The USWNT is back in action as World Cup qualifying looms next year with a pair of friendlies against Portugal and a third match against New Zealand. 2025 has seen significant flux for the team with injuries and absences from key players giving manager Emma Hayes a chance to evaluate depth over the course of the year. This window will be no different as Trinity Rodman had to withdraw from the roster due to injury along with Sam Meza.
It will be particularly interesting to see how the backline plays.
Emily Sonnett and Emily Fox have solid track records with the team, but of the remaining six defenders none have more than eight caps. The midfield will feature four players 20 years old or younger while NWSL veteran Lo’eau LaBonita has just two caps. Amongst the fowards, Cat Macario leads the pack in terms of goals scored with 11. Needless to say, this is a roster focused on development with room to experiment with tactics and player combinations with three matches coming up.
As far as what to watch for, Portugal is coming back from a disappointing showing in the Euros over the summer. They have not seen action since earning just a point against Italy and being eliminated from their group in that tournament. Portugal has not played in the months since and will be focused on a strong performance leading up to next year’s preparations for the World Cup. The roster features players largely representing the domestic league with significant experience on the national team. In fact, only 6 players with less than 33 caps are included in the selection.
Emma Hayes has not strayed too much from a possession based approach. That hasn’t always led to goals and chances for the USWNT this year, though development has been the priority over results. The team focuses on playing the ball wide and attacking from the wings, either with wide forwards or fullbacks trying to work chances. It will also be important for the team to show defensive solidity and cohesion against Portugal. With a relatively inexperienced back line, the defenders will need to gel to prevent being punished by Portugal for a mistake.
In the end, this may be another somewhat frustrating window for the USWNT. The team is working on creating competition for roster spots and that won’t mean that the result is the top priority in these three games. Hayes will need to adjust tactics and focus on flexibility rather than having a fully implemented tactical system to rely on. The starting XI will also be unpredictable with new players needing to be worked into the team. All of that adds up to an unclear picture that will only be developed once the ball starts rolling.
