The world No. 2 USWNT returned to winning form on Sunday, avenging Thursday's upset loss to No. 23 Portugal by capping the pair's two-game friendly series with a 3-1 victory.
USWNT midfielder Olivia Moultrie led the charge, securing a brace within the opening 10 minutes before second-half sub Sam Coffey flicked in a 77th-minute corner kick to cement the 3-1 scoreline.
"[US head coach] Emma [Hayes] said before the game, 'I don't care what the result is, but no matter what, I want it to feel like we played like us,'" said 20-year-old Moultrie postgame.
Hayes significantly shifted away from Thursday's struggling lineup, replacing eight starters and relying on a starting XI with an average age of 21.7 years old — including teenaged midfielders Lily Yohannes and Claire Hutton.
Defender Emily Sonnett captained the squad, and her 111 senior team caps singlehandedly outranked the other 10 players on the field, whose USWNT appearances combined totaled just 100 matches.
"You can't cut a corner to success, and you can't cut a corner with development," said Hayes, impressed by the young group's growth since falling to both Brazil and Japan earlier this year.
"I think last game was a blip," Hayes continued. "And that, for me, is not something I expect to be happening on a regular basis."
How to watch this week's USWNT friendly
The No. 2 USWNT will close out October's international window with a friendly against No. 33 New Zealand in Kansas City on Wednesday.
The match will kick off at 8 PM ET, live on TNT.
Two rising US stars made their European marks this week, as both OL Lyonnes midfielder Lily Yohannes and Chelsea FC forward Alyssa Thompson registered their first-ever UWCL goals in the second week of 2025/26 Champions League play on Wednesday — mere hours after earning call-ups to October's USWNT roster.
First, Yohannes launched a 57-yard screamer in the 51st minute of the French club's 3-0 win over Austrian side St. Pölten, with the 18-year-old helping lift Lyonnes over the competition after spotting the keeper out of her goal.
Later on Wednesday afternoon, recent WSL addition Thompson piled onto the Blues' eventual 4-0 thrashing of Paris FC, firing in her debut Champions League goal off a low cross from England mainstay Kiera Walsh.
"She brings a lot of speed up front," Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor said of Thompson. "She also is a player who is really comfortable on the ball."
How to watch 2025/26 Champions League action on Thursday
The second matchday of the 2025/26 UWCL league phase continues on Thursday, as WSL side Manchester United — anchored by USWNT goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce — faces Spanish club Atlético Madrid at 12:45 PM ET before reigning champion Arsenal looks to bounce back from their Champions League opening loss by defeating Portugal's Benfica at 3 PM ET.
All 2025/26 Champions League matches will air live on Paramount+.
The USWNT is getting the band back together this October, as manager Emma Hayes tapped a number of veteran faces in a 26-player roster for the team's upcoming three international friendlies on Wednesday morning.
The team's European-based players are stepping back into the spotlight, after Hayes chose to rest stars Lindsey Heaps, Lily Yohannes, Emily Fox, Phallon Tullis-Joyce, and Catarina Macario during the summer.
However, sidelined Chelsea defender Naomi Girma will sit this one out as she continues to recover from a calf injury.
The roster also highlights the return of favorites Trinity Rodman, Rose Lavelle, and Jaedyn Shaw, as Hayes also calls up 24-year-old San Diego Wave defender Kennedy Wesley for the first time.
As next fall's qualifiers for the 2027 World Cup quickly approach, Hayes is narrowing the field from her previous developmentally focused roster-building strategy.
"I think this was the one camp I had to make some really hard decisions, and that's the place I wanted to be in," Hayes told reporters on Wednesday morning. "It's the build for [World Cup] qualification for next year."
With an average age of 24.6, the latest squad reflects the US's youth movement, though Lavelle's return helps boost the average international experience from 18.4 caps in this summer's USWNT roster to 27.3 appearances on Hayes's October lineup.
The October 2025 USWNT roster
- Goalkeepers: Claudia Dickey (Seattle Reign) Mandy McGlynn (Utah Royals), Phallon Tullis-Joyce (Manchester United)
- Defenders: Jordyn Bugg (Seattle Reign), Emily Fox (Arsenal), Lilly Reale (Gotham), Tara McKeown (Washington Spirit), Avery Patterson (Houston Dash), Emily Sams (Orlando Pride), Emily Sonnett (Gotham), Kennedy Wesley (San Diego Wave)
- Midfielders: Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns), Lindsey Heaps (OL Lyonnes), Claire Hutton (Kansas City Current), Rose Lavelle (Gotham), Sam Meza (Seattle Reign), Olivia Moultrie (Portland Thorns), Jaedyn Shaw (Gotham), Lily Yohannes (OL Lyonnes)
- Forwards: Michelle Cooper (Kansas City Current), Catarina Macario (Chelsea), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit), Yazmeen Ryan (Houston Dash), Emma Sears (Racing Louisville), Ally Sentnor (Kansas City Current), Alyssa Thompson (Chelsea)
How to watch the October USWNT friendlies
The world No. 2 USWNT will first take on No. 23 Portugal at 7 PM ET on October 23rd and at 4 PM ET on the 26th, before closing out the international window against No. 33 New Zealand at 8 PM ET on October 29th.
All three friendlies will air live on TNT.
Eight-time UEFA Champions League winners OL Lyonnes will have even more US flair next season, with the French football titan announcing the signings of USWNT stars Lily Yohannes and Korbin Albert over the last week.
Joining the newly rebranded Lyon side from Dutch club Ajax on a reported €450,000 ($527,000) transfer fee, Yohannes's new contract runs through 2028.
Albert also signed a three-year deal on Friday, solidifying her transfer from Première Ligue rivals PSG — the club that the 21-year-old has played for since her early exit from Notre Dame in 2023.
Yohannes and Albert will join USWNT captain Lindsey Heaps in the OL Lyonnes midfield, with US billionaire and multi-team owner Michele Kang (Washington Spirit, London City Lionesses) overseeing the operation.
Backed by her global women's sports organization Kynisca, Kang reportedly beat WSL giants Chelsea FC to the punch in signing 18-year-old Yohannes on Monday.
OL Lyonnes has been stocking up after failing to make it past the 2024/25 Champions League semifinals, adding PSG striker Marie-Antoinette Katoto, Chelsea FC fullback Ashley Lawrence, Barcelona defender Ingrid Engen, and Vfl Wolfsburg attacker Jule Brand to a roster now led by former Washington Spirit head coach Jonatan Giráldez.
While international tournaments play out across the world this summer, the club carousel continues to spin as heavyweight teams vie for the sport's top talent.
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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The first-ever World Sevens Football (W7F) tournament kicked off in Portugal on Wednesday, as eight European powerhouses compete for the 7v7 soccer venture's inaugural trophy — and a share of its $5 million prize pool.
After winning their first matches on Wednesday, French side Paris Saint-Germain, reigning Bundesliga champion Bayern Munich, and WSL clubs Manchester City and Manchester United all tacked on second group-stage wins early Thursday.
Those two-match leads guarantee each club a spot in Friday's knockout rounds — and a shot at the $2.5 million grand prize — regardless of the outcome of their third and final group play games on Thursday.
Notably, Ajax midfielder Lily Yohannes and Man United keeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce both feature in this week's tournament, adding extra time with their club teams before they report to USWNT camp next week.
For Yohannes's Netherlands team, the W7F road will end in group play, with fellow two-loss clubs AS Roma (Italy), FC Rosengård (Sweden), and Benfica (Portugal) facing the same fate.
With another competition in the works for North America this fall, this week’s tournament is setting the bar for what players, teams, and fans can expect from W7F moving forward.
How to watch the inaugural W7F tournament
After the group stage wraps on Thursday, the first-ever W7F semifinal slate will begin at 10 AM ET on Friday, followed by the championship match at 3 PM ET.
All W7F matches will stream live on DAZN.
Another USWNT roster arrived on Tuesday, with head coach Emma Hayes tapping 24 players for the world No. 1 team's upcoming early summer friendlies against No. 17 China PR and No. 40 Jamaica.
Featuring both mainstays and prospects, the lineup showcases Hayes's interest in developing young standouts while also highlighting returning regulars — and one unexpected favorite.
USWNT staples like Crystal Dunn, Emily Sonnett, Lindsey Heaps, and Lynn Biyendolo are back, balancing out less experienced players like forwards Michelle Cooper and Emma Sears, midfielder Claire Hutton, and defender and first-time call-up Kerry Abello.
One uncapped invitee doesn't fit the US's ongoing youth movement mold, with 32-year-old Kansas City captain and celly queen Lo'eau LaBonta earning her first national team nod.
"First of all, she's deserving of the call-up," Hayes told reporters on Tuesday morning, praising the midfielder's NWSL play. "She’s being consistent in everything that she has done. And with the volume of young players or less experienced players we're bringing in, I think we have to get that balance right."
Angel City sister duo Alyssa and Gisele Thompson also made the cut, with Hayes shifting Gisele from defender to forward ahead of the younger Thompson's possible fourth senior cap.
European club players also returned to the spotlight, with Ajax's Lily Yohannes, Chelsea's Naomi Girma and Catarina Macario, Arsenal's Emily Fox, and Manchester United's Phallon Tullis-Joyce heading to camp alongside Dunn (PSG) and Heaps (OL Lyonnes).
Hayes also noted that former call-ups Jaedyn Shaw (North Carolina), Mia Fishel (Chelsea), and Korbin Albert (PSG) will spend the break with the USWNT U-23 squad, calling time with the youth team "what I felt has been really missing for a lot of players."
USWNT goalkeeper competition continues
Tullis-Joyce as well as Utah's Mandy McGlynn and Seattle’s uncapped Claudia Dickey will feature in goal, as the search to replace retired USWNT legend Alyssa Naeher continues.
"The data don't lie — Claudia Dickey's probably the best performing goalkeeper in the NWSL this season," Hayes said of the US newcomer.
Notably, Houston's Jane Campbell will not be joining the team, despite the longtime reserve keeper's 10 caps and six clean sheets for the USWNT.
All in all, Tuesday's roster marks one of Hayes's more diverse lineups, with this window's friendly opponents allowing her the freedom to test out new configurations.
Expect the US boss's next roster to be a bit less experimental, as the stakes will raise with late June's three-match slate against No. 26 Ireland and No. 7 Canada.
The May/June 2025 USWNT roster
- Goalkeepers: Claudia Dickey (Seattle Reign FC) Mandy McGlynn (Utah Royals), Phallon Tullis-Joyce (Manchester United)
- Defenders: Kerry Abello (Orlando Pride), Crystal Dunn (Paris Saint-Germain), Emily Fox (Arsenal FC), Naomi Girma (Chelsea FC), Tara McKeown (Washington Spirit), Avery Patterson (Houston Dash), Emily Sams (Orlando Pride), Emily Sonnett (Gotham FC)
- Midfielders: Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC), Lindsey Heaps (OL Lyonnes), Claire Hutton (Kansas City Current), Lo’eau LaBonta (Kansas City Current), Olivia Moultrie (Portland Thorns FC), Lily Yohannes (Ajax)
- Forwards: Lynn Biyendolo (Seattle Reign FC), Michelle Cooper (Kansas City Current), Catarina Macario (Chelsea FC), Emma Sears (Racing Louisville), Ally Sentnor (Utah Royals), Alyssa Thompson (Angel City FC), Gisele Thompson (Angel City FC)
How to watch the upcoming USWNT friendlies
The 24-player USWNT roster will kick off their upcoming friendlies by taking on China PR at 5:30 PM ET on Saturday, May 31st, in St. Paul, Minnesota. Live coverage of the match will air on TBS.
Then on Tuesday, June 3rd, the US will face Jamaica in St. Louis, Missouri, with the 8 PM ET match airing live on TNT.
It didn’t take long for USWNT star Trinity Rodman to re-introduce herself on Saturday, finding the back of the net just five minutes into her first national team appearance since last August’s Olympic gold medal-winning match.
Rodman’s point came off a quality assist from Alyssa Thompson, with the attacking pair eventually leading the USWNT to a 2-0 win over 2024 Olympic silver medalists Brazil in the first of the pair's two April friendlies.
US captain Lindsey Heaps doubled the scoreline in the second half, striking home a bullet of a penalty kick after 17-year-old midfielder Lily Yohannes drew a foul in the box.
Hayes' development strategy proves impact of young talent
As familiar names netted goals, USWNT head coach Emma Hayes still managed to continue testing less experienced players, evaluating fresh faces against Brazil's high-flying offense.
Making an impact in her US debut was goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce, who earned a clean sheet with six saves to put herself firmly in the running to replace now-retired starting keeper Alyssa Naeher.
Hayes' developmental aim is, in part, to bolster the USWNT pipeline should future injuries limit the team's veteran stars — a tactic that Rodman's own recent struggles prove is an increasingly smart move.
Though Rodman’s impact is undeniable, the veteran is still rehabilitating a lingering back issue that the 22-year-old has admitted she doesn’t think "will ever be 100%."
That said, Rodman knows she brings more to the table than just her on-pitch prowess.
"I wanted to be a provider of energy and to be able to charge everyone’s batteries. I think I did that pretty well today," Rodman told TNT on Saturday.
Ultimately, as the USWNT’s slow build continues, Rodman showed exactly the team can hope to achieve once the roster is more whole down the line.
How to watch the USWNT vs. Brazil friendly on Tuesday
The USWNT's second friendly against Brazil will take place in San Jose at 10:30 PM ET on Tuesday. Live coverage will air on TBS.
The USWNT hit the ground running on Thursday, taking down Colombia 2-0 to kick off the 2025 SheBelieves Cup with a bang.
Catarina Macario opened the scoring in the 33rd minute with her first international goal in almost three years, before 21-year-old Ally Sentnor put the game out of reach at the 60-minute mark with her first-ever international tally.
"Everybody is super happy, super proud, and I'm sure everybody back at Chelsea is too," US head coach Emma Hayes said of Macario’s strike, as the forward continues her long return from injury.
USWNT rookies show out
Hayes’s decision to feature less experienced players in the match paid off, with the winning side bolstered by numerous first caps, starts, and a screamer of a goal for the world No. 1 team.
In just her third cap and first start for the senior national team, Sentnor's efforts earned her praise from Hayes, who called the young attacker's performance "tenacious on both sides of the wall."
Also excelling in her first USWNT start was 17-year-old Lily Yohannes, who lofted the ball forward in pursuit of Macario’s opening goal and stood out as the most creative passer within a US midfield that completed over 500 passes.
"She's really switched on and someone who understands the importance of doing everything for the team and for that I really admire her," Hayes said after the match.
Hayes also continued her efforts to mint new USWNT players with a trio of first caps in Thursday's match. While forward Michelle Cooper and defender Gisele Thompson snagged their first USWNT minutes as late substitutes, center-back Tara McKeown grabbed a starting spot, then capitalized on the opportunity by registering an assist to set up Sentnor's jaw-dropping goal.
Hayes has emphasized the need for the USWNT to develop its future, but Thursday’s performance showed that the future might be closer than originally expected — especially considering the big names missing from this window’s USWNT roster.
Sonnett celebrates 100th USWNT cap
Alongside all the noteworthy firsts, the USWNT also had the chance to celebrate its veteran leadership on Thursday.
Prior to the match, the team honored Emily Sonnett for her 100th cap before the versatile defender captained the squad as a starting center-back on the night.
Notably, Sonnett's USWNT tenure includes competing in all 10 iterations of the SheBelieves Cup — more than any other player.
USWNT to face Australia in second SheBelieves match
Now sitting in second in the SheBelieves Cup standings, the USWNT trails only Japan due to goal differential after the Nadeshiko toppled Australia 4-0 on Thursday afternoon.
The struggling Matildas, who failed to register a single shot on goal against Japan, must now face the seven-time SheBelieves champion USWNT in Arizona on Sunday — a team Australia has only defeated once in the pair's 35 all-time meetings.
The last time the teams met, the US defeated the Matildas 2-1 in the final group stage match of the 2024 Olympics to advance to the quarterfinals.
This time out, expect heavy roster rotation from Hayes's squad as players look to stay healthy for their club seasons, with some still ramping up to full fitness before the 2025 NWSL season.
How to watch the USWNT vs. Australia in the SheBelieves Cup
The USWNT kicks off against Australia in the 2025 SheBelieves Cup at 5 PM ET on Sunday, with live coverage on TBS, Max, and Peacock.
Monday's 24-player USWNT roster drop sees new faces stepping up as head coach Emma Hayes gifts Triple Espresso — forwards Sophia Smith, Trinity Rodman, and Mal Swanson — some well-earned time off after a grueling 2024 campaign.
While 15 of the team's 22 reigning Olympic gold medalists will feature in upcoming friendlies against world No. 2 England and the No. 11 Netherlands, the three forwards "are dealing with nagging injuries that need rest after a long year representing club and country," per US Soccer.
"Not one of these players want to ever miss a game for playing for their country. I want to be really clear about that," Hayes told reporters in Monday's press conference.
"But two, I want to make sure these players are prepared for a long time to come. And when you're in the backend of a season, and you're playing a lot, and your body's tired, your mind's tired, that's where sometimes it can become risky."
The US camp will begin on Sunday, one day after the 2024 NWSL Championship. Three league standouts — Orlando's Emily Sams and Washington's Casey Krueger and Hal Hershfelt — will join the USWNT after playing for the league title and before the world No. 1 team faces off against the runners-up of the last two World Cups.
Young USWNT talent to step up in Triple Espresso's absence
In their stead, NWSL rookies Emma Sears and Ally Sentnor, plus newly minted 20-year-olds Jaedyn Shaw and Alyssa Thompson will therefore take over frontline duties for the US squad when they face the last two European champions.
Hot off a significantly strong bronze medal-winning U-20 World Cup performance, 2024 NWSL Rookie of the Year nominee Sentnor is one of two uncapped call-ups, alongside Manchester United goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce.
The duo will join seven players who earned first caps during the USWNT's October camp. That list includes Orlando defender Emily Sams and Utah goalkeeper Mandy Haught, both currently up for NWSL individual awards.
The roster's lone teenager is 17-year-old Ajax midfielder Lily Yohannes, who announced her official decision to represent the US one week ago. Yohannes could see playing time against the Netherlands, her home country since 2017.
"[Yohannes] knows she has to work hard with the playing pool being as strong as it is, but I think she's an exceptional talent," noted Hayes. "I'm delighted that we can develop a very young Lily Yohannes over the next few years to prepare her for a future with the national team."
Four veterans lead November's USWNT roster
With over 100 caps each, US captain Lindsey Horan, goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, midfielder Rose Lavelle, and defender Emily Sonnett will helm the USWNT's final 2024 matches.
Similarly, after missing the last US camp with injury, veteran Tierna Davison will return. The defender is likely to pair with October's goalscoring hero Naomi Girma at center back.
The combination of veteran leadership and fresh faces is a hallmark of Hayes's rosters. Accordingly, the USWNT boss hones in on developing what she hopes will be a championship team.
"This is the end of a wonderful year, but we’re still at the beginning of our process of building towards qualifying for the next World Cup," Hayes stated.
"This trip will be about testing ourselves against two world class teams with opportunities to develop our roster. We will continue to build relationships on and off the field and I’m really excited to work with this group as we continue to set the stage for 2025."
November's USWNT roster
- Goalkeepers: Mandy Haught (Utah Royals), Phallon Tullis-Joyce (Manchester United), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars)
- Defenders: Tierna Davidson (Gotham FC), Emily Fox (Arsenal), Eva Gaetino (Paris Saint-Germain), Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave), Casey Krueger (Washington Spirit), Alyssa Malonson (Bay FC), Jenna Nighswonger (Gotham FC), Emily Sams (Orlando Pride), Emily Sonnett (Gotham FC)
- Midfielders: Korbin Albert (Paris Saint-Germain), Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns), Hal Hershfelt (Washington Spirit), Lindsey Horan (Olympique Lyon), Rose Lavelle (Gotham FC), Lily Yohannes (Ajax)
- Forwards: Yazmeen Ryan (Gotham FC), Emma Sears (Racing Louisville), Ally Sentnor (Utah Royals), Jaedyn Shaw (San Diego Wave), Alyssa Thompson (Angel City), Lynn Williams (Gotham FC)
How to watch the final 2024 USWNT friendlies in Europe
First, the US will battle England at London's iconic Wembley Stadium at 12:20 PM ET on November 30th. Then, they'll travel to The Hague to contend with the Netherlands at 2:45 PM ET on December 3rd.
Both friendlies will air live on TNT.