As the U.S. women’s national team takes on Germany this week in their final two games of the year, they’ll be balancing further squad development and a positive result. The U.S. could use a win after their October trip to Europe yielded two straight losses. Meanwhile, the team has been settling on a preferred starting XI as they await the returns of a number of key players from injury in 2023.

If head coach Vlatko Andonovski views the Germany games as an opportunity for further squad evaluation, a handful of players could use the playing time to prove their value. The competition within the team will only grow as the months tick down to the 2023 World Cup.

Taylor Kornieck

Kornieck was something of a surprise addition to the USWNT’s Concacaf W roster in July, but her play with the San Diego Wave this year explains why the U.S. is interested in her skill set. Kornieck’s prowess in the air, particularly on set pieces, is somewhat obvious (she’s a towering 6-foot-1), but she’s also proven to be an impressive line-breaker with the ball at her feet. The U.S. is still figuring out what to do at the holding midfielder position when Lindsey Horan isn’t on the field, and after Kornieck missed the last international window with an ankle injury, she could use time to carve out a role.

Sam Coffey

The USWNT’s defensive midfield has been in need of answers in recent months, meaning the opportunity for Coffey to make her mark on the team has only grown. Coffey played well beyond her years in her rookie season and during the Thorns’ 2022 NWSL Championship victory, and she’s familiar with both a rigid and a free-flowing midfield philosophy from Portland. Coffey has been fast-tracked as one of the USWNT’s key options for the No. 6, and this week could be the time to solidify the concept.

Trinity Rodman

Rodman is a generational talent, but she hasn’t had as much time with the USWNT attack as the other forwards vying for a spot in the team’s starting XI. In October, she played on the right wing while Sophia Smith filled in for Alex Morgan, but now that Morgan and Mallory Pugh are both back in the fold, Rodman has to figure out where she fits within Andonovski’s attacking rotations. She’s already an asset as a connecting player, and she bounces off the attacking midfield well. But if Andonovski feels his current starters need more time to build chemistry, balancing Rodman’s development at the international level becomes tricky.

Ashley Sanchez

Sanchez, like Rodman, is part of the USWNT’s present and the future. She was tasked with providing an attacking spark in the midfield at Concacaf W this summer, but she has featured more off the bench in 2022. Sanchez is a creative player who can be brought on to run at opponents with enthusiasm, but she hasn’t gotten a chance in games that require a stronger off-the-ball defensive plan. She’s also likely competing with Rose Lavelle for minutes, and Lavelle has been excellent in 2022. Getting a shot against a crisp midfield like Germany’s would be an indicator that Sanchez is ready to adapt to greater challenges.

Ashley Hatch

Hatch quietly had another strong NWSL season in 2022, scoring nine goals for the Washington Spirit, but the USWNT’s reliance on the 27-year-old has waned in recent months. Alex Morgan has gradually overtaken Hatch in the role of post-up, central forward on the team’s depth chart, and Andonovski’s decision to play Hatch in just one half when Morgan was out with an injury in October raises a few questions about what happens when Catarina Macario returns to the team next spring. Hatch has had a knack for goal at the international level, and her level of inclusion this week could suggest where she sits on the USWNT depth chart.

Casey Murphy

I don’t envy the task of rotating the three USWNT goalkeepers through these games. Alyssa Naeher needs time to continue to gel with a new-look defense, and Adrianna Franch has more than earned another look on the field. But the development of Casey Murphy hasn’t been as linear as expected in 2022, and more big-game experience could be crucial for evaluation. Murphy obviously has the ability to be an elite shot-stopper at the international level (her matches against Australia a year ago were examples of her high ceiling,) but she’s also shown some nerves this year. With Franch making a surge, the competition at goalkeeper is more interesting than ever.

Kristie Mewis

Three of the players on this list had rough club seasons with the Spirit this year, and Kristie Mewis likewise had a difficult year with last-place Gotham FC. Andonovski cited form when he left Gotham teammate Margaret Purce off the last two USWNT rosters, and Mewis has been competing for minutes off the bench with Lavelle and Horan tabbed as midfield starters. Mewis is very good in dead-ball situations, and her ability to chase a game late has provided a spark to the midfield in the past. But she needs to be able to showcase the form that got her back on the USWNT in 2021, with limited minutes to do so.

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

In this week's episode of The Late Sub, host Claire Watkins discusses the importance of the current international window for the USWNT and digs into the players who did and did not make head coach Emma Hayes's latest 24-athlete roster.

Watkins begins with those not invited to this week's senior team camp, with Hayes using the concurrent U23 camp as a "minor league" for athletes who "need a little bit more development or need to be in a different training situation or have different leadership structures."

Watkins specifically digs into the placement of midfielder Korbin Albert and forwards Jaedyn Shaw and Mia Fishel with the U23 squad, as well as the overall omission of goalkeeper Jane Campbell.

Honing in on Albert, Watkins calls her U23 spot a demotion, saying "It's wild to me that someone who started the [2024] Olympic gold-medal match for the USWNT is now playing for the U23s when the senior team is in session."

"I think we're stuck in this question of, 'is she good enough or is she not?'" explains Watkins, noting that "Albert isn't giving [Hayes] those all-around performances that validate that roster spot when there are other players that could be given a look."

In contrast, Watkins backs Hayes's decisions to place the versatile Shaw and Fishel — who's still regaining form from a 2024 ACL tear — with the youth team.

Calling her "the player truly out in the cold here," Watkins worries that 30-year-old Campbell might be facing an "always the bridesmaid, never the bride of the US goalkeeper cycle," with Hayes opting for a largely untested trio of Mandy McGlynn, Phallon Tullis-Joyce, and Claudia Dickey as she continues seeking retired star Alyssa Naeher's replacement.

Top NWSL play fuels USWNT roster call-ups

The uncapped Dickey, says Watkins, is one of the players reaping the benefits of Hayes's developmental roster movements.

"She is statistically one of the highest performing goalkeepers in the NWSL this season," notes Watkins about the Seattle Reign starter. "The numbers do not lie. She is one of the best pure shot-stoppers in the league this year, if not the best."

Also snagging a shot at the senior team thanks to stellar NWSL play are Orlando Pride standout and "Swiss Army knife defender" Kerry Abello, Portland Thorns midfielder Olivia Moultrie, and Kansas City Current captain Lo'eau LaBonta.

LaBonta, who headlined this USWNT roster by earning her first-ever call-up at age 32, is a versatile midfielder with, according to Watkins, a "really, really strong" mentality as well as a "wonderful locker room presence."

Citing Hayes's previous comments about the age of certain players causing her to seek younger athletes, Watkins wonders if LaBonta's call-up isn't simply a long-overdue reward for years of top professional play, and instead, perhaps, a sign that Hayes is "learning that you need a little bit of both [youth and experience]."

"I think [LaBonta's] going to make herself hard to drop," states Watkins. "With 2027 only two years away, I'm not betting against LaBonta. She's going into this camp looking for more call-ups. This is not just a 'job well done' situation for her."

Finally, Watkins mentions that many younger players, like Kansas City's Michelle Cooper and Claire Hutton, and Utah's Ally Sentnor, are back in the mix "because they're playing too well for the U23s. They've been put into senior team camp and they've swam — they have not sunk."

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Summer friendlies serve as senior team try-outs

The stakes are high for the 24 athletes in this USWNT camp, with small windows to impress Hayes while facing two tough opponents in the upcoming days: May 31st's clash with China PR and a June 3rd date with Jamaica's Reggae Girlz.

"Who's going to be able to elevate their game even if they don't have a ton of experience?," asks Watkins. "It's up to the senior call-ups to make those players that are in the U23s harder to call back in. And those players in the U23s are going to probably have to show new sides of themselves to get back into the fold."

"This is the Emma Hayes system. And I cannot wait to say who says, 'Nope. This is not just a pat on the back. You're not dropping me.'"

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.

Follow Claire on X/Twitter @ScoutRipley and subscribe to the Just Women's Sports newsletter for more.

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The world No. 1 USWNT is back in action on Saturday, taking on No. 17 China PR in the first of two early summer friendlies as head coach Emma Hayes continues evaluating talent across the 24-player roster.

"We have two different types of opponents ahead of us, so we'll have to be creative in breaking down those teams in different ways," Hayes told reporters earlier this month.

With an average of just 30.7 caps per player, this international window is an opportunity for NWSL favorites to prove their national team value — though the USWNT will be without one up-and-comer: Due to a minor hip injury, Angel City defender Gisele Thompson departed camp on Thursday, with Hayes opting not to replace the 19-year-old in the lineup.

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Fresh faces to take on a familiar foe

The US has faced China PR a total of 60 times — more than any country other than No. 7 Canada. China also boasts the second-most US defeats with nine, though they haven't upended the USWNT since 2015.

In total, the USWNT boasts a 38-9-13 all-time record against their longtime rival, including arguably the team's most famous victory: the history-making penalty-kick win in the 1999 World Cup final at the Rose Bowl.

That said, the teams haven't squared off since December 2023 — some six months before Hayes took the helm.

"We have new faces, we have experience, we have veterans, we have young players. I think we're a really amazing blend of all of the above," said midfielder Sam Coffey this week. "I think more than anything, the common denominator in everyone here is just a hunger to get better."

How to watch the USWNT vs. China PR friendly match

The USWNT kicks off against China PR at 5:30 PM ET on Saturday in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Live coverage of the match will air on TBS.

Friday's WNBA action promises to bring the heat, delivering a major homecoming for new LA star Kelsey Plum as well as strategic veteran moves and rookies looking to right the ship while newly revamped teams continue to gel.

In the wake of significant offseason movement, the 2025 WNBA season is all about striking a balance between developing young talent and leveraging seasoned stars as former franchise players take on very familiar opponents.

Veteran-heavy teams will shoot to manage workloads this weekend, as powerhouse squads juggle shifting lineups while those that trailed last year fight to rise up the WNBA standings.

Highlighting the Friday night slate are a trio of games, all airing on ION:

• No. 1 New York Liberty (5-0) vs. No. 7 Washington Mystics (3-3), 7:30 PM ET: The reigning champion Liberty managed to eke out an 82-77 win over 2025 expansion side Golden State without injured stars Jonquel Jones and Nyara Sabally on Thursday — but can they hold off a Mystics team punching above their weight behind standout rookie duo Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen?

• No. 10 Los Angeles Sparks (2-4) vs. No. 6 Las Vegas Aces (2-2), 10 PM ET: Sparks guard Kelsey Plum will face her former teammates for the first time on Friday, taking on a Las Vegas side searching for redemption after Seattle spoiled Aces guard Jewell Loyd's own homecoming in last weekend's WNBA action.

• No. 2 Minnesota Lynx (5-0) vs. No. 3 Phoenix Mercury (4-1), 10 PM ET: Two of the league's top performers will hit the court in Arizona, as perennial MVP candidates Napheesa Collier and Alyssa Thomas go head-to-head for the first time in 2025.

A few teams have already faced adversity this year, but even more have settled into the grind as the longest-ever WNBA season rolls into June.

WNBA legend Candace Parker is gearing up for a busy summer, as two of her former franchises — the Chicago Sky and LA Sparks — recently announced plans to retire her No. 3 jersey this year.

The Chicago Sky announced on Wednesday that they will raise Parker's jersey in the Wintrust Arena rafters in an August 25th ceremony, honoring the Chicagoland product who helped them win their first-ever WNBA championship in 2021.

"I never imagined one day my jersey would hang in the rafters of my hometown team," said Parker in a statement. "Coming home to Chicago and helping bring the city its first WNBA championship here — it was personal. I'm beyond grateful to the city, the fans, and everyone who's been part of my journey. Chicago raised me, and this will always be home."

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Also in on the action is Los Angeles, where Parker spent a 13-year stint that including earning her first league title in 2016. The Sparks previously stated in late March that they would retire Parker's jersey in a June 29th celebration — during LA's game against the Sky.

The Chicago ceremony also coincides with a game against another of Parker's squads: The Sky will face the Las Vegas Aces — the final team Parker led to a WNBA championship in 2023.

Parker is the first Chicago player to have her jersey number retired, as well as the Sparks' third behind Lisa Leslie and Penny Toler.

"Candace is the best all-around player that has ever played in the WNBA," said Sparks co-owner and NBA legend Magic Johnson.

With an impact that still radiates throughout the WNBA, fans and former teammates alike are jumping at the chance to pay their respects to Parker this summer.