The U.S. Women’s National Team heads to Wembley this Thanksgiving weekend for a big game against England. Despite having to draw 0-0, Emma Hayes will be pleased with her team’s performance.
The United States were the better side from the start, and criticism of their play came in the final third. They often struggled to turn their pressure into clear opportunities. There’s an easy excuse for this though, as Mallory Swanson, Trinity Rodman and Sophia Smith all missed the game.
Overall, the mix of old and new faces continued to grow under Hayes. Hayes presents the team with a big test to end the year with matches in England and an upcoming friendly in the Netherlands.
On this day, the United States received a passing score, leaving one game left to complete its Olympic gold medal run.
Administrator evaluation (1 to 10 points)
Emma Hayes, 7 years old — Hayes had a tough task missing a dynamic front line, some players had not played in a month and there was a big crowd behind the Lionesses, but the United States was still the better team. Her experience in defense and midfield took some of the pressure off the forwards and as a result they controlled the game and replacing Yazmeen Ryan at half-time was a surprise. The Hayes era continued apace at Wembley.
USWNT player ratings (0-10, 10 = best, 5 = average)
GK Alyssa Naeher, 5 — This may seem like a harsh assessment, but N/A may be more accurate since the Pentagon was confident it received very few requests. She had the best view of the 70,000-strong crowd at Wembley and didn’t have to buy a ticket.
Defender Emily Fox, 7 — The Arsenal defender looked just as comfortable playing in London. She was a constant outlet on the right, helping the United States push the ball quickly into the final third while also eliminating England’s attacks down her wing.
Defender Emily Sonnett, 6 — With too much turnover up front, Hayes opted for experience at the back and Sonnett rewarded his boss’ choice with another solid performance. Life next to Naomi Girma is very easy, but Sonnett made the plays she needed to with confidence and the two centre-backs gave everyone in front of them the freedom to take their chances.
Defender Naomi Girma, 8 — You’d be forgiven for thinking Girma didn’t have much to do. She simply eliminated threats too early and made recovery runs too easy, making her normally excellent performance seem pedestrian. That’s what makes her one of the best players in the world and a key part of this team. Oh, and she almost scored another goal as a little bonus.
Defender Casey Kruger, 7 — Krueger was the favorite under Hayes in 2024, and she once again showed why with another strong performance. She had complete control of the left flank, with Jessica Naz registering barely a mention in all matches. Krueger also came closest to a goal in the first half as a good shot from 18 yards forced a good save from the Mary Earps.
Midfielder Sam Coffey, 6 — Ho-hum, Coffey picks up the second ball in midfield and moves quickly forward before the opposition can even think about pressing. It’s rare for Coffey to do anything particularly noteworthy, but as usual there were plenty of little things she did that had the midfield humming.
Midfielder Lindsey Horan, 6 — Horan was once again given freedom in the U.S. midfield and moved up the pitch with regularity. Although she was effective at times, helping to put pressure on England’s centre-backs, she also gave the ball away cheaply on a few occasions and did not bring as much creative juice as she would have liked on the ball from that position.
Midfielder Rose Lavelle, 7 — It was a typical Lavelle game with lots of clever little touches to help keep the ball moving and create space. She also got forward and delivered some really smart passes, one of which would have scored Horan had he not wandered offside.
FW Emma Sears, 4 — The hope was that Sears’ speed would expose an aging Lucy Bronze, but that never happened. The 23-year-old looked like a player after just his second appearance and experience won out as he was sent off at half-time.
FW Lynn Williams, 5 — Williams can always be counted on to work hard and be a threat to the press. She did, but received little service and was often missing from the attack. The lack of chemistry with a new front line will never suit a forward like Williams who needs someone to make smart runs and drop the ball at his feet.
FW Alyssa Thompson, 6 — The U.S. struggled to convert the final third of the first half into opportunities, but Thompson’s efforts were not for lack of effort. She was particularly good in a few one-on-one opportunities, only beating her marker when there were few options to play after.
Substitutes (players introduced after 70 minutes will not be assessed)
Striker Yazmin Ryan (8 years old) Ryan came on at halftime and immediately changed the game. Not only was he a threat on the wing, but he also cut inside and was a creative force in the center of the pitch. She set up a goal which was ruled out for offside, hit a brilliant cross that almost went one goal over, and netted a shot that won a penalty before VAR decided otherwise. Although this was only her third appearance, she has already made a strong case to become part of this team’s core group of forwards.
FW Jaedyn Shaw, NR
MF Korbin Albert, NR
