Emma Hayes Leads USWNT into Crucial Friendlies Against England and Netherlands

Emma Hayes, the head coach of the U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT), has named a 24-player roster for the upcoming friendlies against England and the Netherlands, marking the final matches of the calendar year for the team. The USWNT will face England at Wembley Stadium on November 30 and then travel to the Netherlands for a match at Den Haag Stadium on December 3.

The roster includes several key players, but notably excludes forwards Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith, and Mallory Swanson due to minor injuries. These players, known as the “triple espresso” trio, were instrumental in the USWNT’s Olympic success, scoring ten of the team’s twelve Olympic goals. Smith and Swanson will be rehabbing their injuries, while Rodman will play with her club team, Washington Spirit, in the NWSL Championship.

Despite these absences, Hayes is optimistic about the opportunities for new players. The roster features newcomers such as midfielder Ally Sentnor and goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce, both of whom could earn their first senior national team minutes. Teenage midfielder Lily Yohannes, who recently pledged to represent the USA, also returns to the squad after making her debut in June.

Hayes emphasized the importance of these matches in the team’s preparation for the next World Cup. “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,” she stated.

The match against England at Wembley Stadium is particularly significant, with over 70,000 tickets already sold. Hayes, who led the USWNT to a gold medal in the Paris Olympics and was named the 2024 women’s head coach of the year, is looking forward to this challenge and the opportunity to develop her team further.