Angel City FC leaned on a late strike from Ally Sentnor to salvage a 1-1 result in Sunday's Washington Spirit vs Angel City FC match at BMO Stadium.
The midfielder's first goal for the club arrived in the 85th minute and stretched Angel City FC's unbeaten run to three straight draws. The result also kept the team's playoff push intact heading into the final stretch of the regular season.
Trinity Rodman Powers Washington Spirit vs Angel City FC Tie
Before that equalizer, Trinity Rodman broke the deadlock for Washington in the 65th-minute. Her curling effort past goalkeeper Angelina Anderson off a Tara Rudd through ball marked Rodman's 10th goal of the 2026 NWSL season.
Sentnor nearly answered sooner, but a 37th-minute strike was waved off after VAR flagged a handball by forward Prisca Chilufya. Then, in the 85th, defender Savy King fed Sentnor at the edge of the 18-yard box, and she bent a right-footed shot into the top corner.
"I honestly just felt a lot of momentum in this game," Sentnor said after the match.
"I was crediting this team and the staff for really allowing me to be my true self – taking shots and taking chances and allowing me the opportunities to do that, fail or succeed."
Multiple Stars Return to the Pitch in NWSL Draw
Sunday's match also doubled as a return-to-play showcase for both teams.
Forward Ashley Hatch subbed on for the Washington Spirit in the 83rd minute, earning her first appearance in nearly 15 months after maternity leave.
Angel City fielded two comeback stories of its own: King made her first on-field effort since April 3rd, and forward Sydney Leroux entered in second-half stoppage time for her first minutes since the club's 2024 season.
The Spirit next face the Orlando Pride on Sunday at 4 PM ET on ESPN. Angel City, meanwhile, take on Gotham FC, also on Sunday, at 8 PM ET on ION.
The world No. 2 USWNT sits atop the 2026 SheBelieves Cup leaderboard after blanking North American rival No. 10 Canada 1-0 in Columbus, Ohio, on Wednesday night.
Despite dominating possession throughout the match, the USWNT tallied just one goal — a second-half strike from attacker Ally Sentnor off of midfielder Rose Lavelle's corner kick — while goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce sealed the win with another US clean sheet.
"Honestly, our goal was just to win the game," Sentnor said postmatch. "I think going into a rivalry game, we knew what was going to happen."
USWNT manager Emma Hayes significantly rotated her starting XI after Sunday's 2-0 victory over No. 30 Argentina, leaning on more established players like defender Naomi Girma, midfielder Sam Coffey, and forward Trinity Rodman.
As a result, the US notched its seventh straight shutout on Wednesday, having not conceded a goal since last October's 3-1 win over No. 22 Portugal.
"Our control the last 10 minutes of the game — that, for me, is indicative of maturity in the performance," Hayes told reporters. "It was one of my favorite performances, because they're growing up."
How to watch the USWNT in the 2026 SheBelieves Cup
The No. 2 USWNT will look to claim the 2026 SheBelieves Cup with a win over No. 20 Colombia on Saturday.
The match will kick off live at 3:30 PM ET on TBS.
The world No. 2 USWNT kicked off 2026 in style on Saturday, taking down No. 46 Paraguay 6-0 behind a bombardment of five second-half goals — all scored in a span of 12 minutes.
Portland Thorns forward Reilyn Turner opened scoring in first-half stoppage time — earning her first international goal in her USWNT debut — before a brace from Kansas City's Ally Sentor plus goals from Washington Spirit star Trinity Rodman and Racing Louisville's Emma Sears combined with a Paraguay own goal to silence the opposition.
"There was a lot of inexperience for us, and there's a lot of nerves that come with that," USWNT head coach Emma Hayes said postgame. "But I thought the team handled themselves really well."
With Rodman wearing the captain's arm band for the first time, the USWNT's starting XI on Saturday averaged just 9.6 international caps — the most inexperienced US lineup in 25 years.
"Having done 25 years as a coach during preseason, it's the perfect game to play," Hayes said as the team gears up for the 2026 SheBelieves Cup in March. "These players are building towards the start of their season."
Prior to their emphatic Saturday victory, the team honored retired two-time World Cup champion Christen Press in a pre-game ceremony, with Press and her wife and former teammate Tobin Heath in attendance.
How to watch the USWNT this week
The No. 2 USWNT will close out their January friendlies against No. 47 Chile at 10 PM ET on Tuesday, airing live on TBS.
Orlando Pride captain and Brazil legend Marta is back in the spotlight, topping the 2025 shortlist for the second-annual FIFA Marta Award — the women's goal-of-the-year prize established in her honor in 2024.
The 39-year-old attacking midfielder took home the inaugural trophy at the Best FIFA Football Awards ceremony last December, earning the title for a stellar long-range shot that helped lift Brazil over Jamaica 4-0 in a June 2024 friendly.
Marta's 2025 nomination, however, comes from an iconic goal in club play, with the FIFA Award spotlighting the Orlando game-winner against Kansas City in the 2024 NWSL semifinals — a goal that saw the Pride star force four Current players to the ground with her footwork.
Marta has steep competition for this year's trophy, however, with 10 other goal nominees including a viral scorpion kick by former Tigres UANL star Lizbeth Ovalle, Seattle Reign defender Jordyn Bugg's long-range missile against the North Carolina Courage, forward Ally Sentnor's first-ever USWNT goal at the 2025 SheBelieves Cup, and more.
How to vote for the 2025 FIFA Marta Award
Holding 50% of the vote, fans can view and rank their top three goals of 2025 until voting closes on December 3rd.
Voting for the second-ever Marta Award winner is now open at FIFA.com.
The USWNT will close out their October friendly slate on Wednesday night, when the world No. 2 squad takes on No. 33 New Zealand in the team's first-ever visit to the Kansas City Current's CPKC Stadium.
The match presents an opportunity for the US to exit the international window with a winning record after splitting a pair with No. 23 Portugal last week.
"When it's a completely different style of play, and a new opponent in a new environment, that's another test for us," USWNT manager Emma Hayes said ahead of Wednesday's friendly. "But that's why we want to play such a diverse group of opponents all the way up until [World Cup] qualification."
After heavy rotation against Portugal, Hayes will likely focus on player combos in the New Zealand clash, further distancing the USWNT from Thursday's upset loss.
"I want there to be continuity, but there was a test for us in the last game that I think the team passed with flying colors," Hayes continued. "There will be changes [on Wednesday] for me to see where players who haven't been given a lot of minutes, where they fall into that."
"Having a three-game window allows a lot of opportunity, and it allows a lot of growth," echoed forward Ally Sentnor. "It's been really great to learn and grow with this group, and just ask a ton of questions."
How to watch the USWNT vs. New Zealand
The No. 2 USWNT will kick off against No. 33 New Zealand at 8 PM ET on Wednesday, with live coverage airing on TNT.
The USWNT is changing things up this month, announcing key roster shifts as injuries shake up the player pool ahead of the October window's three-friendly slate.
Seattle Reign midfielder Sam Meza has withdrawn from camp due to a mild hamstring strain, with USWNT head coach Emma Hayes tapping Kansas City Current midfielder Lo'eau LaBonta for her second senior national team call-up to replace Meza.
The 32-year-old earned her first USWNT cap earlier this year, taking the field against China PR on May 31st.
As expected, Washington Spirit forward Trinity Rodman is officially out after spraining her MCL last week, though there will not be a replacement for Rodman on the October USWNT roster, with injuries now putting the player pool at 25 — rather than the original 26 — athletes.
With the addition of LaBonta, the NWSL-leading Current's US roster count rises to four athletes, with midfielder Claire Hutton and forwards Ally Sentnor and Michelle Cooper rounding out the Kansas City reps on the list.
"Every player on [the Current] has a case to be on our team," Hayes told media last week.
How to watch the October USWNT friendlies
The world No. 2 USWNT will first take on No. 23 Portugal at 7 PM ET on Thursday and again at 4 PM ET on Sunday, before closing out the international window against No. 33 New Zealand at 8 PM ET on Wednesday, October 29th.
All three friendlies will air live on TNT.
USWNT prospect Jaedyn Shaw is on her way to New York City, with ESPN reporting late Monday that the No. 11 North Carolina Courage is sending the rising NWSL star to No. 6 Gotham FC in an intra-league-record $1.25 million trade deal.
North Carolina's return nearly doubles the NWSL's previous $600,000 transfer record, set when the No. 1 Kansas City Current acquired forward Ally Sentnor from the last-place Utah Royals in early August.
As for Shaw, this will be her second major move this year, after the attacker requested a trade to the Courage from the San Diego Wave last January — a deal in which the Wave received a combined $450,000 in allocation money and fees.
During her time in San Diego, Shaw shattered the NWSL record for most goals scored by a teenager, but the now-20-year-old has only logged three in her 10 starts for North Carolina this season.
With this trade to Gotham, Shaw will exit a Courage side sitting three spots below the postseason line as North Carolina regroups following the abrupt firing of head coach Sean Nahas.
She instead will join a NJ/NY side in the midst of a serious playoff push, with ESPN reporting that Gotham is going all in on Shaw with plans to sign the young talent through the 2029 season.
No. 8 Gotham FC's results disparity deepened this week, as the NJ/NY club claimed all three points off Liga MX side Monterrey in Wednesday's Concacaf W Champions Cup group-stage play after falling 2-1 to the No. 11 Houston Dash last Sunday — leaving the 2023 league champs without an NWSL win since late June.
Gotham has struggled in the league since returning from summer break, entering the match weekend with two draws in addition to Sunday's upset — fueled in part by veteran defender Emily Sonnett's own goal — under their belts this month.
"We try to always look at the glass half full instead of half empty," head coach Juan Carlos Amorós said after last weekend's loss. "Football sometimes throws you some difficult curves."
Now hitting the pitch on short rest, Gotham will aim to take advantage of the last-place Utah Royals on Saturday as they hunt a boost in the NWSL standings.
With just one regular-season win this year, the No. 14 Royals look ready for an offseason refresh after recently sending star forward Ally Sentnor to the No. 1 Kansas City Current.
"I think we're at 60%," Utah manager Jimmy Coenraets said earlier this week. "The 40% margin is getting people to be able to play 90 minutes in the way that we wanted to play."
How to watch Saturday's Gotham FC vs. Utah Royals FC match
No. 8 Gotham will kick off against the visiting No. 14 Utah Royals at 7:30 PM ET on Saturday.
Live coverage of the match will air on ION.
Young USWNT standout Ally Sentnor is on the move in the NWSL, exiting the last-place Utah Royals in a midseason trade to the league-leading Kansas City Current on Friday.
According to ESPN, Utah received a record-$600,000 transfer fee in return, as well as a future sell-on fee and performance add-ons in lieu of players.
"Thank you to the Royals for drafting this small town girl, and giving me the opportunity to start a lifelong dream of playing professional soccer," Sentnor said in a statement.
The 2024 NWSL No. 1 draft pick scored three goals in her rookie season, and has one goal and one assist in her 13 matches starting for Utah in 2025.
Friday's deal now sends the 21-year-old Sentnor to the very top of the NWSL table, as the 2024 Young US Player of the Year gears up for a cultural reset — and a reunion with best friend Claire Hutton — as part of the NWSL-leading attack in Kansas City.
"Ally is a dynamic player who's tenacious on both sides of the ball and will be yet another threat on our roster," Current head coach Vlatko Andonovski said in the club's announcement. "She's a fun and exciting player to watch. Ally has continued to elevate her game year after year, and we're eager for her to make her mark in Kansas City."
In this week's episode of The Late Sub, host Claire Watkins dives into the individuals who put together standout performances for the USWNT in the team's recent pair of friendlies, from a big update in the goalkeeping race to the squad's multi-layered midfield project.
Watkins also breaks down the missed opportunities amid the USWNT's 3-0 win over China PR and 4-0 victory against Jamaica, as the year of head coach Emma Hayes's great roster experiment crosses the six-month mark.
Diving straight into the players who impressed, Watkins first calls out US captain Lindsey Heaps, applauding her performances while also noting that she "[wishes] maybe [Heaps] was used more situationally than kind of all the time."
"Heaps has so much to give this team, but it is probably against teams like this where they're sitting back a little bit more," explains Watkins. "I don't love her against a press. I don't love her against a super athletic, physical midfield, but in these games, she really shines."
Shifting to the ongoing search to crown retired goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher's replacement, Watkins dubs Manchester United net-minder Phallon Tullis-Joyce — who started both USWNT friendlies — the overall frontrunner.
"Tullis-Joyce honestly reminds me a lot of Alyssa Naeher in her first couple years with the USWNT," says Watkins. "She's calm, she's organized, she's a good shot-stopper. She's a great communicator."
Young talent make strong cases for USWNT roster inclusion
Watkins also sings the praises of several young talents whose performances over the last week will make them hard to drop, including "obvious" choices like forward Alyssa Thompson and attacker Catarina Macario, as well as strike Ally Sentnor and teen midfielder Lily Yohannes.
Callling Yohannes "the freaking truth," Watkins notes that "you're seeing glimpses of what could become truly world-class play against the top teams in the world in a couple of years."
Making a slightly quieter, but no less impactful, case, argues Watkins, is winger Michelle Cooper.
Cooper's consistent refining and improvement have Watkins comparing her progress to star Trinity Rodman's USWNT evolution, saying that top passing is "how [Rodman] worked her way into the team before starting to take more shots. I think Cooper can follow that same game plan."
Missed opportunities leave some players scrambling
Pivoting to the missed opportunities arising from the two friendlies, Watkins calls the center-back pairings "lackluster," celebrating the return of star Naomi Girma and her rock-solid play as well as veteran Emily Sonnett's versatility while critiquing Hayes's decision to not test much depth at the position.
"It just feels like a wasted opportunity with so many other center back injuries," Watkins explains, referencing season-ending injuries to players like Tierna Davidson.
Along with what Watkins calls "rough" set pieces, she notes that less rotation and late subs were a missed opportunity to adequately test fresh faces or build chemistry with other players.
Noting that performances like forward Lynn Biyendolo's Jamaica match, in which she scored a brace off the bench, are "the gold standard," Watkins also questions Hayes's own criticism about the level of play dropping off when athletes aren't given enough minutes to find their feet and make an impact.
Citing talent like defender Emily Sams and midfielders Lo'eau LaBonta and Olivia Moultrie, Watkins posits that the sub patterns "just didn't quite have the focus that I'm sure Hayes was looking for."
"I worry that the players that kind of got dumped into games late never really had a chance, which is this happens at times when they're starting to ramp up," she says.
Overall, Hayes seems to be more obviously honing in on her starting core.
"We're starting to see players get multiple starts.... Those are the players to take seriously as the future of this program," notes Watkins.
"Hayes is being very purposeful with what she wants to see from her starters and what she wants to see from her bench. And there is an increasing gap between those two groups," says Watkins. "So the competition rises next international break."
About 'The Late Sub' with Claire Watkins
The Late Sub with Claire Watkins brings you the latest news and freshest takes on the USWNT, NWSL, and all things women's soccer. Special guest appearances featuring the biggest names in women’s sports make TLS a must-listen for every soccer fan.
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