But it’s well past time that I was out of here. Thanks for your company today, riding the highs and lows as the USWNT defeated the Matildas 2-1 in the SheBelieves Cup. I’ve been Joey Lynch and it’s been great to have your company.
A one-time coach of Chelsea, Hayes was also asked about Sam Kerr and her imminent return to football following her recovery from an ACL injury and being found not guilty of racially aggravated harassment of a police officer.
I love Sam Kerr. I’ll always love Sam Kerr.
She’s amazing and I’m sure she will find another step to be the very best Sam Kerr.
A SheBelieves Cup deciding fixture against Japan now awaits the USWNT in San Diego, with Hayes clearly exhilarated by the prospect of taking on the Asian powers.
It’s just the perfect game, it’s just what you want. Japan, you can see on current form, scoring lots of goals, the quality of their play is so so high. I think they’re one of the top, top, top teams in the world.
This is the perfect game for where we are at to learn a lot about ourselves because I am certain we will have to suffer.
Because the way [Japan] dominate the ball, the way they progress up the pitch, with their rotations, with their dynamic advantages -- I’m looking forward to it, I love watching Japan play. Excited for the challenge. We could really use our fans, these are the games when you want to make home soil advantage count.
In her post-game press conference, USWNT boss Emma Hayes spoke of the benefits that have come with squad rotation and calling up young players for the SheBeleives Cup.
After defeating Colombia 2-0 in their opening fixture, the coach made eleven changes to her starting side for the game against Australia – just the sixth time in USWNT history that’s happened and the first occasion since 2000.
The objective for the camp, for us, was to deepen the playing pool by giving opportunities to less experienced players in high pressured situations. I think we’ve achieved that by playing everybody in our squad in these first two games.
The second was to develop a better understanding and application of our blueprint, our way of playing. That we could close the gap from the players that are the most experienced to the least experienced, developing the technical and tactical application of those things and see where that missing gap is. As I’ve already said, in some instances, it might mean that some players are ready for now and some are ready for later, but we won’t know until we test that out.
And finally, I think, because it’s a tournament setting, we get to emulate everything that comes with that and help develop the players in their application of everything you do the 22 hours off the pitch. So I think we’re doing that.
We played a high quality team, a very experienced team, so for our players to produce a result like that is a really healthy indicator of our program and the talent pool that we have available to us
For all the improvements in attitude and effort, however, there are footballing improvements Sermanni wants to see.
There’s probably a couple of things. Firstly, we do need to still keep the ball better. Our movement needs to be a bit slicker, our rhythm needs to be better. But we alsoneed to identify threats and be a little bit more aggressive with with our forward running and our ability to see forward passes. That’s something that going forward, we need to do much better.
The interim coach was also asked about going with Tegan Micah over Mackenzie Arnold for the clash with the USWNT and the battle for the Matildas’ number one shirt heading into the Colombia game.
It’s been close for some time. There’s been times when Tegan has actually been the number one. The situation at the moment is Tegan has been playing week in and week out in the WSL [with Liverpool] and performing really well, whereas Mackenzie hasn’t played, is barely back in pre season training.
Particularly for a goalkeeper -- it’s not like an outfield player where you can run around -- they need to get matches under the belt before they come in at this level.
It’s too premature to know what we’re doing against Colombia. [Today’s] game’s just finished. We need to get in the dressing room. We need to see how everybody is. Come tonight, after dinner, we’ll start to look ahead at what we’re going to do against Colombia. At this stage, to be honest, I couldn’t tell you the starting goalkeeper, or, to be honest, can tell you the starting team.
In his post-game press conference, Tom Sermanni was pleased with the way this his side responded to both the 4-0 defeat to Japan and the early goal.
Our effort and attitude were so much better in this game -- especially after the start we had. Given the performance of the last game and the result and then losing the goal after probably less than a minute, I think we could easily have just sort of caved in today. So from a perspective of the team digging in and sticking in there, I thought I was really pleased with that part of our performance and that effort."
The coach was also full of praise for Caitlin Foord.
I thought Caitlin had an outstanding game, again, out on the left wing. Our prefence and her preference would be to play there. And having Holly as a natural number nine helps us to helps us to do that. It makes a balance a lot better
Sam Lewis’ has filed her report on today’s result.
Matildas attacker Michelle Heyman speaking on Paramount+ post-game.
Definitely a big improvement [from the Japan game]. We wanted to come out here firing. It wasn’t the start that we really wanted, conceding a goal in the first 50 seconds but I hope everyone could see all the hard work that we’re putting in. We’re really trying to figure out our team and adapt as one. So I’m really proud of all the girls. We didn’t get the result, but it was a big improvement, which I think is quite positive.
We wanted to bring that never say die attitude. We want to show the Aussies that we can do it. It was very disappointing, our 4-0 loss against Japan, we did not want to do that again. The US, the best in the world. So 2-1 isn’t as bad as what everyone thinks, in our opinion.
Updated
The 2025 SheBelieves Cup will now be determined on Wednesday, when its two standout sides in the USWNT and Japan meet at Snapdragon Stadium. Both have won their opening two games – Japan by a combined margin of 8-1 – and it’s not unfair to expect fireworks.
Australia and Colombia will meet earlier that day, both sides looking to get their first win of the tournament and build some momentum for the months ahead.
FT: USWNT 2-1 Australia
The USWNT make it two wins from two in the SheBelieves Cup, running out 2-1 winners over Australia with a professional display.
Opening the scoring through Biyendolo after less than a minute, it looked like Hayes’ side might have been able to name their margin as they dominated the opening exchanges and while that control may have faded as the game wore on, they never really looked like they were in danger. Cooper’s first-ever international goal doubled their advantage in the 68th minute and it took some super goalkeeping from Micah to deny them a third in the dying stages.
ANOTHER THREE POINTS!#shebelievescup x @Visa pic.twitter.com/GmQv5YUZna
— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) February 24, 2025
Australia were second best – outshot 15 to seven – against a rotated USWNT side and didn’t exactly create a multitude of clear-cut chances or prove able to keep possession for extended periods but, nonetheless, will take heart from a much improved performance after their hammering against Japan in their opening game.
It would have been very easy for the Matildas, coming off a 4-0 defeat, to go to pieces after conceding so early and subsequently coming under siege but they were able to hold out, gather and give the world’s number one side a game.
Clearly, this team still desperately needs a full-time coach to be appointed so they can really start to build – Football Australia’s continued delays in that process not doing them any favours – but there’s a foundation there.
Updated
90+5 Mins: Australia wins a free kick on the right flank, with almost every player assembling on the edge of the USWNT as Murphy prepares to take it.
The youngster’s delivery can’t beat Fox, however, with her defensive header the game’s final action.
90+3 Mins: The USWNT get the ball forward – Sentnor has proven a real metronome since she came on – but can’t work the ball into the Australian penalty area. Australia eventually win the ball back and look to transition down the left but Torpey can’t find space to exploit.
90+1 Mins: van Egmond whips in a corner but it bounces harmlessly off the top of Prior’s head and away from the American penalty area.
90 Mins: Australia gets out at speed but Torpey doesn’t pull the trigger on a pass for Heyman and the USWNT are able to get bodies back behind the ball.
88 Mins: The USWNT almost put the game to bed twice in quick succesion, only to be denied by two super saves from Micah!
First, Shaw plays the Sentnor in on goal with a smart bass, only for the keeper to stick a strong glove up and deflect the ball out for a corner. The resulting set piece bounces off the legs of Cooper but she’s denied a second of the game when the Liverpool custodian reacts quickly to push it away.
The USWNT are looking more likely to find a third than Australia an equaliser.
81 Mins: More changes for Australia in the aftermath of their goal, Tash Prior coming on for Kennedy and Laini Freier coming on for Cooney-Cross, the latter becoming Matilda number 236.
Goal! USWNT 2-1 Australia (Heyman 80')
Australia does what they do best, transitioning rapidly after Albert’s attempt, getting the ball down the channel, and hitting paydirt with a ball into the box.
The ball finds Raso on the right flank and, with a bit of time to assess, the Spurs winger whips in a ball and finds an Heyman, who has used her veteran instincts to find an open spot to power in an a header.
Updated
79 Mins: Albert’s one and only international goal came against Australia and she almost has another, a corner falling to her open at the back post only for her to send a meek volley at Micah.
77 Mins: A couple of Gooners come off for Australia but they’re replaced by one from the opposite dugout, G Thompson making way for the USWNT and replaced by Arsenal’s Emily Fox.
Updated
74 Mins: Two more changes for the Matildas, Emily van Egmond replaces Catley and Kaitlyn Torpey comes on for Foord.
It won’t surprise anyone that regularly watches the Matildas but Foord was once again Australia’s best.
73 Mins: Grant lunges in and brings down Shaw, earning herself a yellow card and giving the USWNT a free kick in a dangerous area.
70 Mins: Hayes again goes to her bench in the aftermath of the goal, as Sam Coffey comes on for Hutton.
Goal! USWNT 2-0 Australia (Cooper 68')
It’s a first-ever international goal for Cooper in just her second ever appearance! The Matildas can’t clear their lines after denying Shaw’s attempt to cut inside to shoot and they’re made to pay.
Hutton threads in inch-perfect pass through the Matildas’ defensive lines for Sentnor, whose move to cut around Catley sees the ball roll to the feet of Cooper, who makes absolutely no mistake – giving Micah no chance as she buried an attempt into the bottom corner.
Second cap, first goal! Congrats, Coop!#USWNT x @VW pic.twitter.com/2HmVOzQEmx
— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) February 23, 2025
Looking at overarching possession and shot counts it can’t be said to be an injustice but the Matildas will nonetheless be disappointed: they’d done a good job working their way back into the game after around the half-hour mark but have shipped a goal on the host’s first real attack of the second stanza.
Updated
Sunday in session ⚽️#shebelievescup x @Visa pic.twitter.com/zAqAUQIghd
— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) February 23, 2025
64 Mins: Two changes for the Australians, Michelle Heyman replaces McNamara and Alana Murphy replaces Fowler.
Making her first start since returning from her third ACL injury, the Matildas’ limited possession meant that McNamara didn’t have a lot of service but she nonetheless showed enough flashes to suggest she has a long-term future as an international nine. European and NWSL sides could do a lot, lot, lot worse than having an extended look at the Melbourne City attacker.
Melbourne Victory youngster Murphy, meanwhile, becomes Matilda number 235 as she comes on for her international debut.
Updated
61 Mins: There’s movement of both benches as we move past the hour mark in Glendale. And crikey, it looks like there’s going to be a few changes for both.
Tara McKeown, Michelle Cooper, Yazmeen Ryan, and Ally Sentnor all enter the contest, replacing Dunn, Sears, A Thompson, and Biyendolo.
Updated
58 Mins: Given a reprieve, the Australians look to respond through Raso on the right but after doing well to find the space to cross her delivery is blocked away.
57 Mins: A hospital ball from Heatley almost gifts Biyendolo her second, the striker nipping in to steal the ball away before an attempted back pass can reach Micah and shooting into the side netting.
56 Mins: The USWNT continue to maintain possessional dominance over the Australians – leading that stat 64% to 36% – but they haven’t been able to turn this control into clear chances for a while.
54 Mins: G Thompson and A Thompson combine, with the Australian commentator calling them Thompson and Thompson. Tintin would be proud.
53 Mins: The Matildas’ pre-game analysis has obviously picked out the back post as the spot to target on corners – Catley swinging in another set piece to that area looking for Kennedy and the hosts forced to scramble it away.
51 Mins: No changes at the halftime break for either the USWNT or Matildas.
50 Mins: The USWNT faff about trying to play out from the back and McNamara almost makes them pay, bursting forward and almost stealing the ball off a scrambling McGlynn!
Updated
48 Mins: After getting checked out for any signs of concussion, Grant re-enters the fray as play resumes.
46 Mins: We’re back underway in Arizona!
Aaaaaaaaand immediately we have a big collision and a stoppage: Grant remaining down on the turf after being cleaned up off the ball by Shaw (looked unintentional) and requiring treatment.
Updated
Or maybe there’s something about playing the Matildas that gets the USWNT fired up straight from the opening kickoff, given that they scored after just 24 seconds in a 2021 meeting between the two.
Ashley Hatch scored 24 seconds into the match for the #USWNT and Australia even took the opening kickoff. 😲pic.twitter.com/ePfjlxDWEK
— The Equalizer (@EqualizerSoccer) November 27, 2021
Updated
Perhaps there’s something in the water in Arizona, given that Biyendolo’s strike after 42 seconds wasn’t even the fastest goal we’ve seen today: Momoko Tanikawa opening the scoring for Japan after just 18 seconds in their 4-1 win over Colombia.
18 SECONDS INTO THE MATCH 😱
— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) February 23, 2025
Momoko Tanikawa gives Japan the lead 1-0 over Colombia!#shebelievescup x @Visa pic.twitter.com/WsdOE1fF9c
Strewth.
42 - Lynn Biyendolo's goal after 42 seconds against Australia was the fastest scored by a #USWNT player (excluding own goals) since Ashley Hatch scored after 24 seconds, also against Australia, in November 2021. Crikey. pic.twitter.com/cnv3emQ8Kt
— OptaJack⚽️ (@OptaJack) February 23, 2025
HT: USWNT 1-0 Australia
The USWNT couldn’t have asked for a better start to the game when Biyendolo fired them ahead after only 45 seconds and they would have been good value for a second or a third in the subsequent exchanges – Hayes’ rotated side looking lethal every time they were able to get out in space and get Biyendolo, Shaw, A Thompson, and Sears running at their opponents.
First half in the books!#shebelievescup x @Visa pic.twitter.com/6karQORakM
— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) February 23, 2025
Fortunately for the Australians, however, they were able to avoid a two-goal deficit and finished the second-half strongly after clamping down on the American’s opportunities to get out in space. Foord, again, has been a leading light for Matildas, while Grant and McNamara have showed flashes.
HALF TIME | We trail at the break.#Matildas #SheBelievesCup pic.twitter.com/K0qM15OQkh
— CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas) February 23, 2025
Updated
45+1 Mins: A ball over the top for Biyendolo springs her into space but she’s forced wide as she goes to claim and by the time she has support, Australia have bodies behind the ball.
44 Mins: The USWNT threaten to bring the Matildas undone in transition again, moving the ball out of their half in a flash and setting up A Thompson to send in a cross that Kennedy deflects away.
43 Mins: The Matildas emergence into the game has coincided with them shifting the territorial battle. The USWNT’s press was giving them fits and producing several high turnovers but the pendulum has swung in the midfield and now most of the action is taking place away from the Australian penalty area, preventing the hosts from pinning their ears back.
41 Mins: Another corner to the back post, this time from Cooney-Cross on the right, finds the boot of Raso, with the Spurs winger unable to thread the needle from an acute angle with her volleyed attempt.
The Matildas are ending the half well, Foord bringing the ball down atop the box and shooting wide.
40 Mins: Foord shows good strength in the middle of the park before playing Grant into space down the left. She looks to find McNamara’s run in the middle but the USWNT get into the road.
39 Mins: McNamara makes a run that drags defenders centrally, allowing Cooney-Cross to lace a cross-field ball for Raso on the right. The Australians again get the ball into the area and while it was hardly threatening enough to give American fans much pause, it did at least end in another shot – Cooney-Cross firing well wide from the top of the box.
38 Mins: The Australians are having their best stretch of the game, Carpenter whipping the ball into the box and the USWNT forced to scramble it clear moments before McNamara can pounce.
35 Mins: Kennedy’s effort was Australia’s first shot of the game, that stat now reading USA six (three on target) to the Matildas one. Given that it came in the first half, with the score only 1-0, however, that’s a marked improvement over the Japan game.
34 Mins: The Australians remind the Americans that they’re there, a turnover ending with Grant whipping a threatening ball towards the back post that McGlynn just gets a touch to before Raso can meet it with a free header.
The resulting corner again sees Catley find Kennedy at the back post, with the resulting effort going over the bar.
33 Mins: She hasn’t had a lot of service but McNamara does look the part of a nine at this level, her latest flash seeing her put both American central defenders under duress as they look to sweep up a long ball before Sams eventuall claims.
31 Mins: Catley whips in a corner from the right-hand side that McGlynn flaps at. It lands on the head of Kennedy and goes back to the top of the box, with Fowler, all eyes on the ball, subsequently flattening A Thompson and the USWNT winning a free kick.
29 Mins: A Thompson flashes an attempt over the bar!
The 20-year-old sends a ball into the area that is deflected out to Sears on the left, who lays it back off to Shaw. Which bodies in the road, the attacker lays the ball off for A Thompson, who fires another shot across the Australian bow.
28 Mins: Sears initially gets the best of Carpenter on the left once again but the defender responds, scrambling back to contest before Australia clears.
26 Mins: Reinforcing the control of the game anyone with a set of eyes could discern they have, the USWNT have had 65% of possession across the opening exchanges and turned that into five shots, three on target.
Australia are still looking for their first shot and have a passing accuracy of just 74%, compared to their opponent’s 89%
25 Mins: The USWNT press again forces a high turnover, the ball spilling to Shaw for a shot that flashes just wide of the post.
Up the other end, the Australians force back-to-back turnovers of their own but immediately cough the ball up without testing McGlynn.
Updated
21 Mins: The Australians get the ball to Fowler on the right but she can’t find an avenue for the cross, instead forced to turn back inside where the USWNT eventually win the ball back.
It took until the 87th minute for Australia to record a shot against Japan and they were already down 4-0 at that point. 22 minutes into this one, they’re still searching for a first.
18 Mins: More bad news for the Australians, as Heatley gets her ankle folded up underneath her as she attempts to challenge Sears and goes down.
16 Mins: The USWNT play some liquid football in transition, turning defence to attack in a flash. A Thompson wins the ball on her defensive right flank and plays it to Shaw, who turns and slides a pass behind the Australian lines for Biyendolo.
The Seattle Reign attacker advances to the edge of the area and lashes an attempt on goal that Micah does very well to keep out.
15 Mins: As one would expect from a Hayes-led USWNT outfit, the hosts are making it difficult for the Australians to work their way up the pitch in possession, demonstrating a well-organised and executed press.
12 Mins: The USWNT force a turnover high up the pitch, with Shaw cutting inside and sending an outside-of-the-box effort that is deflected out for a corner. Shaw takes that set piece but it’s claimed by Micah.
10 Mins: The Matildas would have been hoping for a response from the heavy Japan defeat – they had a player’s only meeting in the wake of that thumping – but it’s been an abject start.
They resembled training cones as a rotated USWNT attack moved through them to open the scoring just 40 seconds in and were brushed aside far too easily as Sears almost made it two.
Updated
9 Mins: Another speculative cross into the box from the Matidas, this time from the right in the McNamara direction, but it’s headed clear.
8 Mins: A massive let off for the Matidas, as the USWNT have the ball in the back of the net but it’s ruled out for an offside on Biyendolo.
Yet again, the Australian defence almost melted away in the face of an attack, as Sears burst down the left and advanced into the penalty area. Her shot was blocked by Micah and fell to Biyendolo, who tapped home but was well aware she’d been offside when her teammate made the initial attempt.
7 Mins: Australia gets the ball into the USWNT’s penalty area for the first time, with Grant’s speculative cross from the left claimed by McGlynn.
5 Mins: A ball into the box from the right is knocked down to A Thompson, who can’t manage to take advantage of the space and get a shot off before she’s charged down.
Updated
Goal! USWNT 1-0 Australia (Biyendolo 1')
A start that is as much a dream for the USWNT as it is a nightmare for Australia.
Less than 60 seconds into the contest, the hosts win the ball and move through the Australian defence with a casual ease, Shaw bursting into space on the left-side of the penalty area before cutting the ball back for Biyendolo to finish from close range.
Her 22nd international goal, her first as Lynn 𝐵𝑖𝑦𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑜𝑙𝑜 💁♀️#USWNT x @VW pic.twitter.com/PdtxWvCqCJ
— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) February 23, 2025
Updated
Kickoff
This SheBelieves Cup meeting is underway in Arizona!
The last time these two sides met? July 2024, as the USWNT ended the Olympic campaign of Australia with a comfortable 2-1 win in Marseille. Trinity Rodman and Korbin Albert scoring for the Americans and Alanna Kennedy with a late consolation for Australia.
The anthems are complete and the players are moving into position.
It’ll be a home-shirt vs home-shirt match-up today: the USWNT wearing their white shirts and blue shorts and the Australians wearing their newly unveiled green and gold, Calippo-esque (do Americans have those?) shirts with green shorts.
Teams are making their way onto the pitch in Arizona, kickoff is imminent.
Legends joining us in Glendale!
— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) February 23, 2025
Brandi Chastain and Julie Ertz making plenty of friends out on the concourse 🤳#shebelievescup x @Visa pic.twitter.com/sFmd1kefUw
Today’s game will mark Sermanni’s eighth game as interim boss of the Matildas, with it looking increasingly likely the veteran mentor’s stint will stretch to include April’s friendlies against South Korea.
Football Australia’s search for a full-time successor to Tony Gustavsson has now stretched into its seventh month following the Swede’s exit following the Paris Olympics and while the federation has been adamant that they have plenty of time to find a successor – given that the Matildas’ next competitive fixture won’t come until the opening game of a home Asian Cup next March – the sense of urgency surrounding the need to appoint someone is growing by the day.
Sermanni has largely done what is expected of an interim since coming in, getting the team’s heads up after a disappointing Olympics, securing a few good results, and blooding some fresh faces. But there’s a limit to what a caretaker can do and with every week that passes without a permanent appointment, the amount of time that a new coach has to implement their ideas, assess the talent at their disposal, and experiment with approach and personnel before the Asian Cup rolls around is reduced.
The stakes were only heightened by the 4-0 defeat to Japan, Asia’s reigning heavyweights having found their full-time coach in Nils Nielsen and accelerating forward into a new era – from an already high base – while the Matildas continue to exist in a holding pattern.
Updated
Rollin’ up 🚌#Matildas #SheBelievesCup pic.twitter.com/ZD4CMxHlK7
— CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas) February 23, 2025
And here’s the report on what was an awful day at the office for the Matildas, thumped 4-0 by Japan.
If you need getting up to speed, here’s The Guardian’s report on the USWNT’s 2-0 win over Colombia last week.
Japan’s red hot form has continued in today’s earlier fixture, putting up another four-spot as they downed Colombia 4-1 thanks to goals from Momoko Tanikawa, Mina Tanaka (who now has two braces in two games), and Maika Hamano.
Nadeshiko Japan are one of several powerhouse nations that have undergone a period of generational renewal in recent years but in just the second-game of the Nils Nielsen-era, the 2011 Women’s World Cup champions look like they’re well and truly surging upward.
Japan gets their third!
— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) February 23, 2025
Tanaka gets her second assist of the tournament on this Maika Hamano finish 👏#shebelievescup x @Visa pic.twitter.com/DUknK8RkMU
Getting in behind the Japanese defence, Colombian talisman Linda Caicedo gave her side their first goal of the tournament just before halftime.
¡Qué linda, Linda!
— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) February 23, 2025
Just before the break, Linda Caicedo puts Colombia on the board!#shebelievescup x @Visa pic.twitter.com/ggnJj8Wg6J
These are the moments 🫶 pic.twitter.com/LQNZrlvjw4
— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) February 23, 2025
How long has it been since the USWNT made eleven changes to their side between games? Smooth by Carlos Santana, featuring Rob Thomas was top of the Billboard charts the last time it happened, while The Talented Mr. Ripley had supplanted The Green Mile atop the box office.
USWNT XI
Starting XI: Mandy McGlynn, Emily Sams, Korbin Albert, Lynn Biyendolo, Alyssa Thompson, Jaedyn Shaw, Tierna Davidson (C), Emma Sears, Gisele Thompson, Claire Hutton, Crystal Dunn.
Subs: McKeown, Nighswonger, Sentor, Heaps, Yohannes, Sonnet, Coffey, Macario, Cooper, Ryan, Fox
The USA vs. Australia starters ✨#shebelievescup x @Visa
— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) February 23, 2025
Lineup Notes 👇
USWNT boss Emma Hayes, meanwhile, has gone fully Gary Oldman in Léon the Professional. Who’s she rotated? EVERYONE.
The English coach has 11 changes made to the starting line-up that downed Colombia last week – just the sixth time in the 758-game history of this side that they’ve changed all eleven players from one game to the next and the first since January, 2000.
As part of the young talent being brought through the American setup, 19-year-old Kansas City Current midfielder Hutton will make her international debut, while teenage Angel City defender Thompson has been tapped to make her first-ever international start. McGlynn will receive her second cap, Sams her third, and, on her 24th birthday, Sears her fourth.
In her 66th cap, Davidson will wear the armband for the USWNT for the first time.
Australian XI
Starting XI: Tegan Micah, Winona Heatley, Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord, Mary Fowler, Alanna Kennedy, Hayley Raso, Holly McNamara, Ellie Carpenter, Charlotte Grant, Kyra Cooney-Cross
Subs: Arnold, Lincoln, Heyman, Hunt, Prior, Murphy, Torpey, Van Egmond, Yallop, Gaelic, Gorry, Freier
STARTING XI 🗒
— CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas) February 23, 2025
Here's how we line up for our game against the USA in the #SheBelievesCup 👊
🔄 We make four changes to the side that took on Japan, with Holly McNamara making her first start since January 2022.#Matildas #USAvAUS pic.twitter.com/LZaLdXen3W
As flagged by Tom Sermanni, the interim coach flagging that there would be rotation throughout the tournament coming into it and hinting at changes following the drubbing by Japan, the Matildas have made four changes to the XI that lost 4-0 to the Nadeshiko.
There increasing momentum behind her to supplant Mackenzie Arnold for the starting goalkeeper role, Micah gets the start between the posts, while Heatley comes in for Clare Hunt, who had a week to forget between her thrashings at the hands of Arsenal in the North London Derby and then Japan, in defence.
In an awkward situation where her lack of minutes at club side Tottenham almost means national team staff need to get some minutes into her, Grant comes in for Tameka Yallop -- suggesting that Steph Catley will kick inside and play centrally in a back five.
Most exciting, however, is the return of the Mac; Holly McNamara, the best young talent in the A-League Women and arguably right up there with Fowler and Cooney-Cross in the Australian ranks, coming into the starting XI to make her first start since facing Thailand at the 2022 AFC Women’s Asia Cup, a gap of 1122 days enforced by two separate ACL injuries.
She replaces Gorry in the XI, albeit she’s likely to be deployed much higher up the pitch – thriving as a nine with Melbourne City this season.
Preamble
Howdy all, Joey Lynch here and welcome to the Guardian’s live coverage this morning’s SheBelieves Cup clash between the United States and Australia. Today is the second matchday of the annual invitational tournament, with both sides heading to State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona off the back of vastly different experiences in their opening fixtures of the tournament last Thursday in Houston, Texas.
Powered by goals from Catarina Macario and Ally Sentnor, the USWNT downed Colombia 2-0 in their first game, extending the unbeaten run they have built across the past 12 months to 21 games. The Australians, in contrast, were smashed by Japan in the preceding fixture, outplayed in every pretty much every facet of the game as they suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat.
Kick-off time under the roof in Glendale is at 3pm local/5pm ET/9am AEDT.
