The U.S. women's national team took care of business in their first match since winning gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Last Thursday's 3-1 win over Iceland at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas, wasn't routine, but it was filled with magical moments. An overall rusty display from the Americans was eventually rescued by outstanding goals from Alyssa Thompson, Jaedyn Shaw, and Sophia Smith
On Sunday, at Geodis Park in Nashville, Tennessee, the two nations will meet again. USA head coach Emma Hayes will be trying to improve performance levels and bank another win against a worthy opponent ranked 13th in the world.
For this FIFA window, Hayes called up a squad featuring 17 players from the Olympics, along with a handful of less experienced players. She has stressed there will be plenty of rotation across the matches with Iceland and Argentina.
A major talking point of Sunday's Iceland match will be how the USA head coach selects a healthy balance of established and experimental talent. An XI that is both competitive and yet serves as a suitable audition for new players to flourish.
In last Thursday's match we saw debuts for Yazmeen Ryan and Hal Hershfelt. We could see more debuts on Sunday with Emma Sears, Alyssa Malonson, Emily Sams, Amanda Haught, and Eva Gaetino also heading into the match without a cap. Haught is a late addition after Jane Campbell pulled out of camp with an injury.
Sunday's match will also serve as a formal celebratory goodbye to honor two-time World Cup Kelley O'Hara, who is retiring from soccer this year. She played 160 times for the USWNT and scored three goals between 2010 and 2023.
Here's what the USWNT's XI could look like against Iceland on Oct. 27.
USWNT Predicted Lineup vs. Iceland (4-3-3)
GK: Casey Murphy—The NC Courage goalkeeper has long been the established backup to Alyssa Naeher. She did not feature at the 2024 Paris Olympics, with her last international appearance coming in a friendly against South Korea in June.
RB: Emily Fox—A consecutive start could be in store for Fox, the first player subbed off on Thursday night in Austin, Texas. Hayes will want to keep some relationships at the back the same.
CB: Naomi Girma—If Lindsey Horan is rotated, this could be the first match we see Girma start as captain. She sets the standard for this team.
CB: Emily Sams—A potential debutant. Should the Orlando Pride star take to the pitch in Nashville, she will earn her first-ever international cap. Hayes needs to experiment with Sams or fellow uncapped center-back Eva Gaetino during this window.
LB: Hallie Mace—The versatile full back, with eight USA caps, can play on either flank. Mace hasn't featured for her country since November 2022.
CM: Sam Coffey—Another vital cog from the 2024 Paris Olympics. Coffey will add continuity and allow the more experimental selections to express themselves.
CM: Korbin Albert—The Paris St. Germain midfielder was an unused substitute against Iceland last Thursday. Albert assisted the game-winning goal in the gold medal match at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
CM: Ashley Sanchez—A member of the 2023 World Cup squad, this is the first time Sanchez has been called up to the USWNT in 2024. Hayes will hope she can be the creative spark as the most advanced midfielder.
FW: Alyssa Thompson—The 19-year-old phenomenon scored her first-ever USA goal in the first Iceland friendly. Hayes might well opt to continue playing the hot hand before resting Thompson against Argentina next week.
FW: Sophia Smith—Smith scored off the bench on Thursday. That night, she told the media Hayes had been coaching her up to be more prolific from a more central forward position.
FW: Mallory Swanson—The 'Triple Espresso' member played 66 minutes in the first friendly against Iceland. At Geodis Park, she will be honored for reaching 100 caps with the USA back in August.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as USWNT Predicted Lineup vs. Iceland: International Friendly in Nashville.
