A Tale of Two Friendlies for USWNT 🇺🇸

It’s Monday, October 30th. Give us four minutes, we give you everything The Women’s Game.

SAM KERR HOMETOWN HERO grabbed a goal in Perth as Australia continues to play in front of sellout crowds (then tallied a hattrick just a few days beyond). While there, Western Australia christened its 32 million dollar SAM KERR FOOTBALL CENTRE. 🇦🇺

I. A tale of two friendlies: Mia Fishel and Jaedyn Shaw collect their first international goals in a redemptive 3-0 bout with Colombia after tedious 0-0 draw 🇺🇸🇨🇴

Midway through last Thursday’s 0-0 friendly against Colombia in Sandy, Utah, it became near-impossible to imagine a post-World Cup stagnation more frustrating than this.

With the bruise of this summer’s historic defeat still fresh on the skin, the public seemed to find solace in accepting that loss as a means of moving on. The thing is, the team seems stuck. Now 85 days past the date when Sweden sent them sailing after penalties, interim manager Twila Kilgore was running out the same names to do the same thing. And to no surprise, it wasn’t working.

After a few days – in which the media, the fans, the fates all clamored for change – the US settled in San Diego to meet Colombia a second-time. But as the XI dropped, so too did hopes of heavy rotation. Only three changes were made, including Murphy in as keeper over Naeher, Savannah DeMelo in for Andi Sullivan, and Sophia Smith replacing Lynn Williams in her first start since the World Cup. Alex Morgan, whose impact on this program is rightly lauded among the greats, remained in the XI for the fifteenth time this year (tied with Lindsey Horan for most starts of any player in 2023), despite not scoring since February.

The first half featured better play, though, as adjustments were made to the press and the US controlled the tempo. But it wasn’t truly until the next generation entered in the second half, that we saw glimpses of the creative force to come.

Chelsea’s newly signed striker Mia Fishel (who Emma Hayes has called a “sponge” given her quick acclimation and learning process) replaced Morgan at the half, and 18-year-old Jaedyn Shaw (the San Diego Wave talent has registered the most goals scored in NWSL as a teenager) replaced Sophia Smith. Their impact was immediate, and with the assist from a dynamic Emily Sonnett, Mia Fishel collected her first international goal in her hometown of San Diego to put the USA ahead.

Shortly after, captain Lindsey Horan joined the 30/30 club (now the 16th player in USWNT history to collect 30 goals and 30 assists), with this elite volley to make it 2-0.

And if the heart had not yet felt reawakened, Angel City’s 18-year-old Alyssa Thompson cooked up an exceptional assist to dish fellow teenage talent Jaedyn Shaw her very own international goal, in just her second cap. Shaw’s goal marks the youngest player to score for the US since Mallory Swanson’s goal at the Olympics in 2016, and the first goal created by two teenagers since at least 2001. Whew.

Ending the second match 3-0 with goals from the creative talents of the future felt like a necessary redemption for the stagnant slop we’d seen since the World Cup. With a new manager looming on the horizon, here’s hoping the program accelerates pace towards next summer’s Olympics.

MORE: Twila Kilgore explains decision-making process for selecting lineups and (slowly) introducing new talent

II. The Athletic reports three final coaching candidates for Team USA 🇺🇸

Last Friday, Meg Linehan at The Athletic unleashed a report alleging the next US Women’s National Team coach has been whittled to just three options.

With previous reports indicating the manager is hoped to be in place by the December window (scheduled for December 2nd and 5th against China), it seems the next coaching era is knocking at the door.

But who’s knocking?

A couple of familiar faces and an intriguing one, though nobody whose illustrious accolades would quell current concerns by the sheer sound of their name. Sarina Wiegman has not been maniacally purloined from England’s Lionesses. Nor has Emma Hayes been lured away from the bit of London that’s blue. Neither comes as an entire surprise, though hope proceeds to do what we know it tends to.

That said, it seems Australia’s current gaffer Tony Gustavsson could be absconded with. According to Linehan’s report, though, Gustavsson is not interested in relocating to the United States, which could perhaps stymie his cause. After successfully guiding the Matildas to a World Cup semi-final as tournament co-hosts this summer, Gustavsson would bring recent (relative) success met by long-term familiarity with the USWNT program, having aided former manager Jill Ellis in back to back World Cup trophies, and assisted Pia Sundhage before that.

Another name eminently familiar to soccer fans in the USA would be OL Reign’s longtime manager Laura Harvey, whose time in Seattle saw a star studded squad replete with US National Team players (Megan Rapinoe, Rose Lavelle) sequester multiple Supporters Shield trophies, but never lift the Championship brass.

The freshest face among the named trio is the current Juventus manager from Melbourne, Australia, Joe Montemurro. Montemurro has coached at the club level in Australia, England (where he guided Arsenal to winning the WSL in 2018-19) and now in Italy.

III. The NWSL semifinals resume next weekend along the West Coast 🏆

After an eventful international break, the NWSL’s international stars must reorient with pace as they prep for the NWSL semifinals set for next Sunday, November 5th.

Both bouts go down on the West Coast, as the Supporters Shield winning San Diego Wave christen Snapdragon Stadium with their first appearance of the postseason, hosting OL Reign after a bye week. Laura Harvey’s visiting side of course features a retiring Megan Rapinoe, who hopes to finally lift an NWSL Championship trophy for a club that’s yet to reach that far. (Sunday, 9:30 p.m. EST, CBS)

Further north, the reigning champion Portland Thorns return from their bye week rest to welcome Gotham FC, who are fresh off their first-ever playoff win against North Carolina Courage. Yet another US legend in Ali Krieger leads Gotham into this one, with fairytale endings for her retirement all aflutter. But while Gotham’s momentum will bring a tough game, the Portland Thorns remain a fluid force flocked with line upon line of overwhelming skill, putting a tough test before the visitors. (Sunday, 7 PM ET, CBS).

IV. Jenni Hermoso grabs the match-winning goal in her first match back with Spain 🇪🇸🌍

When current World Cup champions La Roja regathered for the first-time since lifting their first trophy above Sydney, they did so amid continued public tumult between players and the federation.

The fallout from Luis Rubiales’ unwanted kiss planted on Jenni Hermoso after the World Cup victory had pushed to the surface long-festering problems that reached far beyond that kiss.

Some strides were made during that September window as players met with the RFF. But Jenni Hermoso was not among them, as she had, rather glaringly, not been called in.

Hermoso did rejoin her teammates for the October window, though, and with the clutch touch that’s defined the veteran goalscorer’s career, she scored the match-winning goal for La Roja as they overcame Italy 1-0 in the Nations League Group Stage.

Just a few days later, FIFA announced that Rubiales would be banned from football for three years. The three-year suspension comes after Rubiales was provisionally suspended for 90 days, once FIFA determined that Rubiales had breached article 13 of the FIFA disciplinary code.

MORE: FIFA bans Luis Rubiales from football 

V. News and Notes 📰

1. The Ballon D’or ceremony takes place tonight in Paris, with Spain’s Aitana Bonmati looking likely to take the crown. Just the fifth Ballon D’or handed out to the women’s side of the game, Bonmati would be the second Spaniard, joining countrywoman Alexia Putellas who collected it twice.

2. Due to unfortunate scheduling, the Ballon D’or ceremony takes place directly amid the women’s international window, causing some players to miss out. Tom Garry at The Telegraph argues this shows the organizer’s disinterest in actually honoring the women’s game. From Georgia Stanway: “It would be nice in future if it wasn’t scheduled on matchday -1 so we can enjoy the experience.”

3. Jorge Vilda led Morocco for the first time in their match against Namibia last Thursday. The ousted former manager of Spain, who controversially reigned over the World Cup team, was oddly even featured in the lineup graphic.

4. “We are always going to fall short”, Mary Earps started a dialogue this week regarding accessibility and expectations of players, after a mother criticized the star England keeper for not signing or greeting her kids.

VI. Parting Shots

CANADA LOVES SINCLAIR: Christine Sinclair will hang up the international boots shortly (departing after a pair of early-December friendlies in the next international window) but not before a few adoring crowds north of the border say their fond farewells to the goal-scoring GOAT registering memories above and below the border, for club and country 🇨🇦♥️