The United States Women`s National Team is set to conclude their two-game series against Brazil this Tuesday in a highly anticipated friendly match. This game offers the team another valuable opportunity to refine their strategies when facing a Brazilian squad recognized for their technical skill and offensive capabilities. Under the guidance of manager Emma Hayes, the USWNT will host Brazil at a sold-out Pay Pal Park in San Jose, California. Brazil is aiming to rebound after their 2-0 defeat to the USWNT on Saturday.
Forward Trinity Rodman made a notable comeback to the national team, marking her return with a goal in her first game since the 2024 Olympic final. Rodman, a key member of the attacking trio that was highly effective during the Olympics, has recovered from a previous back injury.
Coach Hayes is expected to continue experimenting with player rotations as the team progresses towards the 2027-28 cycle. Fans can anticipate further lineup adjustments for the second match. Hayes has emphasized player evaluations, and the previous game saw two players, goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce and Avery Patterson, earn their first senior international caps. Tullis-Joyce achieved a clean sheet, and Patterson contributed as a late substitute.
Match Details
- Date: Tuesday, April 8
- Time: 10:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Pay Pal Park — San Jose, CA
- TV: TNT
- Live stream: Max
Recap of the First Match
In their recent encounter, preceding Saturday’s game, the USWNT and Brazil clashed in the 2024 Paris Olympics gold medal final. During their friendly rematch, despite Brazil`s initial aggressive play, Rodman scored early in the first six minutes. Brazil`s tactical adjustments kept the game tight until halftime. However, Hayes` strategic substitutions, particularly the introduction of Lily Yohannes, shifted the momentum. Yohannes quickly earned a penalty, which team captain Lindsey Heaps converted. Tullis-Joyce`s strong goalkeeping performance, with six saves, effectively neutralized Brazil`s attack.
USWNT Insights
Amidst discussions about expanding the player pool, the coaching staff is focused on game planning and preparing numerous new players for the team`s system. Hayes is already looking for improvements in the second game against Brazil.
Hayes commented post-match, “I feel we do all the hard work, we get the ball and we turn it back over again. We call it transition to retain. This is an area of our game we have to get better with.”
She added, “We’ve given the team a framework, and now it’s about development and fine-tuning the details. We improved as the game progressed, but it took time, similar to our match against Japan. Improving our decision-making and execution in transitions is crucial. We are aggressive in pressing and engaging players directly, but need to be more decisive.”
Hayes also discussed the team’s decision-making in attack transitions, emphasizing knowing when to accelerate play and when to retain possession.
“I believe we created good scoring opportunities and are generating more chances. Our expected goals (xG) are increasing, and our high-quality scoring chances are significantly up from the Olympics. We`ve consciously worked on this, focusing on positioning players, targeting areas, and timing. While I can`t comment on Brazil`s missed chances, I feel we could have scored more than two goals, which is a positive shift from the Olympic final.”
The USWNT`s expected goals in the first match were 2.72, double Brazil`s 1.41.
Predicted Lineups
Under Hayes` evaluation-focused approach, lineup changes are expected. Here’s a possible starting eleven:
USWNT Starting XI: Mandy McGlynn, Giselle Thompson, Emily Sams, Alana Cook, Avery Patterson; Korbin Albert, Lily Yohannes, Jaedyn Shaw; Yazmeen Ryan, Ashley Hatch, Michelle Cooper
Player Spotlight
Yazmeen Ryan (forward): Since her first senior call-up in October 2024, Yazmeen Ryan of Houston Dash has become a consistent presence in team camps. With eight caps, including a substitute appearance against Brazil, and two assists, she`s quickly made an impact. Her versatility across wide and central attacking roles and her crossing ability will be valuable on Tuesday.
Key Storyline
Goalkeeper Situation: While Tullis-Joyce debuted on Saturday, McGlynn may earn her third cap. McGlynn is among the goalkeepers evaluated post-2024 Olympics as Hayes plans for the future. With Alyssa Naeher`s retirement, Jane Campbell has been the most experienced keeper in camps with 10 appearances and six clean sheets. Hayes aims to finalize the goalkeeper pool and identify a starter by summer.
Match Prediction
The benefit of a rematch is the familiarity it brings, but both teams will adjust. Expect a USWNT victory, with Brazil scoring this time. Prediction: USWNT 2, Brazil 1
