Indy Home Sat Night @ the Mike 7 pm Kickoff on CBS Golazo Network
The Boys in Blue lost the home opener last Saturday night and look to rebound vs the North Carolina Courage at 7 pm at Carroll Stadium in its “Kick for a Cause” match with partner Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana live on CBS Sports Golazo Network. Indy Eleven scored first and last, but came up short in a 3-2 setback to defending USLC champion Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC in front of 10,202 fans on a rainy night at Carroll Stadium. Single-game tickets for all matches are available via Ticketmaster. Season, Flex Plan, Group, and Hospitality tickets are available here. For questions, call (317) 685-1100 during business hours or email tickets@indyeleven.com. A reminder to our Carmel FC GKs Coach James Pilkington who is also the GK coach for Indy 11 – invites everyone to come early say 6:15 pm or so to watch the Indy 11 GKs warm-up.
Depleted US Women face Brazil tonight 8 pm and Tues night on TNT, Telemundo, Max -US Also Gets 2031 World Cup
The US Ladies will face Brazil tonight in LA with a depleted roster as both central defenders and 2/3 of the Trio will be missing with just Trinity Rodman returning up front. Should be interesting to see who coach rolls out and which youngsters get playing time in the this match-up against the Olympic 2nd place finishers. Huge to see the US will be getting the 2031 World Cup! More details on that below.
U.S. women’s national team roster by position (Club; Caps/Goals) – April matches vs. Brazil
GOALKEEPERS (3): Jane Campbell (Houston Dash; 10), Mandy McGlynn (Utah Royals; 2), Phallon Tullis-Joyce (Manchester United, ENG; 0)
DEFENDERS (8): Alana Cook (Kansas City Current; 29/1), Crystal Dunn (Paris Saint-Germain, FRA; 157/25), Emily Fox (Arsenal FC, ENG; 65/1), Tara McKeown (Washington Spirit; 3/0), Avery Patterson (Houston Dash; 0/0), Emily Sams (Orlando Pride; 3/0), Emily Sonnett (Gotham FC; 105/2)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Korbin Albert (Paris Saint-Germain, FRA; 25/1), Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC; 31/1), Lindsey Heaps (Olympique Lyon, FRA; 163/36), Claire Hutton (Kansas City Current; 1/0), Jaedyn Shaw (North Carolina Courage; 24/8), Lily Yohannes (Ajax, NED; 4/1)
FORWARDS (7): Michelle Cooper (Kansas City Current; 2/1), Ashley Hatch (Washington Spirit; 22/5), Catarina Macario (Chelsea FC, ENG; 21/9), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit; 46/10), Yazmeen Ryan (Houston Dash; 7/0), Ally Sentnor (Utah Royals; 5/2), Alyssa Thompson (Angel City FC; 15/1)
INDY 11
#INDvNC Preview
Indy Eleven to host Miami FC in U.S. Open Cup
Foster earns “Team of the Week” honors
Recap-IND 2:3 COS
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana Spotlight Partner for “Kick for a Cause”
Indy Eleven Announces 2025 Promotional Schedule – Tickets on Sale NOW!
US Ladies
Depleted U.S. to experiment in Olympic rematch
USWNT big board: How the 2027 World Cup team is taking shape
Parsons: USWNT’s Thompson best in NWSL in ’25
USWNT thrilled to welcome back ‘unique’ Rodman
After rapid rise, 17-year-old Lily Yohannes is focused on steady growth
USWNT to face Canada in Continental Clásico
Former USWNT star Alex Morgan announces birth of baby boy Enzo
US Men
USMNT weekend viewing guide: increasing opportunities
Despite Nations League struggles, USMNT remain 16th in FIFA world rankings
Can Mauricio Pochettino lead the USMNT to World Cup glory?
The USMNT should embrace playing in Concacaf Nations League group stage again
Coming up for the USMNT: What teams could the USMNT play to finish out 2025?
What does a dream USMNT starting XI look like at the 2026 World Cup?
The USA, Mexico, and Canada’s approach to preparing for a World Cup
What did we learn about the USMNT after Concacaf Nations League?
TV SCHEDULE
Sat 4/5
7:30 am USA Everton vs Arsenal
9 am ESPN+ Freiburg vs Dortmund (Reyna)
10 am USA Ipswitch Town vs Wolverhampton
10 am Peacock Crystal Palace (Richards) vs Brighton
10:!5 am ESPN+ Real Madrid vs Valencia
12 noon CBS Parma vs Inter
12:30 USA Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest
3 pm Para+ AC Milan (Pulisic, Musah) vs Florentina
4:30 pm Apple TV Real Salt Lake vs LA Galaxy
7 pm CBS Golazo Indy 11 vs NC
7:45 pm Apple TV Austin vs Portland Timbers
10:30 pm Apple TV San Diego vs Seattle Sounders
Sun, 4/6
9 am Peacock Fulham (robinson) vs Liverpool
9 am USA Chelsea vs Brentford
10 am ESPN+ Sevilla vs Athletico Madrid
11:30 am NBC Man United vs Man City
7 pm Apple TV Inter Miami vs Toronto FC Sunday Night Futbol
Tues/Wed
NWSL Schedule
MLS Schedule
USL Schedule
USMNT weekend viewing guide: increasing opportunities
Races for more playing time next season as well as chances at promotion or avoiding relegation
Saturday
Coventry City v Burnley – 7:30a on Paramount+
Haji Wright started his third straight match last weekend as Coventry City fell to Sheffield United 3-1 but remained in fifth place, just two points ahead of West Brom, Middlesbrough, and Bristol City. They have another tough matchup this weekend as they face third place Burnley who are tied for second and automatic promotion with Leeds United.
Luton Town v Leeds United – 7:30a on Paramount+
Brenden Aaronson and Leeds drew again last weekend, this time with 16th place Swansea, and have won just once in the past five matches. With the run of results they have fallen out of the top spot and into a tie with Burnley for second place and that all important automatic promotion spot. Leeds travel to Luton Town this weekend where they face the 23rd place team that is currently in the relegation zone and three points back of safety but have managed points in each of their past three matches, including wins over fellow relegation candidates Hull City and Cardiff City.
Freiburg v Borussia Dortmund – 9:30a on ESPN+
Gio Reyna did not see the field last weekend in Borussia Dortmund’s return from the international break, the third straight league match in which he has failed to appear. Dortmund picked up the win but remain in tenth place in the Bundesliga. The team does have the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final matchup with Barcelona on Wednesday so perhaps there will be a bit of rotation this weekend to keep legs fresh.
Mainz v Holstein Kiel – 9:30a on ESPN+
John Tolkin made a brief appearance in his return from injury just ahead of the international break but did not make the field for Holstein Kiel last weekend in their 3-0 loss to Werder Bremen. Holstein Kiel are dead last in the Bundesliga table and need to make up five points on Heidenheim over the last seven matches just to make the relegation playoff and avoid direct relegation to the 2 Bundesliga.
Crystal Palace v Brighton and Hove Albion – 10a on Peacock
Chris Richards went the full 90’ last weekend in Crystal Palace’s 3-0 win over Antonee Robinson and Fulham but Matt Turner was on the bench for the FA Cup matchup and looks like he is fully out of the Palace picture and in need of a summer transfer window move. However, Richards was not included in the midweek matchday squad as Palace drew with Southampton 1-1. Palace are in 12th place in the Premier League table and will face eighth place Brighton & Hove Albion this weekend.
West Ham United v Bournemouth – 10a on Peacock
Tyler Adams and Bournemouth fell 2-1 to Manchester City in FA Cup action last weekend and lost at home to relegation candidates Ipswich Town midweek 2-1. Bournemouth are winless in their past five matches and have fallen to tenth place, eight points back of the top four.
Brest v Monaco – 1p on beIN Sports
Folarin Balogun is back for Monaco, getting 14’ minutes off the bench last weekend in the teams 2-1 win over Nice. Balo had been out since early December so it is certainly good to see him make it back on the field, even in a limited capacity. With the win Monaco moved into second place in the Ligue 1 table, well back of league leading PSG but an important position for Champions League qualification.
Groningen v PSV – 2p on ESPN+
Sergino Dest has started two straight matches for PSV Eindhoven and Malik Tillman made his return from injury as well last weekend though it was in a 2-0 loss to Ajax as the PSV rivals took a nine point lead in the title race, likely sealing their trophy this season. Richard Ledezma also appeared for PSV last weekend, seeing 13’ minutes off the bench.
AC Milan v Fiorentina – 2:45p on Paramount+
AC Milan fell to Napoli last weekend, likely sealing their Serie A fate as they are now nine points back of Champions League qualification with eight matches to play. Christian Pulisic started but was denied a goal as Santi Jimenez missed a penalty. Yunus Musah was serving a yellow card suspension and was not available.
Barcelona v Real Betis – 3p on ESPN Deportes and ESPN+
Johnny Cardoso scored his second goal in four matches as Real Betis defeated Sevilla 2-1 to remain within six points of a top four finish in La Liga. Betis have won six straight and will now face Barcelona who have a three point lead in the title race thanks to Betis’ recent win over Real Madrid.
Olympique Lyon v Lille – 3:05p on beIN Sports
Tanner Tessmann and Lyon suffered a 4-2 loss to Strassbourg to fall to seventh place in the Ligue 1 table and will now face fifth place Lille. Lyon are just five points back of a top three finish and will need some results against other top teams down the stretch to make the leap.
Sunday
Lecce v Venezia – 6:30a on Paramount+
Gianluca Busio started last weekend but Venezia fell to Bologna 1-0 and remain five points back of safety in Serie A. Venezia’s defense has been solid lately, allowing just five goals in the last seven matches but they have also found it hard to score as they have found the back of the net just once over that same period.
Fulham v Liverpool – 9a on Peacock
Antonee Robinson returned from international break healthy enough to play the 71’ minutes in Fulham’s 3-0 FA Cup loss to Crystal Palace and turn around for a full 90’ midweek in Fulham’s 2-1 loss to Arsenal. Fulham are in ninth place now, heading into their matchup this weekend with league leading Liverpool who have a twelve point lead for the league title.
St Pauli v Borussia Monchengladbach – 9:30a on ESPN+
Joe Scally started for Borussia Monchengladbach as the team defeated RB Leipzig 1-0 to move ahead of them and into fifth place in the Bundesliga table. Gladbach are now within two points of fourth place Mainz for a Champions League spot and will take on a St Pauli side that are just outside of the relegation positions.
Union Berlin v Wolfsburg – 11:30a on ESPN+
Kevin Paredes was on the bench for the first time this season but did not appear for Wolfsburg in their 1-0 loss to Heidenheim. Wolfsburg are in ninth place though just four points back of qualification for next seasons Europa Conference League.
Roma v Juventus – 2:45p on Paramount+
Weston McKennie went the full 90’ and Tim Weah came off the bench for the final eight minutes last weekend as Juventus defeated Genoa 1-0 to remain in fifth place, one point back of fourth place Bologna and three points ahead of this weekends opponent Roma. Roma defeated Lecce 1-0 last weekend, they have won seven straight league matches and haven’t suffered a defeat in league play since December 15th. The two teams played to a scoreless draw in their last meeting, back in early September.
Olympique Marseille v Toulouse – 2:45p on beIN Sports
Toulouse fell to Stade Brest 2-4 with Mark McKenzie starting and playing the full 90’. Toulouse have lost two straight and fallen to eleventh in the table. The team will now travel to face third place Olympique Marseille who are coming off back to back losses by a 3-1 score line.
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USWNT coach Hayes backs depleted defense for gold-medal rematch
- Jeff Kassouf ESPN Apr 4, 2025, 04:22 PM ET
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — United States women’s national team coach Emma Hayes said she feels confident in her team’s defensive personnel ahead of an Olympic gold medal-game rematch against Brazil, despite the “extremely unfortunate” injury to center-back Tierna Davidson. Davidson tore her ACL last week and will miss the remainder of 2025. The USWNT was already without fellow starting center-back Naomi Girma, who is dealing with a calf injury, heading into Saturday’s game at SoFi Stadium.”Without Naomi Girma, without Tierna Davidson, this is the right time to develop individuals first,” Hayes said at a news conference Friday. “I’ve been really clear that this camp, the next two camps, there is going to be experimentation, and that means that the connections on the field might not be as strong, but we get a chance to see where the individual development is in that.”Defenders Crystal Dunn and Emily Sonnett are the most senior defenders on the current roster. They are joined by some young and less experienced players like center-back Tara McKeown, who earned her first caps in February, and fullback Avery Patterson, who is in her first camp with the USWNT.Hayes said on Friday that she would “drip-feed” young players into games alongside veterans to make sure that less experienced players are set up for success.
“What I have noticed in this camp is the gap closing across the board within the team, and that’s our first starting point,” Hayes said.The USWNT will also play Brazil on Tuesday in San Jose, California. The Americans won the 2024 Olympic final 1-0 in August to capture a fifth Olympic gold medal for the program.The USWNT is without nearly half their starters from that game. Forward Sophia Wilson (nee Smith) is on maternity leave, forward Mallory Swanson is on personal leave, and goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher recently retired from international duty. In addition to injuries to Girma and Davidson, Rose Lavelle — a longtime mainstay in midfield — is also sidelined.Forward Trinity Rodman has returned to the squad, however, for the first time since the Olympics after dealing with chronic back problems. The 22-year-old said recently that she might not ever be 100% healthy.”I think the back’s very difficult because you can’t avoid using it at every moment in a game, every moment of your day-to-day life,” Rodman said on Friday. “For me, it is about management and training my back to be in certain positions so I’m not overworking other muscles to overcompensate for it.”It’s been an interesting and hard journey, but it’s been good getting back.”Hayes said she will manage Rodman to make sure she doesn’t push her too hard too soon. Rodman made her first start of the NWSL season for the Washington Spirit last weekend.Forward Catarina Macario is expected to play a significant role for the USWNT over the next two games against Brazil, which is her birth country. Macario was born in Brazil and moved to the U.S. with her family in 2012. She acquired U.S. citizenship in 2020 and received her first call-up to the USWNT on the same day.”I haven’t thought about it too much,” she said Friday about playing Brazil. “But will obviously be very special — kind of like a full-circle moment.”Hayes expects Brazil to bring high pressure defensively, which will force her team to make quick decisions. On Friday, she cited the famous Mike Tyson quote about how everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.”Let’s see what we’re like when we’ve been punched in the game,” Hayes said. “That’s something that I think we’re set up to do in the work that we’re doing both on the pitch and in the classroom.”
FIFA confirms U.S, UK as sole bidders for 2031, 2035 Women’s World Cups
By Matt Slater, Ali Rampling and more The Athletic April 3, 2025Updated April 4, 2025 3:00 pm EDT
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has confirmed that the United States and the United Kingdom are the sole respective bidders for the 2031 and 2035 Women’s World Cups.Infantino made the announcement on Thursday at the 49th UEFA Congress in Belgrade, Serbia. Should a compliant bid be submitted by the end of 2025, this will pave the way for the UK to host the Women’s World Cup for the first time. The U.S. last hosted in 2003, having previously done so four years earlier. The Football Associations of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland announced in March they would be submitting a collective expression of interest to host the 2035 tournament, seemingly leaving the U.S. as the sole bidder for 2031 with the potential for another Concacaf nation to join. U.S. Soccer and the Mexican Soccer Federation announced last April their intention to lodge a joint bid for the 2031 tournament. The two federations withdrew their bid for the 2027 World Cup — which will be staged in Brazil — to instead focus on 2031. Infantino did not mention Mexico but said “potentially some other Concacaf members” could be involved. At March’s FIFA council meeting, football’s international governing body had invited federations affiliated to UEFA or the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to bid for the 2035 tournament. Reports in Spain had suggested Spain, Morocco and Portugal were planning to launch a rival bid for 2035 but the UK was described as the only “valid” bid by Infantino. Spain, Morocco and Portugal will jointly host the men’s competition in 2030.
The Athletic reported in March that the U.S.-Mexico bid was exploring staging matches in Costa Rica and Jamaica. Sources familiar with discussions, speaking on the condition of anonymity, indicated early-stage conversations about hosting a limited amount of fixtures in the two Concacaf countries had taken place.
“We are honoured to be the sole bidder for the FIFA women’s World Cup 2035,” English FA CEO Mark Bullingham said. “Hosting the first FIFA World Cup since 1966 with our home nations partners will be very special. The hard work starts now, to put together the best possible bid by the end of the year
Infantio added: “Today, I can also confirm that as part of the bidding process, we received one bid for ’31 and one bid — valid bid, I should add — for ’35. The ’31 bid is from the United States of America and potentially some other Concacaf members together. And the ’35 bid is from Europe, from the home nations. Advertisement“So, the path is there for the Women’s World Cup to be taking place in ‘31 and ‘35 in some great countries, in some great nations, to boost even more the women’s football movement.” Member associations will be required to formally submit their bids to FIFA in the final quarter of this year.
2035 World Cup can build on Euros success in England
By soccer writer Jacob Whitehead
When England won their last home tournament — the 2022 European Championship — it was heralded as an opportunity to secure a lasting legacy for women’s football across the entire UK.
“We see this as only the beginning,” the squad wrote in an open letter to the then-prime minister Rishi Sunak, bolding up that phrase.
Though the Lionesses continued to be successful, reaching the final of the next year’s World Cup, questions have been subsequently raised over whether that had been reflected at lower levels.
Figures indicate a moderate uptick — there has been a 14 per cent increase in schools offering girls equal access to football, according to an FA report last September — but it would be optimistic to describe this as an explosion across the grassroots game. There are still concerns over diversity across women’s football’s community and infrastructure.
But the 2035 World Cup gives these efforts fresh impetus. Rather than relying on the diminishing ripples of past success at their backs, this is a magnet which should pull investment forward — a lodestar to build towards.Between Brazil, the United States, and the United Kingdom, FIFA are pursuing tournaments in high-interest areas for women’s football from established markets — a notable departure from their approach to the men’s World Cups over upcoming cycles.
(Daniela Porcelli/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
Emma Hayes: USWNT in ‘dreamland’ as United States set to co-host 2031 Women’s World Cup
By Tamerra GriffinApril 4, 2025Updated 3:35 pm EDT
Emma Hayes says the U.S. women’s national team is in “dreamland” following the news that the United States is set to co-host the 2031 Women’s World Cup.
FIFA confirmed on Friday that a joint bid from U.S. Soccer and other Concacaf member associations was the sole expression of interest for the 2031 tournament. Should a compliant bid be submitted by the end of 2025, this will pave the way for the U.S. to stage the Women’s World Cup for the first time since 2003.
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Hayes would not be drawn as to whether she would still be in international management ahead of the tournaments in 2031 and 2035, which the United Kingdom is the sole bidder for, but she said she intended to attend the tournaments in a supporter capacity at the very least.
“Dreamland I think for us to know that there’ll be a World Cup coming to these shores,” Hayes said, speaking during Friday’s pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday’s friendly against Brazil.
“The infrastructure’s going to be in place from the men’s World Cup (in 2026), so how amazing that is. I don’t know what that will look like beyond what we’ll do in this country, but I think real credit goes to (U.S. Soccer CEO) JT (Batson) and (U.S. Soccer president) Cindy (Parlow Cone) for the work they’ve done on that bid.
“It’s so aligned with our strategy and how we wanted to really push as best we could. We know we can’t control that decision but we wanted to make sure the federation knew it was really important for us to host, so real credit to them.”
U.S. Soccer and the Mexican Soccer Federation announced last April that they were set to launch a joint bid for the 2031 tournament. The two federations withdrew their bid for the 2027 World Cup — which will be staged in Brazil — to pivot to 2031. The Athletic reported in March that the prospect of staging matches in Costa Rica and Jamaica was also being explored.
“U.S. Soccer Federation confirmed its interest to submit a joint bid with other Member Associations from Concacaf (to be confirmed in due course),” a FIFA statement on the 2031 expression of interest read.
World football’s governing body say the hosts for 2031 and 2035 are expected to be announced at the FIFA congress in the second quarter of 2026.
It was also confirmed by FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Thursday that a joint United Kingdom bid from the football associations of England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales was the sole expression of interest for the 2035 Women’s World Cup.
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On the prospect of the Women’s World Cup taking place in her home country, Hayes added: “And obviously for England, home of football, it’s amazing for England, especially knowing how successful the Euros (in 2022) has been for them. So I think it’s fair to say in whatever capacity, fan or coaching, I will for sure be at those World Cups.”
(Maria Lysaker/Getty Images)
After rapid rise through USWNT ranks, 17-year-old Lily Yohannes is focused on steady growth
3
April 4, 2025Updated 11:29 am EDT
If Lily Yohannes succumbed to the nine-hour jetlag between her home in the Netherlands and Southern California when she sat down late Tuesday afternoon for an interview on The Athletic’s Full Time podcast, it was scarcely apparent.
The 17-year-old U.S. women’s national team midfielder selected her words just as carefully from her Los Angeles hotel as she did at the Ajax training facility the first time she spoke with The Athletic in Amsterdam just over a year ago.
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Many things have changed since then, including Yohannes’ decision to represent the United States at the international level, and not the Netherlands. But her composed consideration is by design, a mechanism to keep her feet planted firmly in the here and now.
“I think just trying to stay as present as I can,” she says, when asked how she manages the pace of her career. “I’ve been grateful to have experienced so many great moments in such a short career so far. I think just having a great support system around me with my family, coaches, teammates, and them all just helping me to stay grounded, stay on track.”
In Los Angeles, head coach Emma Hayes has made clear that the U.S. women’s national team is in very early World Cup-building mode, a year out from even their first qualifiers of the 2027 tournament’s cycle. She is relinquishing a focus on chemistry to properly assess the players at her disposal. However, demands for excellence have always been part and parcel of this team, and Yohannes has already felt the impact of the English manager’s approach.
“I’ve already grown and learned so much from her in a year or so,” she says. “You can really feel how much she is invested in every player, every player’s development in this environment, and I think she just pushes the standard and has expectations of what she wants from us and how she wants us to play, and I think just trying to be intentional (with) every detail.”
Even as women’s soccer continues to mature, there remains a fixation on its youth, particularly in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), which boasts a hyper-competitive table of teams eager to bolster their rosters with fresh talent but lacks the culture and structure of Europe’s youth academy development system. That, combined with the lucrative opportunities of the American sports and entertainment market, intensifies the impulse to catapult teenage soccer phenoms to stardom.
Considering Yohannes’ unflappable style of play at the age of 17, it is less surprising that she has remained committed to steadiness as her professional world expands.What You Should Read NextWho is Lily Yohannes? The 16-year-old USWNT goal-scorer breaking through at AjaxYohannes’ family, and their dedication to soccer, have been a driving factor in the teen’s success.
“I’ve gotten some advice of, ‘Don’t get too high on the highs and too low on the lows’ and just trying to stay steady through it all,” she says. “For me, I have so many more goals that I want to achieve and obviously I celebrate the great achievements, but also just know that there’s more that (I) want and more goals that (I) want to accomplish.”
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Yohannes has already crossed some considerable goals off her list.
She signed her first professional contract with Ajax when she was 15. A Champions League run with the Dutch club followed shortly thereafter, and Yohannes became the youngest player to start a group-stage match in that European continental tournament. That year, Ajax reached the quarterfinals but was knocked out by Hayes-coached Chelsea.
Lily Yohannes celebrates scoring in her debut for the U.S. against South Korea last June. (Brad Smith / Getty Images)
Yohannes received her first invitation to the USWNT camp later that month as the team prepared for the SheBelieves Cup, an opportunity that did not tie her to the United States but provided an up-close glimpse of the national team environment while she continued to consider her commitment. Yohannes earned her first U.S. cap on June 4 in a pre-Olympics friendly against South Korea, a debut in which she scored 10 minutes after stepping onto the pitch as a 72nd-minute substitute for midfielder Korbin Albert.
Yohannes announced her commitment to play for the U.S. five months later, on Nov. 11, and featured for the national team later that month and in early December in fixtures against England and the Netherlands.
Now, with the USWNT’s Olympic gold medal run last summer in the rearview mirror and far-sighted visions set on the 2027 World Cup in Brazil, Yohannes said she can get back to another, quieter yet no less crucial goal: growth.
“In the short term, (it’s) staying present and continuing to work and grow with club and at the international level,” she says. “With the national team, just trying to take every experience that I can and learning and growing in this environment. It’s always an honor to come into camp and I just want to perform and help this team as best I can, and do the same at club (level).”
At the moment, Ajax is in a tight title race in the Dutch Eredivisie with Twente, currently at the top of the table, and PSV, who are ahead of Ajax and level with Twente on points. Just a point separates Ajax, who won the league’s cup title last year, from the other two contenders.
Conversations around opportunities in Europe are gaining traction in the U.S. women’s soccer landscape, especially after defender Naomi Girma’s recent $1.1 million move to the UK with Chelsea, something Yohannes acknowledged as a sign of growth.What You Should Read NextUSWNT’s Naomi Girma completes Chelsea move for record transfer fee in women’s soccerSources briefed on the matter have confirmed Chelsea will pay $1.1m to acquire Girma from the San Diego Wave.
“I’ve been in the Netherlands since I was 10, and that’s sort of just normal for me. I think playing in the academy system with the boys and then at Ajax has helped me to develop, and I would say everybody’s path is different,” she says. “It’s just per your own personal choices, and I think it’s great to have so many great leagues all over the globe.”
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She added that beginning her career in Europe meant focusing on the technical and tactical aspects of the game and that playing against other European teams and being exposed to a variety of playing styles has only benefited her.
“Ajax is a very possession-oriented team playing attacking football and having a sort of DNA has helped me to develop and grow qualities in my game,” she says. “I think within Europe as a whole it’s super-diverse, which is amazing, having Champions League and all those diverse teams and clubs come together and compete against each other.”
Yohannes isn’t the only player in the U.S. camp who had options as to which country she could represent, nor is she the only one who pursued opportunities in Europe at a young age.
Lily Yohannes and Catarina Macario have bonded in their short time together on the national team. (Ary Frank / Getty Images for USSF)
Although Catarina Macario’s path was markedly different from Yohannes’ — the Brazilian-American forward completed three seasons at college level with Stanford before setting off for Europe, first with Olympique Lyonnais in France and now Chelsea — the two have formed a bond after just two camps together.
“Cat’s super-cool. I think we have a great bond on and off the pitch,” Yohannes says of the 25-year-old. “I think she sort of took me under her wing when I first came into camp. Last camp was our first time playing together, so I know that’s something we were both looking forward to. Cat’s just such an amazing player with so much quality, so I’ve really enjoyed playing with her and off the field (we’re) having a good time.”
If given the chance again to partner in the U.S. attack in back-to-back friendlies against Brazil — first at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday and again at PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif. three days later — Yohannes and Macario’s combined creativity on the ball could prove enough to withstand the South American team’s attempt at revenge for a 1-0 defeat last August in the Olympics’ gold medal match.
(Top photo: Mark J. Rebilas / Imagn Images)
The Ole BallCoach 