Alana Cook and more of the understanding that center-back substitutions can be difficult when the stakes are high. Sonnett has very little game time with the U.S. as a center-back alongside Girma. Vietnam could be the right test for Sonnett to settle her nerves and give her a chance to be a real rotation option at the position. But the first match sets the tone, and Girma and Cook also need time together on the biggest stage to find their footing.

Midfield

Andi Sullivan, Lindsey Horan, Savannah DeMelo

Safely assuming that Rose Lavelle is not fit to start the USWNT’s first match of the tournament, Savannah DeMelo might be an intriguing option to take over the creative midfield role against Vietnam’s sturdy defense. DeMelo has scored from distance a number of times in the NWSL this season, and a shoot-first mentality is something the U.S. has lacked in recent games. They’ll try to put passing sequences together to exploit space, but if DeMelo has the willingness to try a few heat checks from distance alongside quality dead-ball service, she deserves a look.

Andi Sullivan might be a controversial starter at defensive midfield, but she’s best-suited for games with less transitional play and more possession, which is what the U.S. is likely anticipating from its first match.

Attack

Lynn Williams, Alex Morgan, Sophia Smith

This one is tricky. It’s tough to leave Trinity Rodman on the bench at the beginning of the tournament based on her recent play, but Lynn Williams could be the deciding factor in a game like this. Williams is so good at applying quick defensive pressure and forcing turnovers to win chances in front of goal. If Vietnam can settle into the game, the ticking clock can become the USWNT’s enemy as much as the other team on the pitch. Williams is the type of player who can give the U.S. an opportunity to take the lead early, which will allow them to settle into possession with an advantage in hand.

There will come a time in this World Cup when it makes sense to play Rodman, Williams and Sophia Smith together as the front three. But for this particular match, the veteran leadership of Alex Morgan wins out. It’s not just that she can communicate well with the team’s World Cup newcomers — she’ll also be able to do the back-to-goal work to create space for Williams and Smith to execute. No one understands the tempo of an international match better than Morgan, and they’ll need her for this game.

First off the bench

Emily Fox, Trinity Rodman, Ashley Sanchez, Kristie Mewis, Alyssa Thompson

The USWNT’s depth is still a huge asset, with a variety of options available to Andonovski depending on the game state. As mentioned, Fox coming in might allow Dunn to join the midfield, or simply make sure that neither outside back depletes their energy.

Should the U.S. want to go high-tempo, Rodman and Alyssa Thompson bring quality positioning and speed to the frontline, while Rodman can also methodically connect with her midfield. Ashley Sanchez offers creative flair, and Kristie Mewis can sub in for any of the three midfield positions, giving the group a gritty edge should they need it late in the match.

Building their minutes

Rose Lavelle, Megan Rapinoe, Julie Ertz

The U.S. is still dealing with a handful of injuries, with Lavelle’s long-awaited return a key factor in the team’s chances in the knockout rounds. Lavelle has been training with the team and seemingly going full-contact, but she has yet to see competitive game minutes since April. The need to build her fitness back up is another good reason for the reigning World Champions to get off to a fast start and allow their midfield engine to resume play in a positive situation.

Megan Rapinoe and Julie Ertz are each also building their minutes back up, but they have more flexibility in their usage on the field. Ertz is a player best-suited for transitional play, meaning she might be needed more in the USWNT’s second two group-stages matches. She and Rapinoe are both secret weapons on set pieces; Rapinoe, in particular, can create a bit of magic should the U.S. struggle to grab a lead late in the game.

Ready if necessary

Casey Murphy, Aubrey Kingsbury, Emily Sonnett, Kelley O’Hara

As mentioned above, there’s a compelling argument that Sonnett should start this first game. But what is more likely is that Sonnett and Kelley O’Hara will be available as defensive reinforcements, with both players able to slot into different roles if necessary (could we see the return of O’Hara at midfield, for example?). Goalkeepers Casey Murphy and Aubrey Kingsbury will be in a similar position: Murphy has the capability to take the starting reins at any time in this tournament.

Claire Watkins is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @ScoutRipley.

Adding to their already historic season, 2024/25 WSL champions and 2025 League Cup winners Chelsea FC handed Manchester United a 3-0 defeat in Sunday's 2025 FA Cup final, completing the club's second-ever domestic treble.

Though the Blues first claimed an elusive treble in the 2020/21 season, this year's roster did so without dropping a single match in any of the three domestic competitions.

"I could not have expected this," said first-year Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor about her debut success leading the Blues. "It is almost ideal in terms of domestic dominance."

To clinch that dominance, Chelsea upended the defending FA Cup champs Manchester United at London's iconic Wembley Stadium behind a brace from French fullback Sandy Baltimore and a header from USWNT attacker Catarina Macario.

Baltimore gave Chelsea the lead by slipping a late first-half penalty past 2024/25 WSL Golden Glove winner and USWNT goalkeeper prospect Phallon Tullis-Joyce, and the Blues never relented, with second-half sub Macario doubling their scoreline in the 84th minute before Baltimore tacked on a final goal in stoppage time.

"It's a very emotional day," an emotional Macario told the broadcast after finishing her first season following a long ACL recovery. "It's a trophy we always wanted to win."

"All the credit to my players," said Bompastor. "We showed our mentality and our values in this game so we ended the season in an almost perfect scenario – we won, we were playing at Wembley, the stadium was nearly sold out, and we had a strong performance and result against a strong opponent."

"It is an almost ideal way to finish the season."

FA Cup crowds prove sustained demand for women's soccer

Chelsea FC's undefeated treble-winning season wasn't the only notable victory on Sunday, as the FA Cup final drew a crowd of over 74,000 fans for the third straight year.

Sunday's 74,412 attendance mark was just shy of both last year's crowd of 76,082 and the 77,390 fans who watched Chelsea defeat the Red Devils in 2023 — all well beyond the tournament final's previous record of 49,094 attendees achieved in 2022.

Fueled by the football fervor following England's 2022 Euro victory — the country's first international trophy, men's or women's, since the 1966 men's World Cup — the 2023 FA Cup final still stands as the largest crowd at a domestic women's soccer match across all nations.

With Sunday's match joining the over-74,000 attendance club, it's clear the post-Euros enthusiasm wasn't a blip, but a boost to the continued growth and sustained success of the women's game.

While most WNBA stars hit the court running this weekend, a few saw their 2025 campaigns already shortened as teams released season-opening injury reports.

Phoenix forward Kahleah Copper will miss four to six weeks of play, the Mercury reported on Saturday, after the 2024 Olympic gold medalist underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on her left knee last week.

Another knee injury has LA's Rae Burrell sidelined for the next six to eight weeks, after the fourth-year guard took a knock to the right leg just 41 seconds into the Sparks' 2025 debut win over Golden State.

On Friday, the Mystics released updates on both second-year forward Aaliyah Edwards and rookie guard Georgia Amoore. While another assessment of the Unrivaled 1v1 runner-up's back injury will occur in two more weeks, Washington confirmed that the Australian standout will miss the entire 2025 WNBA season after undergoing a successful surgery to repair her right ACL.

Seattle's Katie Lou Samuelson is also out for the full 2025 campaign, with the 27-year-old Storm forward recovering from last week's successful surgery after tearing her right ACL in practice on May 1st.

Kitley makes long-awaited WNBA debut as Brink eyes return

In more uplifting news, LA's Cameron Brink is on track to return to the Sparks sometime next month, one year after her standout rookie season came to a halt in a left ACL tear.

Already celebrating, however, is 2024 second-round draftee Elizabeth Kitley, who battled back from injury to make her WNBA debut and score her first league points in Las Vegas's Saturday loss to New York.

The Aces took a draft chance on Kitley, despite the center suffering an ACL tear in her final NCAA postseason. In response, the former Virginia Tech star successfully translated her year-long delayed shot at a pro career by surviving Las Vegas's brutal 2025 roster cuts.

Notably, Kitley's close friend and collegiate on-court counterpart with the Hokies is the aforementioned Amoore, who will aim for a rookie-season redo of her own next year.

The No. 1 Kansas City Current strengthened their grip on the 2025 NWSL Shield race on Friday, taking down now-No. 3 Orlando 1-0 on the road to earn a four-point lead atop of the NWSL table.

Reigning league MVP Temwa Chawinga scored the top-table game's lone goal. With five goals in nine matches, Chawinga now sits in a four-way tie for second place in the 2025 Golden Boot race.

"If you don't come with heart, you have no chance," Current head coach Vlatko Andonovski said after the match. "And today I think we showed heart."

Kansas City now stands 7-2-0 on the season, putting the NWSL Shield firmly within their grasp.

Kansas City's rise aside, the weekend's biggest drama hovered near the playoff line.

Gotham FC fell to No. 2 San Diego 1-0 on Friday, sending the Bats skidding to No. 8 on a three-game winless streak while boxing No. 9 North Carolina out of playoff contention — despite the rising Courage securing their third win in four games with Saturday's 2-0 victory over last-place Chicago.

"Obviously, we were hot for a little bit, and teams have slumps all the time, so now it's just finding a way," Gotham midfielder Jaelin Howell said of the team's recent struggles.

While some rebuilds soar, last year's postseason contenders are still finding their way as the league moves into the second third of the 2025 season.

Indiana's 35-point blowout win over Chicago wasn't Saturday's only newsmaker, as a controversial foul on Sky forward Angel Reese by Fever guard Caitlin Clark sparked intense off-court conversations and a WNBA investigation into subsequent fan misconduct.

Clark's third-quarter foul against Reese incited a brief dust-up between the second-year stars, with Clark's offense upgraded to a Flagrant 1 while Reese and Fever center Aliyah Boston picked up a pair of offsetting technicals for their reactions.

"Basketball play. Refs got it right. Move on," Reese said after the game, while Clark told reporters, "It was just a good play on the basketball. I'm not sure what the ref saw to upgrade it, and that's up to their discretion."

Immediately following the flagrant ruling, however, Indiana fans allegedly directed racially charged remarks toward Reese, prompting the league to open an investigation on Sunday.

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Officials acknowledged allegations of racist abuse inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse, saying the WNBA "strongly condemns racism, hate, and discrimination in all forms," and that they're "looking into the matter."

"We stand firm in our commitment to providing a safe environment for all WNBA players," said Pacers Sports & Entertainment CEO Mel Raines, who oversees the Fever, in a statement.

"We will do everything in our power to protect Chicago Sky players, and we encourage the league to continue taking meaningful steps to create a safe environment for all WNBA players," echoed Sky CEO and president Adam Fox.

Unfortunately, this isn't the first time Fever-related fan misconduct has taken center stage, as last season's storylines start to spill over into the 2025 WNBA campaign.

In anticipation of the issue, the league launched "No Space for Hate" on Thursday, describing the campaign as "a multi-dimensional platform designed to combat hate and promote respect across all WNBA spaces — from online discourse to in-arena behavior."