It’s certainly no secret that this U.S. women’s national team World Cup roster looks much different from the last.

With many veterans having retired or out due to injury, the USWNT is bringing a number of newcomers down under. In total 14 of the 23 players on the provisional roster have never played in a World Cup.

Among them are players who have solidified their spots since 2019, like Sophia Smith and Naomi Girma, who are still young but bring a dominating presence to the squad. Others, like Alyssa Thompson, are just a few caps in and still attempting to find their way.

Alana Cook, 26, defender

Defender Alana Cook has factored heavily for the USWNT the last couple matches, including getting her first goal against Ireland in April. With club experience both internationally and domestically, Cook is no stranger to the world’s biggest stages from a club standpoint. Now, she’ll do it for the USWNT.

Also eligible to play for England, Cook’s first senior international call-up actually came for the Lionesses, before being called up to the USWNT in October 2019. Since joining OL Reign in 2021, Cook helped the squad to the NWSL Shield in 2022 and was named to the NWSL’s Best XI in 2021 and 2022.

Savannah DeMelo, 25, midfielder

Savannah DeMelo’s stellar start to the NWSL season has been rewarded with a provisional World Cup roster spot. Despite call-ups to the USWNT in September and October of 2022, DeMelo hasn’t made an international appearance, meaning that her debut will likely either come at the World Cup or in the send-off game against Wales. Her lack of experience could factor in, or it could not – and if it doesn’t, look out: DeMelo scored in four of five appearances to start the season and forced an own goal against Chicago.

Emily Fox, 24, defender

After earning her first call-up to the USWNT in 2018, Emily Fox finally earned significant time in camp in 2022, making 14 appearances and notching one assist. She’s had six appearances to start the year, and even scored her first NWSL goal against Ireland in April.

Fox is one that can go anywhere on the back line, be it right or left. USWNT captain Becky Sauerbrunn has called the defender “versatile” before, which could prove helpful down under if Andonovski decides he wants to play around with his lineup. With Sauerbrunn out, it’s even more likely that Fox could end up a starter in the first slate of games as Crystal Dunn continues to regain fitness and stamina after returning from childbirth.

Naomi Girma, 23, defender

Naomi Girma may have once been the future of the USWNT’s defense, but with the absence of Becky Sauerbrunn that future is now here. Girma might just be two years into her professional career, and 15 appearances into her international career, but you wouldn’t know it.

In her rookie NWSL season, Girma was named not only Rookie of the Year, but Defender of the Year as well. She’ll take on a lot of responsibility in her first World Cup, but there might not be another player better suited for it.

Sofia Huerta, 30, defender

While Huerta has become a mainstay over the last few years, the 2023 World Cup will be her first major tournament with the squad. While she missed out on the 2021 Olympics, she helped the team to the 2022 Concacaf Women’s Championship title, and she’ll look to replicate that success in Australia and New Zealand.

Aubrey Kingsbury, 31, goalkeeper

After receiving her first national team call-up in 2019, goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury has now been named to the World Cup roster. Slotting in at the third-string goalkeeper slot, Kingsbury has just one international appearance, but it was a clean sheet in a 9-0 win over Uzbekistan in April 2022. She’s also had a solid start to the NWSL season, and statistically has always been one of the NWSL’s best keepers.

Kristie Mewis, 32, midfielder

Kristie Mewis has been in the USWNT ranks for a long time, having earned 15 caps between 2013 and 2014 before falling off the radar. Suffering two serious knee injuries during that time, Mewis fought her way back and was rewarded. Under Vlatko Anodnovski, the midfielder has seen a resurgence in her national team career. Mewis is now one of the more experienced players that is going to New Zealand, despite never having played in a World Cup, with 51 international appearances under her belt.

Casey Murphy, 27, goalkeeper

Murphy made her first appearance for the senior national team on a trip to Australia in 2021. She recorded a shutout in that match against the Matildas, and she’ll look for similar success on her return trip.

Trinity Rodman, 21, forward

After bursting onto the NWSL scene in 2021, Trinity Rodman received her first call-up in 2022, scoring in just her third national team appearance. She made 10 appearances in 2022, scoring two goals.

A Ballon d’Or nominee in 2022, Rodman also became the highest paid player in NWSL history in February 2022. While she’s intermittently started since her first call-up, the injury to Mallory Swanson provides Rodman with the ability to solidify herself as a starter. Nobody can replace Swanson, but Rodman has the ability to balance out the USWNT starting attack, both with her scoring and as one of the team’s best passers.

Ashley Sanchez, 24, midfielder

Ashley Sanchez is no stranger to the national team program, having spent a lot of time on the youth national teams. In 2016, she featured at the U-20 Women’s World Cup and the U-17 WWC, becoming the first player in U.S. history to play in multiple World Cups in the same year. She also received her first national team call-up that year (although her first cap came in 2021), meaning that she’s been in the system a long time. Sanchez is a player that’s good at creating chances and taking them, and has had a good start to the NWSL season.

Sophia Smith, 22, forward

The 2022 NWSL Player of the Year also featured as one of the best players internationally and was named U.S. Soccer Player of the Year. But she’ll be making her first World Cup appearance this summer. And while some have tabbed her as “the future” of the USWNT, Smith has made it known that she’s intent on being that player right now.

Through 29 international appearances, Smith has 12 goals, with her most recent coming against Germany last November. She’s made just two appearances to start 2023, having dealt with some injury issues that kept her sidelined earlier in the year. But she’s back healthy, and started the NWSL season with seven goals and five assists in seven appearances, which once again places her as one of the best players in the league.

Andi Sullivan, 27, midfielder

Sullivan helped lead the Washington Spirit to the 2021 NWSL title, and since then she has become a starter in the USWNT midfield while Julie Ertz missed time due to injury and then pregnancy. She could hold onto that starting spot even with Ertz’s return.

Alyssa Thompson, 18, forward

18-year-old Alyssa Thompson’s career has been on a fast path ever since she made her USWNT debut last October. Since then, she’s made three appearances on the USWNT, and was called up in April as a replacement for Mallory Swanson.

Drafted first-overall in the 2023 NWSL Draft, Thompson has made 11 appearances in her rookie pro season for Angel City FC and scored three goals – which is the second-most on the team and includes just 11 minutes into her NWSL regular season debut and just five minutes into her pro debut against Club América. While young, Thompson’s abilities cannot be understated and she brings a boost down under with the USWNT.

Lynn Williams, 30, forward

Although it may seem crazy, this will be Lynn Williams’ first World Cup appearance. The three-time NWSL champion, NWSL Golden Boot and MVP winner has been a regular on the USWNT since 2016, but did not crack the roster in 2019.

But since her return from a hamstring tear last season, Williams has left no doubts about her inclusion on the roster this go around. She might be the best player that the USWNT has to take down under at the forward position, having had a hot start to the NWSL season with Gotham FC in which she’s scored five times and taken sole possession of the second-most goals in NWSL history. What’s even more scary for the opposition? Williams told Snacks back in May that she still feels like she’s getting back to being herself on the pitch.

Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe once again will lead the U.S. women’s national team into a World Cup tournament, though the roster revealed Wednesday looks much different than the one from the 2019 title run.

Morgan, Rapinoe and Kelley O’Hara provide a solid veteran foundation, as each of them are set to play in their fourth consecutive World Cup tournament with the USWNT. Alyssa Naeher and Julie Ertz each will be playing in their third World Cup, while Crystal Dunn, Emily Sonnett, Lindsey Horan and Rose Lavelle all will be playing in their second.

The other 14 members of the 23-player roster will be making their World Cup debuts in Australia and New Zealand. The tournament kicks off on Thursday, July 20, and the USWNT will play its first match at 9 p.m. ET Friday, July 21.

So far in 2023, the USWNT has gone 7-0 in international friendlies. The squad kicked off the year with two resounding wins against World Cup co-host New Zealand, then swept its three games in the SheBelieves Cup and its next two friendlies against Ireland. The squad will play in one more friendly, against Wales on July 9, before departing for the World Cup.

While the USWNT features a number of familiar faces, they will travel to Australia and New Zealand without captain Becky Sauerbrunn, who is sidelined with a foot injury. Rising star Catarina Macario also is unavailable as she continues to recover from an ACL tear.

Still, the U.S. squad remains the favorite to take home its third consecutive World Cup title.

Goalkeepers (3)

  • Aubrey Kingsbury (Washington Spirit)
  • Casey Murphy (North Carolina Courage)
  • Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars)

Defenders (7)

  • Alana Cook (OL Reign)
  • Crystal Dunn (Portland Thorns FC)
  • Emily Fox (North Carolina Courage)
  • Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave FC)
  • Sofia Huerta (OL Reign)
  • Kelley O’Hara (Gotham FC)
  • Emily Sonnett (OL Reign)

Midfielders (7)

  • Savannah DeMelo (Racing Louisville FC)
  • Julie Ertz (Angel City FC)
  • Lindsey Horan (Olympique Lyonnais)
  • Rose Lavelle (OL Reign)
  • Kristie Mewis (Gotham FC)
  • Ashley Sanchez (Washington Spirit)
  • Andi Sullivan (Washington Spirit)

Forwards (6)

  • Alex Morgan (San Diego Wave FC)
  • Megan Rapinoe (OL Reign)
  • Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit)
  • Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns FC)
  • Alyssa Thompson (Angel City FC)
  • Lynn Williams (Gotham FC)

Trinity Rodman and Ashley Sanchez put on a show during the Washington Spirit’s 3-1 win over the visiting San Diego Wave on Saturday.

After a scoreless first half at Audi Field in Washington, D.C., Rodman took full advantage of a pass from Sanchez, beating her defender and sneaking the ball just outside the reach of Wave goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan (video embedded below).

Twenty minutes later, Rodman returned the favor by setting Sanchez up with a beautiful scoring opportunity of her own (video embedded below). The duo commemorated the goal with an emoji-worthy celebration: a handshake.

After Paige Metayer put Washington up 3-0 in the 79th minute, Alex Morgan prevented a Spirit shutout with a goal in the 90th minute.

With the win, the Washington Spirit are now undefeated through their first six games of the 2023 NWSL regular season (three wins, three draws). Trinity Rodman also becomes the first NWSL player in history to record at least 10 goals and 10 assists before turning 21 years old, per OptaSports. As of Saturday, the 20-year-old Rodman has 13 career goals and 10 career assists in NWSL competition.

“When we have Sanchez, Trin, and (Ashley) Hatch like they were today. Yeah, it’s a problem (for other teams). It’s a big problem,” Washington Spirit head coach Mark Parsons said post-game.

Those three Spirit players — plus Andi Sullivan — were all called up to the most recent USWNT camp and are expected to factor into this summer’s USWNT World Cup roster.

The USWNT is back, playing their last two friendlies before final roster decisions are made for the 2023 World Cup this summer. Head coach Vlatko Andonovski has preferred a certain amount of roster consistency since the beginning of 2022, but long-awaited returns from injury are forcing the issue at a number of key positions.

Let’s take a look at the most hotly contested roles, and who might get one last opportunity to audition for one of the highest honors in American soccer.

Tierna Davidson and the third center-back spot

The April roster is heavy on defenders, with a limited number of games left to make decisions about the final form of the USWNT backline. Center backs Becky Sauerbrunn and Naomi Girma appear to be near-locks for the World Cup roster, but who will join them remains up in the air.

The key player at the center-back position returning from injury in April is Tierna Davidson, who featured on both the 2019 World Cup and 2020 Olympic rosters as a center back with the ability to play outside back.

Davidson tore her ACL during the 2022 Challenge Cup and recently made her return to the NWSL, playing significant minutes in the Chicago Red Stars’ first two games of the season. Davidson brings a calm presence to her main role as a center back, and provides versatility if the team needs options on the outside.

But the position on the USWNT is increasingly crowded. In Davidson’s absence, OL Reign center back Alana Cook played the most minutes of any USWNT player in 2022 and appeared to have an inside track to making her first World Cup roster. The other player with the ability to play both centrally and on the flank is Emily Sonnett, who similarly featured on the 2019 and 2020 rosters as a utility defender. On a 23-player roster, the U.S. is unlikely to take all three of Cook, Davidson and Sonnett, and minutes in April could be the key differentiator after months of competition.

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Kelley O'Hara will try to earn her roster spot back after returning from injury. (Erin Chang/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

O’Hara, Krueger, Huerta and the right-back strategy

The USWNT has been criticized in the past for using converted attackers as outside-back depth, but the April friendlies could provide a look at other options. Andonovski’s favored outside pair is Crystal Dunn on the left and Emily Fox on the right, but two known defenders rejoin the U.S. to take aim at the right-back spot in particular.

USWNT veteran Kelley O’Hara’s experience dates all the way back to the 2011 World Cup. She’s long-been the preferred starter for the USWNT at right back, but she missed much of last year with a lingering hip injury. O’Hara is back with the team in April camp after playing her first game minutes with Gotham FC in the first two weeks of the NWSL season. She is joined by outside back Casey Krueger, who made the 22-player Olympic roster in 2021. Krueger returns after the birth of her son and is coming off playing a full 90 minutes for the Red Stars this past weekend.

O’Hara and Krueger are defensive-minded players with 1v1 defending abilities in transition that Andonovski might prefer to see in action before making a decision on his outside-back pool. They provide a sharp contrast to OL Reign’s Sofia Huerta, another converted attacker. Huerta is one of the best in the world at crossing the ball, providing the U.S. an unmatched skill when in possession, but sometimes the defensive seams show when opponents target her on the outside.

Lingering injury concerns might make it difficult for O’Hara or Krueger to unseat Huerta and the obvious value she brings as an attacking specialist. This will be one of the most competitive position battles before Andonovski names his World Cup roster.

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Julie Ertz is back in USWNT camp for the first time since 2021. (Atsushi Tomura/Getty Images)

Julie Ertz and the midfield pool

Julie Ertz’s surprising return to USWNT camp reopened competition in a midfield that seemed well on its way to becoming a settled proposition. In the free agent’s absence, the Washington Spirit’s Andi Sullivan became the de-facto defensive midfield starter, working in tandem with Lindsey Horan to cover gaps off the ball and help with distribution.

Ertz’s return is unlikely to push Sullivan to the fringes of the roster, but her presence might mean something different for the other players who have gotten tryouts at the same position. While the defensive midfield has remained unsettled, two players have stuck with the team due to their versatility.

Taylor Kornieck is on the roster not just as a midfielder, but also as a utility substitute who can slot into any central field position. Kristie Mewis shares that distinction in the midfield, having played as a No. 6, No. 8 and No. 10 in her time with the team. Ashley Sanchez is more of an attacking midfield specialist, who pushes forward into the attack as often as she connects with the defensive midfield.

It’s possible Andonovski’s intention is simply to add Ertz to the established midfield group and shut the door on any other new faces. But in that case, he would have to take a roster spot from either the USWNT’s incredibly deep forward pool or a defense that might need extra coverage against top opponents.

Ashley Hatch and the center-forward ticking clock

Catarina Macario is finally making her return to training with Olympique Lyon this month, after enduring a long recovery from an ACL injury suffered in June 2022. Following a scintillating run with the U.S. at the 2022 SheBelieves Cup, Macario will not have a chance to play in a USWNT jersey before Andonovski has to make a decision on his rising star.

Macario has talent worthy of a trip to New Zealand if she’s healthy enough by June, but her impending return complicates things for Washington Spirit forward Ashley Hatch. Since joining the team long-term in 2022, Hatch has done everything asked of her off the bench as Alex Morgan took over the starting role at center forward. She has continued to perform at the club level, most recently scoring a brace this weekend in the NWSL, and she has a knack for scoring in her limited international minutes. Despite those strengths, Hatch has yet to entrench herself in the starting conversation.

Hatch is in a race against time and sheer numbers. The U.S. isn’t likely to sacrifice a winger spot to carry three central forwards, Morgan is a clear lock for the roster, and Macario has the versatility to sink back into the midfield — something Hatch hasn’t been asked to emulate. The April friendlies could be the final push in one direction and, at the very least, a final audition for Hatch should Macario not be fit enough for the trip.

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

The 2023 NWSL season kicked off this weekend.

The league itself offers plenty of storylines, from the Portland Thorns’ quest for a repeat championship to Gotham FC’s roster overhaul. But the season also serves as the runway to this summer’s World Cup, for U.S. soccer fans and U.S. women’s national team players alike.

Where do you catch your favorite USWNT stars in the domestic league? Just Women’s Sports offers the breakdown, by player and by NWSL team.

Note: While the USWNT will need to cut its roster to 23 players for the World Cup, more players than that remain in contention for roster spots. These lists include players who have featured on recent USWNT camp rosters and players who are working their way back from injuries.

Where do USWNT stars play in the NWSL?

Goalkeepers

  • Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars)
  • Casey Murphy (North Carolina Courage)
  • A.D. Franch (Kansas City Current)

Defenders

  • Alana Cook (OL Reign)
  • Tierna Davidson (Chicago Red Stars)
  • Crystal Dunn (Portland Thorns)
  • Emily Fox (North Carolina Courage)
  • Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave)
  • Sofia Huerta (OL Reign)
  • Hailie Mace (Kansas City Current)
  • Kelley O’Hara (Gotham FC)
  • Becky Sauerbrunn (Portland Thorns)
  • Emily Sonnett (OL Reign)

Midfielders

  • Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns)
  • Julie Ertz (Free agent)
  • Lindsey Horan (Olympique Lyonnais, Division 1 Féminine)
  • Taylor Kornieck (San Diego Wave)
  • Rose Lavelle (OL Reign)
  • Catarina Macario (Olympique Lyonnais, Division 1 Féminine)
  • Kristie Mewis (Gotham FC)
  • Ashley Sanchez (Washington Spirit)
  • Andi Sullivan (Washington Spirit)

Forwards

  • Ashley Hatch (Washington Spirit)
  • Tobin Heath (Free agent)
  • Alex Morgan (San Diego Wave)
  • Christen Press (Angel City FC)
  • Midge Purce (Gotham FC)
  • Megan Rapinoe (OL Reign)
  • Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit)
  • Mallory Pugh Swanson (Chicago Red Stars)
  • Alyssa Thompson (Angel City FC)
  • Lynn Williams (Gotham FC)

Which NWSL teams feature USWNT players?

Angel City FC

  • Christen Press
  • Alyssa Thompson

Chicago Red Stars

  • Tierna Davidson
  • Alyssa Naeher
  • Mallory Pugh Swanson

Gotham FC

  • Kristie Mewis
  • Kelley O’Hara
  • Midge Purce
  • Lynn Williams

Houston Dash

  • N/A

Kansas City Current

  • A.D. Franch
  • Hailie Mace

North Carolina Courage

  • Emily Fox
  • Casey Murphy

OL Reign

  • Alana Cook
  • Sofia Huerta
  • Rose Lavelle
  • Emily Sonnett
  • Megan Rapinoe

Orlando Pride

  • N/A

Portland Thorns

  • Sam Coffey
  • Crystal Dunn
  • Becky Sauerbrunn

Racing Louisville

  • N/A

San Diego Wave

  • Naomi Girma
  • Taylor Kornieck
  • Alex Morgan

Washington Spirit

  • Ashley Hatch
  • Trinity Rodman
  • Ashley Sanchez
  • Andi Sullivan

Not in NWSL

  • Julie Ertz (Free agent)
  • Tobin Heath (Free agent)
  • Lindsey Horan (Olympique Lyonnais, Division 1 Féminine)
  • Catarina Macario (Olympique Lyonnais, Division 1 Féminine)

Young stars took center stage for U.S. women’s national team in Thursday’s 2-0 win against Canada, as both Ashley Sanchez and Trinity Rodman were bumped up to the starting lineup.

Both players had strong performances but also showed their youth with some missed opportunities.

“Obviously very happy with Trinity’s performance,” USWNT coach Vlatko Andonovski said of the 20-year-old forward. “She’s a tremendous finisher. She’s shown that in different ways.”

Still, Andonovski thinks Rodman must hone her killer instinct on the attack.

“She needs to develop ruthlessness,” he said. “We could have easily scored another two or three goals, or created enough opportunities to score two or three goals. But again, happy with everything that we got. We’ll use those moments as learning opportunities so we can show Trin how she can be even better.”

As for Sanchez, Andonovski praised the 23-year-old for her “tremendous creativity” and her similarities to fellow midfielder Rose Lavelle in the past few games.

“She’s got special qualities on the ball,” he said. “It’s not easy to synchronize her movements right away because she hasn’t played much with Alex [Morgan] but when they do it, I think it worked very well. We are very happy where she’s at, positionally and happy where she’s at in the time of her stage of development.”

Defensively, Andonovski said Sanchez has room to grow.

“She puts much work in and effort but her timing and angle is just a little bit off. And it’s not quite synchronized with Alex’s movement when we want to shift from mid blocking to high press,” he said. “But she’s a true student of the game. I have no doubt that she’s going to get better.”

Games against top-tier teams like Canada are going to speed her development, Andonovski said, as they help to expose her weaknesses.

“Games like this are going to help her get better, because if we do again try certain things with her against a team that is not going to expose us, we’re probably not going to see everything that we want to see,” he continued. “Now, every little thing, if you’re not in the proper spot, if you’re one step to the left or one step to the right, you’re gonna get exposed and that’s where you learn.”

USWNT great Kelley O’Hara thinks that fellow national teamer Ashley Sanchez has a bright future ahead of her.

While Sanchez first joined the senior national team in a camp in 2016, she has long been a part of the USWNT system. She spent time on the U14, U15, U17 and U20 teams before finally being called up for the first time in 2021.

She says that the first camp she experienced in 2016 was a wake-up call.

“When I got there and I realized I was nowhere near ready to be there, I think it instilled in me that I needed to work harder,” Sanchez said on the latest episode of “The Journey.”

Since then, she’s had 17 caps for the senior team, notching three goals in that time.

The skills training that her parents forced her to go to as a kid has only helped as she’s navigated her professional and international careers.

“It’s very apparent now, because she’s very comfortable with the ball at her foot, very confident,” says fellow Washington Spirit and USWNT teammate O’Hara.

“You could tell quickly that she was a good player, but obviously still had a ways to go to be at the senior level,” she continues. “But again, I could have never walked into a camp at that age.

“Looking back, knowing that’s the first time that I met her and played with her, fast forward six years and now I’ve played on the national team with her, I’ve won an NWSL championship with her, and she’s a player that I think has a really bright future and has already done some big things.”

Sanchez also attributes her time with the Spirit as helping in the development of her game.

“When I went professional and was on the Spirit and there was a lot of good players around me,” she says. “I realized how much faster it was and I think that’s been the biggest growth I’ve had in the past couple of years.”

“Seeing Sanchez grow in her dedication to being a professional, I think is a big reason that she’s been able to go from wanting to make the national team to getting called in, to getting her first cap, her first goal,” says O’Hara. “As a player, you’ve gotta decide, like, who do I want to be, what do I want to become. And I think that’s something that she’s doing right now.”

It’s the end of the calendar year for the U.S. women’s national team, with 2022 performances all wrapped up in a bow. Naturally, that also means it’s time for end-of-year report cards to evaluate how each player did in the run-up to the 2023 World Cup.

Again, a quick set of criteria: Despite the team’s first three-game losing streak in decades, the U.S. lost only three games total in 2022. A failing grade would indicate a player is wildly unprepared for the game at this level, which is not something we saw from the group playing the lion’s share of minutes this year. Likewise, an A+ indicates a player with all-star, team-on-their-back, best-in-the-world status.

Throughout this series, which will grade players by position, I’m going to avoid those who didn’t get minutes in 2022 and those who have missed significant time due to injury.

So far, we’ve graded the goalkeepers, outside backs, center-backs and defensive midfielders. Now, let’s take a look at the attacking midfield position.

Rose Lavelle – A-

This year was one of the most consistent of Rose Lavelle’s career for both club and country. No longer just a USWNT wunderkind, Lavelle is a tested and relied-upon veteran who found herself tasked with sparking much of the playmaking in the attacking midfield. She also had to track back and defend to overcome some of the team’s defensive midfield struggles. At times, she’d also drift wide to be available for overlapping services with both the winger and the outside back to her right when the players behind her were distributing the ball. If Lavelle ever faltered, it came from a desire to do too much, which is understandable with the amount of space she had to cover.

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(Brad Smith/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

Ashley Sanchez – B+

The common theme of Sanchez’s 2022 was that when she made her way onto the field, she brought new ideas and looked quite good. During the Concacaf W Championship, the U.S. frequently had to strategize around breaking down opponents’ defensive formations, and Sanchez playing alongside Lavelle as another creative playmaker paid dividends. But when the U.S. played teams with equally formidable midfields, Sanchez’s playing time dwindled. It’s hard to prove a negative, so all we can do is judge the Spirit midfielder on the game tape we did see, which demonstrated her value to the team.

Kristie Mewis – B-

I don’t want to project Mewis’ club season onto the international level, as the roles and skill sets vary, but it’s hard not to see how Gotham’s struggles in the NWSL might have affected the midfielder’s USWNT prospects. Mewis clearly provides a positive locker-room presence and a competitive edge that can supersede form in the right situations. She played more minutes early in the year as the team tried to find the right mix after an up-and-down 2021. But as Vlatko Andonovski leaned into his favored midfield in the second half of the year, it became increasingly difficult to see how Mewis tactically fits into a starting XI. If we’ve learned anything from Mewis’ career, it’s that she’s the poster child for a comeback, but she’ll need to show more in 2023 to compete with more established starters in their returns from injury.

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Taylor Kornieck (20) celebrates her first goal with the USWNT in June. (Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

Taylor Kornieck – Incomplete

Inviting Taylor Kornieck into USWNT camp was always a good idea. She’s strong on the ball in multiple midfield positions, she has a unique physical advantage with her height, and she craves good coaching. How the Kornieck project is coming along, however, is still a bit of a mystery since the 24-year-old was never put in a situation where she was expected to change a game as a substitute. Kornieck has been a consistent part of the U.S. roster since the Concacaf W Championship, but where she fits into the 2023 roster remains unclear. In 2022, she played just 121 minutes in seven appearances, as Andonovski’s substitution patterns never quite gave the opportunity for growth that fans might want for a young talent.

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

Ashley Sanchez lifted Washington to a 2-1 win over OL Reign Sunday in a preview of Wednesday’s Challenge Cup semifinal.

The star midfielder helped out on both sides of the ball, pulling the string of the Spirit’s attack while winning the ball in the middle of the park.

Sanchez’s attacking talents were on full display when she broke the scoreless deadlock in the 14th minute, firing a screamer from the top of the box to put the game at 1-0.

OL Reign’s Rose Lavelle responded shortly after the break, tapping in a deflected shot to equalize. The Spirit, however, regained their lead in the 66th minute, with Ashley Hatch nodding in a lofted cross from Trinity Rodman.

Phallon Tullis-Joyce was tested in net, with the OL Reign keeper notching ten saves to keep her side within one heading into the final stretch.

The 2-1 scoreline held, however, securing Washington three points in the NWSL regular-season standings.

OL Reign will have a shot at redemption on Wednesday when the two clubs face off in the Challenge Cup semifinal at Audi Field.

Ashley Sanchez did exactly what U.S. women’s national team head coach Vlatko Andonovski wanted from her in her first start with the team.

Reaching her fourth cap with the U.S. in a 5-0 win over New Zealand in the SheBelieves Cup, Sanchez brought the creativity they feared they might lose with midfielder Rose Lavelle sidelined with an injury.

“We needed Rose Lavelle type of actions on the field, and that’s what Ashley Sanchez gave us,” Andonovski said.

Lavelle, usually playing in the 10, is known for her creativity on the ball and ability to dance around defenders. Against New Zealand, Sanchez turned into pockets and consistently got past the first defender to take her team into the attacking third.

“She was the one that actually brought lines on the dribble, penetrated on the dribble and passed the ball in the next zone,” the coach said. “Very happy with her performance, and I’m glad that she did some things that were actually brave.”

Sanchez’s footwork was among the most impressive parts of her performance, the highlight being her roulette on the left sideline, which was ultimately called out of bounds.

“I spoke a lot to her about being brave and being herself and she has special qualities. We just have to support her and be patient with her and she will be able to showcase,” Andonovski said.

Sanchez, 22, was subbed off in the 67th minute after the U.S. was already ahead 4-0. After failing to convert in a scoreless draw with the Czech Republic in the first game of the SheBelieves Cup, the USWNT found success in front of New Zealand’s goal mainly off of crosses.

Though Sanchez wasn’t directly involved with the USWNT’s goals, she contributed to the attack with balls driven across the box that matched perfectly with the timing of the forwards’ runs.

“The opportunities that we had when we came anywhere in or around the box, I thought we were very precise and were able to force own goals or even score nice goals as well,” Andonovski said.

“We definitely put them in an uncomfortable position by serving in some dangerous crosses,” said Ashley Hatch, Sanchez’s teammate with the Washington Spirit. Hatch scored the USWNT’s fourth goal following three first-half own goals by New Zealand.

Sanchez, an attacking midfielder, was joined in the middle of the park by Andi Sullivan at the six and Kristie Mewis at the eight. The three had good cohesion, and by the second half were finding effective angles and passing options for center backs Alana Cook and Tierna Davidson.

In her first start, Sanchez not only shined for her coach before the 2023 World Cup roster is named, but also for her family and friends at Dignity Health Tennis Center, just 30 miles from where she grew up in Monrovia, Calif.

Jessa Braun is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports covering the NWSL and USWNT. Follow her on Twitter @jessabraun.