Two friendly matches in April for the national team of the United States did not go exactly as planned, but those 180 minutes are certainly valuable for the powerful future of this team for many reasons. Manager Emma Hayes and the group settle for one 2-1 loss on TuesdayWhere the United States gave a late game goal in the stopping time. The coaching staff chose to get more looks with well-known tactics in the two games, and with a less experienced line-up in the second friendly, the high-pressure scenarios exposed the lack of experience during the competition.
The duo of competitions was used as part of a longer evaluation process for Hayes and the staff in a long structure of the FIFA World Cup 2027. Prior to the competition on Tuesday, Hayes hinted at the possibility that the USWNT program went to Brazil next year for elevated home experiences will organize the country. After the game, the head coach was just as clear as always matches in 2025, a central point of processes instead of flat victories and losses.
“It has been a very good camp. We don’t always have to measure the progress by the outcome,” said Hayes. “If I only gave priority to success in the short term, I would of course not make so many changes. But I do not make decisions for the short term; I priority gave the progress of expanding the play pool to see what these players look like in a really difficult match.”
Furmer Trinity Rodman returned to USWNT-Kampen during the April window, one third of the Olympic gold medal-winning attack “Triple Espresso” of 2024 with Sophia Wilson and Mallory Swanson. With a longer build in the direction of the World Cup and other players who manage injuries, Hayes is clear that the time is to explore and expand the player pool.
With extra gold medal winners Naomi Girma, Tierna Davidson and Rose Lavelle who are currently not available for selection, there have been more players in and out of Kampen since 2025, and that will remain. But as every camp passes, who are the less covered players who benefit from the possibility of the moment?
Here are some players who, in my opinion, will keep decision -making for the coaching staff after the friendly matches in April:
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Players who are remarkably improved from January camps until April. Their efforts have led to more minutes or more starts and have influenced the games in which they participated. Probably candidates for future camps and maybe even fight for starting positions.
Alyssa Thompson (Vooruit): There is no doubt about it, Thompson enters the spot-stealing area. The wing player “has taken another step”, in the opinion of Hayes, and so far she has shown in every camp in 2025. It is a lot of praise for a player who just scratches the surface of her career.
Phallon Tullis-Joyce (goalkeeper): The goalkeeper made a large statement match during the opening match against Brazil. A shutout and six enormous rescues against a creative technical side have bumped into a goalkeeper who is looking for an answer to the starting role.
Claire Hutton (Midfielder): The current midfielder of Kansas City had an impressive start in match two and won the ball that produced the only American goal of Tuesday’s match. Despite the optics of 4-2-3-1 who presented a double pivot, the 19-year-old mainly operated as a solo defensive midfielder in the number 6 position, and she was cool everywhere.
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Players who were engaged before January and have since earned call-ups and minutes in 2025 games. Considered as part of the current pool of players who holds the coaching staff under the grilles in the rest of the year when he is healthy.
Catarina Macario (Vooruit): The Chelsea FC player has returned from an ACL injury and even made the Olympic schedule of 2024, but removed itself from Olympic statement after a flare-up in the knee. She now plays more consistently, for Club and Country, and her name was on the score sheet in three of the four games she started this year.
Ally Sentnor (Vooruit): At one point, Sentnor was a player on the depth card, but her breakout 2024 Rookie season with Utah Royals and the U20 World Cup team earned her call-ups to the senior team prior to her debut “Futures Camp” in January. She was called in Kampen as an attacking midfield option and as an attacker and will have more call-ups this year.
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The current players called in whose versions have led to more questions about their position in the player pool instead of clear indicators that they must remain part of the senior process.
Mandy McGlynn (goalkeeper): McGlynn’s only had three starts with the national team, but her two games in 2025 presented more questions than answers. Late game goals were admitted in each of the two games, so there are still some difficult lessons to exist while the coaching staff continues to look for solutions in the position.
Jaedyn Shaw (Midfielder): Hayes has made it clear that the timeline evaluation timeline will be an important preparation for schedule structure in the coming two years, and some younger players can see their senior time limited and be transferred to the re -launched U23 program. Shaw’s decreasing minutes and slower start this NWSL season can sign that Hayes wants the player to work to get her confidence back.
Tara McKeown (defender): There is a considerable amount of trust that McKeown has built up with the coaching staff in her short time on USSWNT gratings. Brazil was a lot of challenges in attacking the transition and McKeown had a number of mixed moments. With injuries along the back line, she will probably still be part of future camps if her club game remains consistent.
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Alana Cook (Defender) and Ashley Hatch (Vooruit): The two players were mentioned in the April selection and it marked their return to national team camps for the first time since 2023. Their limited minutes in the two-game series eventually indicate where their place under the player pool is-unverted the same as before the outside that looked inside.