US Ladies Win Handily 2-1 – face Japan Tues 10 pm in Seattle, Fri 9 pm in Denver

The US ladies returned to form with a solid 2-1 win over Japan Saturday afternoon. Highlights The 2-1 margin could have been more as the US outpossessed Japan 62-38% and outshot Japan with impressive goals from Rose Levelle and Lindsey Horan (Heaps). For the US it is 10 straight wins, and paid them back for the 2-1 loss in the She Believe’s Cup. The two top 5 powerhouses face off again Tuesday in Seattle at 10 pm then Fri at 9 pm from Denver.

U.S. Women’s National Team Roster by Position (Club; Caps/Goals) 2026 April Matches vs. Japan
GOALKEEPERS (3): Jane Campbell (Houston Dash, 10), Claudia Dickey (Seattle Reign FC; 8), Phallon Tullis-Joyce (Manchester United, ENG; 6) DEFENDERS (9): Tierna Davidson (Gotham FC; 67/3), Emily Fox (Arsenal FC, ENG; 74/1), Naomi Girma (Chelsea FC, ENG; 52/2), Avery Patterson (Houston Dash; 10/1), Lilly Reale (Gotham FC; 7/0), Emily Sams (Angel City FC: 9/1), Emily Sonnett (Gotham FC; 115/2), Gisele Thompson (Angel City FC; 7/0), Kennedy Wesley (San Diego Wave FC; 4/0) MIDFIELDERS (7): Sam Coffey (Manchester City, ENG; 44/5), Lindsey Heaps (OL Lyonnes, FRA; 173/39), Claire Hutton (Bay FC; 15/1), Rose Lavelle (Gotham FC; 118/27), Olivia Moultrie (Portland Thorns FC; 15/5),Jaedyn Shaw (Gotham FC; 34/10), Lily Yohannes (OL Lyonnes, FRA; 16/1) FORWARDS (7): Michelle Cooper (Kansas City Current; 10/1), Jameese Joseph (Chicago Stars FC; 4/1), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit; 52/13), Emma Sears (Racing Louisville FC; 17/6), Ally Sentnor (Kansas City Current; 18/7), Alyssa Thompson (Chelsea FC, ENG; 29/4), Sophia Wilson (Portland Thorns FC; 58/24)

Champions League – Quarterfinals 2nd leg Tues/Wed 3 pm Para +

Wow – my Atletico really put a spanking on Barcelona at the Camp Nou 2-0 – setting up a classic battle back in Madrid at the Metropolitano and will test what Atletico do best for their head man in Black Diego Simeone (El Cholo). Liverpool heads home down 2 goals to zero to PSG Tuesday at 3 pm on Paramount+ – with little hope of surpassing the Holders. Wed 3 pm on Para+ gives us the Classic as Bayern Munich returns home up 2-1 vs Real Madrid while Arsenal will try to buck form and hold on to their 1-0 lead over Sporting and their Talisman Jose Mourino. It drives me nuts that European Soccer is Too STUPID to put the top 8 teams in the World on in back to back games – say 1 pm and 3 pm – rather than playing simultaneously. But that’s Champions League so 2 TVs it is tomorrow for a late lunch.

Tues 3 pm Para+ Barcelona 0 vs Atletico Madrid 2 & Liverpool 0 vs PSG 2
Wed 3 pm Para+ Real Madrid 0 vs Bayern Munich 1 & Sporting CP 0 vs Arsenal 1

Indy 11 Wins 3-1 @ Birmingham Legion Sun 5 pm on ESPN+

Indianapolis – Indy Eleven extended its current USL Championship unbeaten streak to four (2-0-2) and its unbeaten run at home to six (5-0-1) dating back to last season with a 3-1 victory over Monterey Bay FC in front of 9,101 fans at Carroll Stadium. Boys in Blue midfielder Jack Blake became the club’s all-time leader in goals with his 28th on a bicycle kick in the 55th minute with the goal that put his team ahead 2-1. Indy Eleven travels to Eastern Conference opponent Birmingham Legion FC on Sunday, April 19 at 5:00 pm ET on ESPN+. The next Boys in Blue home game at Carroll Stadium is “Retro Night” and the opening of Prinx Tires USL Cup play vs. Union Omaha on Sat. Apr. 25 at 7 p.m.

Former Carmel FC 07 players Maverick McCoy & Evan Muckridge now playing College Soccer for Notre Dame & Butler. Maverick will play Fri eve 7:30 pm as Notre Dame faces IU at Grand Park as part of The Boys College Showcase.

What a pleasure it was to get to Ref The ENCL Boys Game Weekend at Grand Park this past Weekend. All the top Refs in the State were there.

TV Schedule – Games on TV

Tues, Apr 14
3 pm Para+ Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid
3 pm PAra+ PSG vs Liverpool
7 pm CBSSN Louisville City vs Austin US Open Cup
7:30 pm CBS Golazo Detroit City vs Chicago Fire US Open Cup
10 pm TNT, HBO US Women vs Japan
9 pm FS2 LAFC vs Cruz Azul CCC
11:30 pm FS2 America vs Nashville SC CCC
Wed, Apr 14
3 pm Para+ Real Madrid vs Bayern Munich
3 pm Para+ Sporting CP vs Arsenal
7 pm CBSSN Naples vs Orlando City US Open
9 pm FS2 Toluca vs LA Galaxy CCC
11:30 pm FS2 Seattle Sounders vs Tigres CCC
Thurs, Apr 15 Europa League
3 pm Para+ Bologna vs Aston Villa
3 pm PAra+ Porto vs Nottingham Forest
3 pm Para+ Crystal Palace (Richards) vs Fiorentina
Fri, Apr 17
2:45 pm Para+ Inter Milan vs Caglairi
Fri. Apr. 17, 7:30 pm | IU vs. Notre Dame GRAND PARK
9 pm TNT, HBO US Women vs Japan
Sat, Apr 18
7;30 am USA Fulham (Jedi) vs Brentford
10 am USA Newcastle vs Bournemouth (Adams)
9:30 am ESPN2 Dortmund vs Bayer Leverkusen (Tillman)
12:30 pm NBC Tottenham vs Brighton
3 pm ESPN+ Athletico Madrid vs Real Sociedad
4:30 pm Apple Inter Miami vs Colorado Rapids
5 pm ESPN+ Indy 11 @ Birmingham
Sat. Apr. 18, 6:00 pm | Saint Louis vs. Xavier GRAND PARK
7:30 pm Apple Atlanta United vs Nashville SC
7:30 pm Apple Cincy vs Chicago
9:30 pm Apple Seattle Sounders vs St Louis City
11 pm CBSSN America vs Toluca Mex
Sun, Apr 19
9 am USA Everton vs Liverpool
9 am Para+ Verona vs AC Milan (Pulisic)
9 am Peacock Nothingham Forest vs Burnley (Adams)
11:15 am NBC Man City vs Arsenal
11:30 am ESPN2 Bayern Munich vs Stuttgart
12 noon Real Bettis vs Real Madrid
1:30 pm ESPN+ M’Gladbach (Reyna, Salley) vs Mainz
2:45 pm Para+ Juventus (Mckennie) vs Bologna
7 pm Apple LAFC vs San Jose MLS
Sun, May 31
3:30 pm TNT, HBO, Peacock USA Men vs Senegal

Sat, June 6
2:30 pm TNT, HBO, Peacock USA Men vs Germany in Chicago Tix
Sat, June 12 WORLD CUP
9 pm Fox, Tele, Peacock USA Men vs Paraguay World Cup
Fri, June 19
3 pm Fox, Tele, Peacock USA Men vs Australia World Cup
Thur, June 25
10 pm Fox, Tele, Peacock USA Men vs Australia World Cup

Complete 2026 World Cup schedule featuring match dates and start times
NWSL Schedule

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USMNT midweek viewing guide: To Old Trafford we go

Follow along with all the USMNT action this week. by Justin Moran Apr 13, 2026, 8:31 AM EDT

LONDON, ENGLAND – APRIL 05: Brenden Aaronson of Leeds United is fouled by Max Kilman of West Ham United resulting in a penalty kick being awarded following a VAR review during the Emirates FA Cup Quarter Final match between West Ham United and Leeds United at London Stadium on April 05, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)Getty Images

Midweek action is here. All kickoff times are in EST. Let’s get into it!

Monday

• Manchester United vs Leeds, 3p on USA, UNIVERSO, Telemundo Deportes: Brenden Aaronson and Leeds United visit Man U in the Premier League.

Also in action:

• Tondela vs Gil Vicente, 3:15p: Jordan Pefok and Tondela host Gil Vicente in Liga Portugal.

Tuesday

• Atlético Madrid vs Barcelona, 3p on Paramount+, TUDN, DAZN, Univision, ViX: Johnny Cardoso (out injured since March 28) and Atlético hold a 2-0 aggregate lead over Barcelona going into the second leg of this Champions League quarterfinal.
• New England Revolution vs Rhode Island FC, 7p on Paramount+: Matt Turner, Peyton Miller, Griffin Yow, and the Revs host USL Championship club Rhode Island in the US Open Cup round of 32.
• Westchester SC vs NYCFC, 7:30p on Paramount+: Matt Freese and the Pigeons visit USL League One (third division) club Westchester SC in the US Open Cup.
• Club América vs Nashville SC, 11:30p on FS1, TUDN, Fubo, ViX: Alex Zendejas and América are tied 0-0 on aggregate with Matthew Corcoran and Nashville going into the second leg of this Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinal.

Also in action:

• Detroit City vs Chicago Fire, 7:30p on Paramount+, CBS Sports Golazo: Chris Brady and the Fire visit USL Championship club Detroit City FC in the US Open Cup.
• Cruz Azul vs LAFC, 9p on FS1, TUDN, Fubo, ViX: Timothy Tillman and LAFC are up 3-0 over Cruz Azul on aggregate. Now they make the trip to Mexico City for the second leg of this Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinal.
• Colorado Rapids vs Union Omaha, 9:30p on Paramount+: Paxten Aaronson, Zack Steffen, Reggie Cannon (ankle injury), and the Rapids host USL League One (third division) club Union Omaha in the US Open Cup.

Wednesday

• Charlotte FC vs Charlotte Independence, 7:30p on Paramount+: Tim Ream, Luca de la Torre, and Charlotte FC have an Open Cup match against the club they supplanted when they joined MLS four years ago. Charlotte Independence were playing in the USL Championship back then, but they’re down in League One now (third-division).
• Richmond Kickers vs Columbus Crew, 7:30p on Paramount+: Patrick Schulte, Max Arfsten, and the Crew visit USL League One club Richmond Kickers in the Open Cup.
• Seattle Sounders vs Tigres, 11:30p on FS1, TUDN, ViX, Fubo (free trial): Jordan Morris, Cristian Roldan, Jesús Ferreira, and the Sounders are down 0-2 to Tigres UANL going into the second leg of this Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinal.

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Also in action:

• FC Naples vs Orlando, 7p on Paramount+, CBS Sports Network, Fubo: Duncan McGuire and Orlando City visit USL League One club FC Naples in the Open Cup.
• NY Red Bulls vs Pittsburgh Riverhounds on Paramount+: Cade Cowell, Ethan Horvath, Julian Hall, and the Red Bulls host reigning USLC champions Pittsburgh Riverhounds in the Open Cup.
• LA Galaxy vs Toluca, 9p on FS1, TUDN, Fubo, ViX: Harbor Miller and the Galaxy are down 2-4 to Toluca going into the second leg of this Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinal.
• San Jose Earthquakes vs Phoenix Rising, 10p: Niko Tsakiris and the Quakes host USL Championship club Phoenix Rising in the US Open Cup.

Thursday

• Fiorentina vs Crystal Palace, 3p on Paramount+, ViX: Chris Richards and Palace are up 3-0 over Fiorentina going into the second leg of this Conference League quarterfinal.

Also in action:

• Strasbourg vs Mainz, 3p on Paramount+, ViX: Lennard Maloney and Mainz are up 2-0 over Strasbourg going into the second leg of this Conference League quarterfinal.

Friday

• St. Pauli vs Köln, 2:30p on ESPN Select, Fubo: James Sands and St. Pauli host Kristoffer Lund and Köln in the Bundesliga.
• Lens vs Toulouse, 2:45p: Mark McKenzie picked up a straight red card on Sunday and is suspended, unavailable for this Ligue 1 game.
• Blackburn vs Coventry, 3p on Paramount+: Haji Wright and Coventry City visit Blackburn Rovers in the EFL Championship.
• Vancouver Whitecaps vs Sporting KC, 10:30p on MLS Season Pass: Sebastian Berhalter, Brian White, and the ’Caps host Kansas City in MLS action.

Also in action:

• Slaven vs Hajduk Split, 11:45a on ESPN Select, Fubo: Rokas Pukštas and Hajduk Split visit Slaven Belupo in the HNL (Croatia’s top tier).
• Holstein Kiel vs Kaiserslautern, 12:30p on ESPN Select, Fubo: John Tolkin (knee injury) and Holstein Kiel host Kaiserslautern in the 2. Bundesliga.

That’s it! Did I miss anything that matters? Let me know in the comments below. Let’s see who stands out this week!

US Women

Hayes hails U.S. evolution after 10th straight win
USWNT vs. Japan April friendlies preview match two: Once more with feeling
Rose Lavelle’s goal and assist help USWNT hold off Japan
US vs Japan: Rose Lavelle Leads USWNT to 2-1 Win as Sophia Wilson Returns

Hayes: Wilson ready for U.S.-Japan triple-header

Champions League

Barcelona is in a Champions League hole. But these stats are on its side
Barcelona’s recent injury returnee could hold the key against Atlético Madrid
Three individual matchups that could decide Atlético Madrid vs Barcelona

US Men

USMNT World Cup roster watch: Adams returns as Balogun, Pepi stay hot
Balogun equals Neymar goal streak; Pogba returns
Pochettino’s to-do list: What the USMNT must figure out before World Cup
Drones, hype videos and data: The number crunchers behind the USMNT’s World Cup prep

World

Man City revive Premier League race as Arsenal lose; Inter win seven-goal thriller; more
– Is it happening again? Reviewing Arsenal’s prior title wobbles
– Ogden: Man City’s big win piles pressure on Arsenal in title race
– Olley: Tottenham’s relegation looks inevitable after Sunderland loss

Goalkeeping

Double Save by Juve’s Di Gregorio
Champions League Best Saves QF R1
Champs League Musso Great Saves
NWSL Saves of Week 3
NWSL Saves of Week 2
MLS Rookie Cabral Carter
Goal after GK Goal – note to GKs – always get back in goal after scoring

Reffing

GK Handball – card or no? NWSL
Hand ball yes or no
Goal after GK Goal

Americans Abroad Weekend Update

🔥 The USMNT No. 9 race is heating up, but otherwise not a ton of performances to highlight.

Folarin Balogun
Balogun stayed red-hot, scoring for the sixth straight match — matching a record set by Neymar for consecutive goals scored. Even in defeat, his form is undeniable, and he’s peaking at exactly the right time in the striker race.

Ricardo Pepi
Pepi added another goal in PSV’s win, bringing his tally to 11 goals in just over 1,000 minutes — an elite scoring rate. With clubs circling and the World Cup approaching, he’s making a strong case to climb the depth chart despite his apparent lack of standing in Pochettino’s pecking order.

Christian Pulisic
Pulisic didn’t score, but was still Milan’s brightest spot in a tough 3-0 loss, earning a 7.5 rating from WhoScored, the highest on the team. Despite his goal drought, his overall play continues to improve even as Milan struggles.

Elsewhere around Europe:

Weston McKennie missed Juventus’ match due to suspension.

US Thoughts after Portugal – left the US with more questions than answers.

Auston Trusty went 90 minutes as Celtic F.C. earned a crucial 1-0 win to keep their Scottish Premiership title hopes alive.

Haji Wright and Coventry inched closer to promotion with a 0-0 draw, now on the verge of the Premier League.

Chris Richards featured in Crystal Palace’s 2-1 win over Newcastle.

Mark McKenzie was sent off in Toulouse’s heavy defeat to Lille.

Malik Tillman saw limited minutes off the bench in Leverkusen’s win over Dortmund.

Tyler Adams made a solid impact off the bench in Bournemouth’s 2-1 upset win over Arsenal.

Tim Weah played 90 minutes in Marseille’s 3-1 victory.

Antonee Robinson battled for an hour before being subbed in Fulham’s loss to Liverpool.

Gio Reyna stayed on the bench while Joe Scally went 90 for Gladbach.

John Tolkin suffered a serious knee injury for Holstein Kiel.

US thoughts after Portugal

Would certainly like to have seen better results against top quality opposition, and hopefully these losses turn into lessons rather than a preview of this summer. Some thoughts on the Portugal game

• Our pressure created enough danger/opportunities, but we couldn’t capitalize on their mistakes. Our key players couldn’t make Portugal pay, and ultimately this was the difference on the night. If an early goal goes in for us, the complexion of the game changes.
• If we are to upset anyone this summer (and we’ll need to if we want to make any sort of run), our final ball and finishing have to be of the quality we know our top players can deliver. Otherwise we will fall at the first major hurdle (aka a top 10 opponent). Fernandes on the other side showed what a moment of quality can do to change the game.
• Pulisic was not at his best and was the main culprit of the first two talking points. We know he has the quality – he needs to find his groove in the last part of this season. Also don’t love him as a false 9, he tends to be better moving forward into space and arriving in the box rather than dropping back. Don’t mind the experiment at this point.
• This looked and played more like a conventional 4-2-3-1 and less like the hybrid 3-4-2-1 Pochettino was using last year. The back three and wingbacks has looked better with this personnel.
• Hopefully Trusty is not seriously injured. I thought he looked the best of all the CBs in this window. Probably should start next to Richards this summer, since no one else has really taken the chance.
• Shocked that Berhalter got the start and lasted 75 mins. Didn’t put in a terrible performance, but he is clearly a level below.
• Freese was busier than he has been in a US shirt, and he looked pretty solid. I think he locked down the #1 shirt this summer, barring a run of poor form in MLS.
• This group is dying for Gio Reyna’s skillset. Any time he comes on, he brings a level of calm and technical quality we need to knit the attack together. We really need him to find some type of playing time at the club level so he can be the best version of himself. Otherwise, he is on the bubble.
• Would like to have seen more of Aaronson.
• Terrible set piece goal to give up. It felt like an eternity before the team realized what was happening and then closing it down. Not a new corner routine either.
• Overall, I wouldn’t expect us to beat Portugal, as they are a more talented side. But we could have if we capitalized on our pressure. So that’s encouraging. But we need more than “encouraging” at this point –  we need results.
• I’ve flip-flopped on Pochettino and have liked his methods to get the group more motivated. It didn’t seem to pay off as much in this window. Hopefully he can show us why he’s such a highly regarded coach when the World Cup starts. Ultimately, that’s all that matters.
  
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📺 USWNT vs. Japan, twice
Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET and Friday at 9 p.m. on TNT and truTV
The U.S. will likely roll out a similar lineup in the second match against Japan tomorrow, with a few minor changes, while the XI on Friday is anyone’s guess. Let’s just hope there’s a little more excitement in the follow-up matches. The good news for tomorrow: More than 35,000 tickets have been sold — putting the game on pace for a local record.

Get to know the USWNT’s keystone midfielder
U.S. women’s national team and Bay FC midfielder Claire Hutton is a student of the game. The 20-year-old, who is crucial for both her club and country, has always been that way. Growing up, she would spend hours studying her favorite players like any Gen Zer — on Youtube. Initially, her favorite players were Brazilians, the likes of Marta and Ronaldinho. You’ll want to listen to this interview before game.

USWNT Watch: U.S. good but not great vs. Japan, Round 1

The U.S. women’s national team defeated Japan 2-1 on Saturday. Next up … Japan. The teams face off for the second of three matches this window tomorrow at 10 p.m. ET in Seattle.

Head coach Emma Hayes has plenty of new talent at her disposal to tinker with her lineup, players she’s given first caps to and developed in the last two years. But over the weekend, it was two veterans who steadied the team against a fierce opponent.

• Midfielder Rose Lavelle, 30, opened the scoring in the ninth minute of her 100th career start with the U.S.
• Lavelle later provided an assist to captain Lindsey Heaps, 31, in the 48th minute.

Sophia Wilson also made her long-awaited return, earning her first start and minutes since 2024 and becoming a mom.

This match was about the small details, things that might not be flashy to the casual viewer. So here’s Tamerra Griffin’s take:

💬 “The USWNT versus Japan isn’t a traditional rivalry, yet something about the first of the three-part series between the first- and fifth-ranked women’s teams in the world carried shades of a derby, as in: The anticipation was so high that it may have dampened the product, which was good but not always quality.

“It’s important — poetic, even — that the U.S. won by the same scoreline by which it lost to Japan at the 2025 SheBelieves Cup, and perhaps even more so that the match included prime-time experience for Gisele Thompson. “Just like at last month’s SheBelieves Cup, the younger Thompson sister delivered, covering acres of space behind when Japan launched its attacking threats and exploiting the space ahead of her, which on one occasion led to the U.S.’s go-ahead goal.” There was one moment Thompson may want to erase from her otherwise strong performance: In the 61st minute, Thompson’s position kept Riko Ueki onside, allowing her to convert Japan’s only goal. Still, Thompson is officially on our World Cup bubble watch list.

Gisele and Alyssa Thompson made their fourth starting lineup together for the U.S., a record for sisters. Ever since Alyssa left the NWSL for Chelsea in England, national team camp has been one of the few times we get updated dancing TikToks from the pair. Anyway, in today’s Full Time:

Emma Hayes hails USWNT’s evolution after 10th straight win

• eff KassoufApr 11, 2026, 09:31 PM ET

The United States women’s national team defeated Japan 2-1 on Saturday at Paypal Park in San Jose, California, to win a 10th straight match, and head coach Emma Hayes said the team’s evolution was evident in how it managed late pressure.”I think 12 months ago, we might have drawn this game,” Hayes said in her postgame news conference. “I think the progress is in staying in the game and not conceding a second goal.”Rose Lavelle and Lindsey Heaps gave the United States a 2-0 lead, but Riko Ueki cut the deficit in the second half and nearly scored an equalizer moments later amid defensive lapses for the Americans. Saturday was the first of three meetings in a week between the United States and Japan.

– Make-or-break questions the USWNT must answer before the World Cup

Hayes said she wanted an experienced lineup in the first match against Japan, and it was the USWNT’s two most-capped players who scored. Lavelle also assisted Heaps’ goal.”I think when you play top teams, you need calm heads, and Rose has that in abundance,” Hayes said. “It’s why she’s one of the best players in the world.”Sophia Wilson added further experience with her much anticipated return to the international stage. She started on Saturday and played for 67 minutes in her first international match in 17 months after giving birth to her daughter in September.”I’m proud of her to come into that,” Hayes said. “And it takes a bit of time to find that rhythm and I think she gave it everything she could. One of the things I said to her is she’s gotta build her way back to it, but I’m really pleased with her. It’s a great, great start for her and something for her to build on.”Lavelle opened the scoring nine minutes into the match when she glided through the penalty area to volley a ball that Trinity Rodman sent back across the face of the goal after Sam Coffey hit a free kick to the back post. Lavelle was making her 100th start for the team, the 31st player in program history to reach the feat.

The United States knocked on the door for a second goal as the team broke Japan’s pressure from deep areas.An unmarked Alyssa Thompson missed the frame from a tight angle at the back post in the 21st minute. After a quick combination for the Americans down the right side, Heaps found Wilson in behind, who hit a ball toward the back post and Thompson, who flashed her shot wide.”You have to be really clinical at this level,” Hayes said. “We score off a set piece, boom, one-nil. We need to go two-nil up. [Alyssa’s] chance at the back post, that’s the top level.”The United States jumped on Japan at the start of the second half. Three minutes after halftime, Lavelle played a deft ball to Heaps, who patiently waited to slot her left-footed shot into the net from 12 yards out. The play began with United States full-back Gisele Thompson applying pressure high on the left side to force a turnover in Japan’s defensive zone.The Thompson sisters started together for the fourth time, a program record (they are the third pair of sisters to represent the USWNT). Hayes said Gisele Thompson had a “fantastic performance” on the left side in an attacking full-back role behind her sister, who started up top.”How nice is that, you’ve got your sister playing in front of you? They’re gonna die for each other on the field,” Hayes said.Heaps, the team’s captain, now has 40 international goals. She is the 16th player to reach that mark and the third oldest to reach it behind Megan Rapinoe and Julie Foudy.Heaps’ goal turned out to be the winner after Ueki pulled a goal back in the 61st minute.Ueki nearly had the equalizer nine minutes later when she found herself free in the middle of the box again, but she placed her shot right at United States goalkeeper Claudia Dickey.The United States controlled 61% possession in the match, in stark contrast to their 2-1 loss to Japan last year during the SheBelieves Cup.”Where we’ve come from that last time that we played them in SheBelieves,” Heaps said. “We’ve come a very long way, and that’s credit to this team, credit to the staff, the way that we want to control the game, where we want to control the game and the chances that we want to create.

The U.S. and Japan will play again on Tuesday in Seattle before wrapping the three-game series on Friday outside Denver.Japan had won eight straight matches coming into Saturday’s game, six of which came at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup. The Nadeshiko won that tournament last month, but the federation parted ways with head coach Nils Nielsen shortly after the tournament.

FIFA creates new World Cup ticket category, deepening suspicions of deception

Frederic J. Brown / AFP / Getty Images

By Henry Bushnell April 9, 2026Updated April 10, 2026

FIFA has created a new category of 2026 World Cup tickets two months before the tournament in an apparent attempt to milk more money out of prime seats.

Throughout the fall and winter, the global soccer governing body sold millions of World Cup tickets in four categories. Category 1, the most expensive tier, seemed to encompass all seats and sections in a stadium’s lower bowl, per color-coded maps embedded in the ticketing portal. Fans paid hundreds or thousands of dollars for these tickets, then awaited seat assignments.Last week, FIFA delivered those assignments. It converted categorized tickets into specific rows and sections — and left many buyers disappointed with seats in corners, behind goals or farther away from the field.Then, a week later, FIFA began selling seats in the first several rows of lower-level sections for higher prices — in some cases triple the price of a standard Category 1 ticket.

Frustrated fans, in interviews with and messages to The Athletic last week, suspected that FIFA had given them lesser seats so that it could sell the better ones at elevated prices. But at the time, they had no firm evidence.The new category essentially confirms their suspicions.“This is just another example of how deceptive the original maps were,” one fan, Ben Kurzman, wrote in a Wednesday email. “[FIFA] let people believe that by buying Category 1 seats, they might end up in a lower sideline section close to the field, when that was never going to happen.”The new “Front Category 1” had not been previously advertised or mentioned. From an initial “presale” phase in October through last week, the normal “Category 1” had been sold as the top tier of ticket, with prices now ranging from $10,990 for the World Cup final to $450 for some group-stage games. The maps shown to buyers suggested that these tickets could yield seats anywhere in any 100-level section or, at most stadiums, in mid-level sections with good views.

Separately, though, FIFA has been selling hospitality packages at even higher prices. And its hospitality “seating example” illustrations suggest that many of the lower-level sideline sections supposedly within Category 1 are actually being reserved for hospitality buyers.

Over the past week, as fans realized that hardly any Category 1 ticket holders had been placed in those coveted sideline sections, many fumed.“A lot of people feel misled, or confused, or maybe just generally let down about the way seats were assigned,” Jordan Likover, one of the aggrieved fans, told The Athletic.Top League Content

Then, on Wednesday, as The Athletic publicized the saga and outrage spread, FIFA went a step further.It released new batches of tickets and, for dozens of games, it listed these new “Front Category 1” and/or “Front Category 2” seats in the first several rows of certain sections.For Algeria vs. Austria at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., for example, dozens of seats in the second row at the four corners of the stadium were priced at $900 apiece — twice as much as a standard Category 1 ticket that, if bought this winter, seemingly should have been eligible for placement in those exact same rows and sections.

Listings were similar for other matches. For Canada’s opener against Bosnia and Herzegovina on June 12, a “Front Category 1” seat — in row 5 of a sideline section near the corner of Toronto’s BMO Field — cost $3,360, up from $2,240 for a regular Category 1 ticket.

For U.S. vs. Paraguay at SoFi Stadium near Los Angeles that same day, a “Front Category 1” seat in Row 7 of a corner section is $4,105 — up from the standard Category 1 price that has already turned off many avid fans, $2,730.

For more than a dozen games, the “Front Category 1” price was exactly double the standard Category 1 price.

For Uruguay vs. Saudi Arabia in Miami, that meant an increase from $600 to $1,200 for a low seat behind one of the goals.

For Cape Verde vs. Saudi Arabia in Houston, Uzbekistan vs. the Democratic Republic of Congo in Atlanta, and other less-glamorous matchups, the “Front” price was $900, up from $450.

For other matches, the mark-up was even greater. For the likes of Australia vs. Turkey, Germany vs. Curaçao, Iraq vs. Norway, Belgium vs. Iran, South Korea vs. Czechia and Switzerland vs. Canada, a “Front Category 1” seat was listed Friday at 2.5 times the normal Category 1 price.

And for some headliners, FIFA had raised the price threefold.

For Argentina’s group-stage matches against Algeria and Austria, the “Front” price was $2,295 and $2,325, respectively, up from $765 and $775.

For the U.S. matches against Australia (in Seattle, pictured below) and Turkey (near Los Angeles), “front” seats were $2,325 and $2,970, respectively, up from less than $1,000.

Uruguay vs. Spain in Guadalajara; Scotland vs. Morocco in Foxborough, Mass.; Brazil vs. Haiti in Philadelphia; and other matches also had “Front” seats listed for triple the Category 1 price — in some cases over $2,000.

“Front Category 2” seats, at the front of less desirable sections, were also being offered at smaller mark-ups.

The Athletic asked FIFA on Wednesday why these “front” seats weren’t simply allocated to fans who’d applied for Category 1 or 2 tickets in the “Random Selection Draw” this winter — when FIFA supposedly received more than 500 million ticket requests. As of Friday afternoon, FIFA had not responded.

It also has not said why the new category was created, nor why it was appropriate to previously advertise Category 1 as if it gave buyers a chance at any seat in any coveted section.

In an emailed statement Tuesday in response to another set of questions last week, a FIFA spokesperson said that the “indicative category maps” were “to help fans understand where their seats could be located within a stadium. These maps were designed to provide guidance rather than the exact seat layout, and reflect the general extent of each ticket category within the stadium.”

FIFA has not said how many of these “front” seats it plans to sell, nor how many tickets generally are still available for the 2026 World Cup. It seems to be releasing new batches unannounced on a rolling basis.

Fans, in interviews late last week, blasted the governing body for its opacity and for other aspects of the ticketing process.

Advertisement“FIFA doesn’t have any goodwill with fans,” said Andrew Swart, a New York-based fan who said his Category 1 ticket — purchased for $862.50 on FIFA’s resale site — had yielded him a seat in a section once earmarked for Category 2. “Our default assumption is that they’re doing something to be either underhanded or maximize profit.”IFA has consistently defended its pricing and approach as a reflection of North American norms and “extraordinary” demand, and noted that, as a non-profit, it reinvests much of the World Cup’s revenue in the development of soccer globally.

By Henry Bushnellenior Writer, U.S. Soccer

Proud Member of American Outlaws  http://www.facebook.com/IndyAOUnite 

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USWNT 2, Japan 1: Rose Lavelle scores in 100th start, Sophia Wilson returns

Rose Lavelle scored the opening goal of Saturday’s win over Japan, which was her 100th career start for the U.S. Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images

By Melanie Anzidei and Tamerra Griffin

April 11, 2026Updated April 12, 2026

The U.S. women’s national team passed its first test against Japan in San Jose, Calif. on Saturday, topping the 2026 Asian Cup champions in a 2-1 victory for the first of three matches between the longtime rivals.Midfielder Rose Lavelle opened the scoring in the ninth minute, finding the ball off a cheeky volley from forward Trinity Rodman in the goalie’s box. Scoring in her 100th career start for the U.S., Lavelle only needed one touch to finesse the ball as it fell before her. The 30-year-old carried this momentum into the second half, contributing to the U.S.’s second goal when she found captain Lindsey Heaps wide open in the center of the box in the 48th minute.Japan responded in the second half with a goal from Riko Ueki in the 61st minute, taking advantage of a flat-footed U.S. backline. Ueki nearly equalized in the 79th minute, but was unable to get around goalkeeper Clauda Dickey, who had a standout performance.What You Should Read NextUSWNT’s next test: Japan, champions of Asia, with a roster of international stars in the makingU.S. head coach Emma Hayes said Japan is “without question” a favorite for the 2027 Women’s World Cup“Anytime you can play a team of this caliber, it’s going to be a great learning experience,” Lavelle, who played a full 90 minutes, said after the match. “I can’t say it enough, like, they are such a good team, so to be able to have the opportunity to play them 3 times in one window, I think we can take it and it’s really going to help.”The match was a promising start for the Americans, whose last match against Japan ended in heartbreak during the 2025 SheBelieves Cup. During that match last year, it was Japan who started each half with two quick goals in the fifth and 50th minutes, with that momentum helping them lift their first-ever SheBelieves Cup title. The U.S. spent the last year regrouping.The night was a promising start for the U.S. women’s national team, who will face Japan two more times over the coming days. The Athletic analyzes the key takeaways from Saturday’s match …

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Forward Sophia Wilson controls the ball during the international friendly match against Japan in her return to the USWNT.Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images

Sophia Wilson’s long-awaited return

After a promising return to the Portland Thorns in NWSL, Wilson has returned with the USWNT.

The 25-year-old started for the U.S. for the first time since giving birth to her daughter in early September. It was her first game for the team in 17 months. She played 67 minutes and earned her first start since the gold medal match at the 2024 Paris Games.

The new mom was all smiles as she walked onto the pitch alongside teammates Rodman and Naomi Girma. Wilson started alongside Lavelle as the two lone forwards in the U.S.’s attack against Japan. Her high pressure in the attack created opportunities for the U.S., as she slowly builds her minutes in camp.

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“Any time you can get a result (like this) against a team like Japan, we’ll take it. I think we put out a solid performance. There were definitely moments within the game that we maybe dipped a little bit, but that’s something that we’ll work on,” Wilson said. “We’ll go back and look through everything and make sure that the next game we fix those things, and I’m sure the next game, more things will come up, but that’s just the sport, and we just continue to grow.”

Saturday’s match was the first time that two-thirds of the ‘Triple Espresso’ trio were on the same pitch playing for the same side since the Olympics. As Wilson exited the pitch, replaced by Ally Sentnor, the broadcast panned to her daughter, Gigi, in one of the stadium boxes, watching her mother return to the pitch.

“It was good for me to get this game out of the way, the first game back with the national team, and now my feet are wet,” Wilson said. “I feel confident going into the next few games.” — Melanie Anzidei 

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USWNT center back Kennedy Wesley and full back Giselle Thompson battle to stop Japan’s offense.Nic Coury / Getty Images

Last-minute change to evolving center back pairing

Ever since Tierna Davidson’s anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury last year, there’s been an open-ended question about which center back would replace her to slot in alongside Girma — and a revolving door of auditions to find out. For the majority of 2025, the answer appeared to be Emily Sonnet, whether Girma was on the pitch; her appearances on the national team were sporadic due to injury. But in the build-up to Saturday’s match, Sonnet sustained an injury during training that forced Hayes to make a last-minute decision about her starting XI. Hayes said Davidson’s return to the team was a little further back from full fitness.

Kennedy Wesley, who plays for the San Diego Wave, earned her fifth international cap when she lined up beside Girma. The two were flanked by Gisele Thompson and Emily Fox with Seattle Reign goalkeeper Claudia Dickey behind them. The backline’s mandate to play out of the back was clear in the first half and was largely successful apart from a few nervy moments. But Wesley’s aerial dominance and physicality with her press allowed Girma to keep the group organized. The security provided by the two Stanford alumni in the middle also freed Fox and Thompson to exploit the flanks and involve themselves in the attack.

Dickey recorded three key saves in the first half and one in the second, including a close-range shot from a corner kick. Her performance tightened the competition between her and Manchester United goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce for the U.S. No. 1 role. — Tamerra Griffin

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Japan midfielder Remina Chiba runs by U.S. forward Trinity Rodman and midfielder Rose Lavelle.Nic Coury / Getty Images

What’s next?

This was just the first of three matches the U.S. will play against Japan. The back-to-back-to-back fixtures offer head coach Emma Hayes a unique opportunity to test her players in real time against one of the most technical opponents in the world — an opponent who Hayes described as a contender to win next summer’s World Cup and one she is a “secret fan of.”

“I think 12 months ago, we might have drawn this game. The progress is in staying in the game and not conceding a second goal,” Hayes said after the match. “They created chances. It was a pretty even game with regards to that.

“It’s given me some things that I’ll sit on the plane now and watch to sort of add for our next level. But it’s the test we want, and I’m so happy to have it, because they’re an unbelievable team.”

Hayes has told reporters that her plans for this camp were to field two different teams for the first two matches against Japan. This roster may feature an entirely different look — with regulars like Davidson and Sonnett potentially back in the mix, as well as players like Gotham FC’s Jaedyn Shaw or 2025 NWSL Rookie of the Year Lilly Reale.

“I want to see a different side to us in the second game, with a less experienced group, and see the progress that we have made in the last 12 months,” Hayes said. “Knowing it’s not going to be the first time they’ve faced Japan, but I want to see the progress since the last time.”

Whatever Hayes does for their next fixture on Tuesday in Seattle will offer a rare glimpse into the head coach’s thinking for what this player pool has to offer, especially as more experienced players return to the fold with younger players who have risen through the USWNT ranks over the last year. “We have to prepare ourselves for qualifying,” Hayes said. “We don’t have a lot of windows left, so we need to get some of these players playing back together again. It’s important.”

As for the third match, Hayes has left that open. She suggested that her choices on Friday could be an assessment of how these first two games go, or they could be designed around player availability and managed minutes as some key figures continue to build up their minutes with the national team. — Anzidei

By Melanie Anzidei and Tamerra Griffin

USWNT defender Gisele Thompson is finding her way alongside sister Alyssa

Gisele Thompson during an international friendly match against Japan Matthew Huang / Getty Images

By Tamerra Griffin

April 14, 2026 6:04 am EDT

Before the U.S. women’s national team’s first of three games against Japan on Saturday, head coach Emma Hayes played “Back Together Again” by Roberta Flack featuring Donny Hathaway for Alyssa and Gisele Thompson.It was an ode to the sisters’ reunion. Ever since the elder Alyssa split from their hometown team, Angel City FC in Los Angeles, to sign with Chelsea last year, the Thompsons, separated by 13 months, now only compete together when they’re in national team camp.In the chorus of the duet is the line: “‘Cause you, you and I back together again // got the world in a spin.”The USWNT claimed the first match of the three-part series with a 2-1 win at PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif. Neither the Thompson sisters nor the U.S. put Japan in a spin, per se. The champions of Asia demanded a full 90-minute performance from their opponents and came close to equalizing late in the game.But at just 20 years old, with eight caps on the national team, Gisele is steadily proving herself worthy of a spot on the 2027 World Cup roster and a chance to be back together again with her sister on football’s biggest stage.

Sisters Gisele Thompson and Alyssa Thompson hold the record for most starts by sisters on the USWNT.Brad Smith / Getty Images

“I mean, how nice is that?” Hayes said. “You’ve got your sister playing in front of you, and they’re going to die for each other on the field.”

For this week’s “Three Words” …

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Younger Thompson rising

Gisele earned her first call-up to senior national team camp in November 2024, but her first cap didn’t come until February 2025 at the SheBelieves Cup. As tempting as the storyline has always been to thrust the Thompson sisters into the spotlight as the faces and futures of the USWNT, once Hayes took charge, she set all players on developmental paths that haven’t always aligned with marketable narratives.

Gisele, now 20, wove in and out of senior camps last year, at times spending the international window with the under-23 squad. Even so, Hayes has been keen to bring her into the USWNT. When center-back Tierna Davidson sustained an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in March 2025, Gisele was plucked from the younger team.

She did not play in last February’s U.S. loss to Japan, which makes her progression in that timeframe even more striking. During the 2026 SheBelieves Cup (in which Japan did not participate because they were competing in the Asian Cup), Hayes said she wanted to test Gisele’s endurance across multiple matches.What You Should Read NextUSWNT’s next test: Japan, champions of Asia, with a roster of international stars in the makingU.S. head coach Emma Hayes said Japan is “without question” a favorite for the 2027 Women’s World Cup

“Giselle knows that my goal with her is that I need her to be more durable,” Hayes said after the USWNT’s 1-0 victory over Canada in March. “So I told her, ‘You’re playing 90 minutes. Don’t look at me. You’re not coming off.’”

Japan is an even bigger test.

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The U.S. relies on its full backs to have the pace and discernment to propel themselves into the attack without sacrificing their defensive responsibilities. Adding to the challenge of playing Japan was the fact that U.S. center-back Emily Sonnett was pulled from the lineup at the last minute due to an injury from the previous day’s training. Considering Hayes’ plan to utilize two primary rosters across the three fixtures — let’s call them Team A (which will play twice) and Team B — it’s telling that Gisele earned the start on Saturday in a lineup that looked mostly like Team A.

If you look at the Japan match as a continuation of Gisele’s growth from the SheBelieves Cup, her performance was a natural and positive progression. She has figured out how to account for her slight physical size when matching up against opponents, becoming an expert in spatial awareness. Captain Lindsey Heaps had the game-winning goal and Rose Lavelle the assist, but the counterattack that generated the play came from Gisele’s high press that forced a turnover for her sister Alyssa to pick up.

Gisele Thompson and Alyssa Thompson maintain a close bond despite the latter’s move to England to play for Chelsea.Brad Smith / Getty Images

That’s the other factor. The Thompson sisters’ intuitive understanding of each other on the pitch can’t be taught.

At best, it can be manufactured from years of repetition, but with just four starts together (the most of any sister duo in the U.S. program’s history), Gisele and Alyssa already match and elevate each other’s shine. It’s only a matter of time before they are consistently putting the world in a spin like Flack and Hathaway sang about.

But Gisele’s game isn’t without its flaws.

“I think she’s got to develop a couple of things defensively,” Hayes said. “Like second half, she stepped out in situations where she’s got to stay in the back line, otherwise it’s a lot of running for Kennedy (Wesley), which it was.”

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There was also an error (apparently due to a lapse in concentration) in the 61st minute when Gisele’s positioning during a Japanese counterattack kept striker (and Asian Cup Golden Boot winner) Riko Ueki onside as she dinked a header past U.S. goalkeeper Claudia Dickey, sullying their clean sheet.

“From a defensive perspective at the highest level, these are details that are going to really, really matter,” Hayes said. “I say that because I know she is not only capable of it, but she has to learn these things because when you play an opponent like Japan, if you watch the goal back, not getting pressure on the service is what’s required at the highest level.”

Japan midfielder Manaka Matsukubo shoots, challenged by US defenders Gisele Thompson and Kennedy Wesley.Nic Coury / Getty Images

With two matches against Japan remaining, the competition for a starting left full-back spot has taken on a new complexion. Defenders Avery Patterson and Lilly Reale have been in and out of recent national team camps due to illness and injury, respectively. They will likely get minutes in this window, and Emily Fox’s starting status at right back is essentially secured. Hayes’ assessment on the opposite side has become even tougher, courtesy of Gisele.

Of the three, Patterson has the most comprehensive attacking qualities as a full back. Reale’s delivery into the box is exceptional. And Gisele, for all of her own skills, also knows exactly how to unlock Alyssa, an edge that no other defender — or player — could come close to. The Thompson sisters have lost just once in the four matches they’ve started together: a 2-1 friendly against Brazil that also took place at PayPal Park last April.

Singers Flack and Hathaway are not siblings, but they were both Howard University students when they met on the historically black college campus in the late 1960s. They became creative co-conspirators and have featured on several of each other’s projects, as well as an eponymous collaboration in 1972.

One of the tracks on that album is a cover of Carole King’s “You’ve Got a Friend.” Hayes didn’t play that one for the Thompson sisters, but it could also hint at the potential for their partnership on the USWNT.

“You just call out my name // And you know wherever I am // I’ll come running, running, running // To see you again.”

By Tamerra Griffin

USWNT defender Gisele Thompson is finding her way alongside sister Alyssa

Gisele Thompson during an international friendly match against Japan Matthew Huang / Getty Images

By Tamerra Griffin

April 14, 2026 6:04 am EDT

Before the U.S. women’s national team’s first of three games against Japan on Saturday, head coach Emma Hayes played “Back Together Again” by Roberta Flack featuring Donny Hathaway for Alyssa and Gisele Thompson.

It was an ode to the sisters’ reunion. Ever since the elder Alyssa split from their hometown team, Angel City FC in Los Angeles, to sign with Chelsea last year, the Thompsons, separated by 13 months, now only compete together when they’re in national team camp.

AdvertisementIn the chorus of the duet is the line: “‘Cause you, you and I back together again // got the world in a spin.”

The USWNT claimed the first match of the three-part series with a 2-1 win at PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif. Neither the Thompson sisters nor the U.S. put Japan in a spin, per se. The champions of Asia demanded a full 90-minute performance from their opponents and came close to equalizing late in the game.

But at just 20 years old, with eight caps on the national team, Gisele is steadily proving herself worthy of a spot on the 2027 World Cup roster and a chance to be back together again with her sister on football’s biggest stage.

Sisters Gisele Thompson and Alyssa Thompson hold the record for most starts by sisters on the USWNT.Brad Smith / Getty Images

“I mean, how nice is that?” Hayes said. “You’ve got your sister playing in front of you, and they’re going to die for each other on the field.”

For this week’s “Three Words” …

---

Younger Thompson rising

Gisele earned her first call-up to senior national team camp in November 2024, but her first cap didn’t come until February 2025 at the SheBelieves Cup. As tempting as the storyline has always been to thrust the Thompson sisters into the spotlight as the faces and futures of the USWNT, once Hayes took charge, she set all players on developmental paths that haven’t always aligned with marketable narratives.

Gisele, now 20, wove in and out of senior camps last year, at times spending the international window with the under-23 squad. Even so, Hayes has been keen to bring her into the USWNT. When center-back Tierna Davidson sustained an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in March 2025, Gisele was plucked from the younger team.

She did not play in last February’s U.S. loss to Japan, which makes her progression in that timeframe even more striking. During the 2026 SheBelieves Cup (in which Japan did not participate because they were competing in the Asian Cup), Hayes said she wanted to test Gisele’s endurance across multiple matches.What You Should Read NextUSWNT’s next test: Japan, champions of Asia, with a roster of international stars in the makingU.S. head coach Emma Hayes said Japan is “without question” a favorite for the 2027 Women’s World Cup

“Giselle knows that my goal with her is that I need her to be more durable,” Hayes said after the USWNT’s 1-0 victory over Canada in March. “So I told her, ‘You’re playing 90 minutes. Don’t look at me. You’re not coming off.’”apan is an even bigger test.

The U.S. relies on its full backs to have the pace and discernment to propel themselves into the attack without sacrificing their defensive responsibilities. Adding to the challenge of playing Japan was the fact that U.S. center-back Emily Sonnett was pulled from the lineup at the last minute due to an injury from the previous day’s training. Considering Hayes’ plan to utilize two primary rosters across the three fixtures — let’s call them Team A (which will play twice) and Team B — it’s telling that Gisele earned the start on Saturday in a lineup that looked mostly like Team A.

If you look at the Japan match as a continuation of Gisele’s growth from the SheBelieves Cup, her performance was a natural and positive progression. She has figured out how to account for her slight physical size when matching up against opponents, becoming an expert in spatial awareness. Captain Lindsey Heaps had the game-winning goal and Rose Lavelle the assist, but the counterattack that generated the play came from Gisele’s high press that forced a turnover for her sister Alyssa to pick up.

Gisele Thompson and Alyssa Thompson maintain a close bond despite the latter’s move to England to play for Chelsea.Brad Smith / Getty Images

That’s the other factor. The Thompson sisters’ intuitive understanding of each other on the pitch can’t be taught.

At best, it can be manufactured from years of repetition, but with just four starts together (the most of any sister duo in the U.S. program’s history), Gisele and Alyssa already match and elevate each other’s shine. It’s only a matter of time before they are consistently putting the world in a spin like Flack and Hathaway sang about.

But Gisele’s game isn’t without its flaws.

“I think she’s got to develop a couple of things defensively,” Hayes said. “Like second half, she stepped out in situations where she’s got to stay in the back line, otherwise it’s a lot of running for Kennedy (Wesley), which it was.”

There was also an error (apparently due to a lapse in concentration) in the 61st minute when Gisele’s positioning during a Japanese counterattack kept striker (and Asian Cup Golden Boot winner) Riko Ueki onside as she dinked a header past U.S. goalkeeper Claudia Dickey, sullying their clean sheet.

“From a defensive perspective at the highest level, these are details that are going to really, really matter,” Hayes said. “I say that because I know she is not only capable of it, but she has to learn these things because when you play an opponent like Japan, if you watch the goal back, not getting pressure on the service is what’s required at the highest level.”

Japan midfielder Manaka Matsukubo shoots, challenged by US defenders Gisele Thompson and Kennedy Wesley.Nic Coury / Getty Images

With two matches against Japan remaining, the competition for a starting left full-back spot has taken on a new complexion. Defenders Avery Patterson and Lilly Reale have been in and out of recent national team camps due to illness and injury, respectively. They will likely get minutes in this window, and Emily Fox’s starting status at right back is essentially secured. Hayes’ assessment on the opposite side has become even tougher, courtesy of Gisele.

Of the three, Patterson has the most comprehensive attacking qualities as a full back. Reale’s delivery into the box is exceptional. And Gisele, for all of her own skills, also knows exactly how to unlock Alyssa, an edge that no other defender — or player — could come close to. The Thompson sisters have lost just once in the four matches they’ve started together: a 2-1 friendly against Brazil that also took place at PayPal Park last April.

Singers Flack and Hathaway are not siblings, but they were both Howard University students when they met on the historically black college campus in the late 1960s. They became creative co-conspirators and have featured on several of each other’s projects, as well as an eponymous collaboration in 1972.

One of the tracks on that album is a cover of Carole King’s “You’ve Got a Friend.” Hayes didn’t play that one for the Thompson sisters, but it could also hint at the potential for their partnership on the USWNT.

“You just call out my name // And you know wherever I am // I’ll come running, running, running // To see you again.”

By Tamerra Griffin