The U.S. women’s national team have a chance to close out the year with a winning streak on Monday. After defeating Italy 3-0 on Friday, the group will face the Europeans once again in the final match to mark the end of 2025 at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.
The friendly marks the last chapter of a year defined by roster rotation, player pool expansion, and tactical experimentation, all authored by head coach Emma Hayes. The manager has been transparent about utilizing the year as a transformative one, as the group prepares to turn the page toward 2026.
The USWNT will now ride the momentum of their recent victory into the final game of the year, and a three-game streak in hand over Portugal, New Zealand, and Italy, and a chance to close out 2025 with 12 wins.
Here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming match:
How to watch final USWNT game of the year
Date: Monday, Dec. 1 | Time: 7 p.m. ET
Location: Chase Stadium — Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
TV: TBS
Familiar foe
The U.S. national team have spent a large chunk of the year playing repetitive opposition multiple times this year. Brazil, Ireland, Portugal, and now Italy are all programs the USWNT will have faced in consecutive matches during international windows. Hayes has utilized the double-opponent opportunities to get players experience while ensuring evaluations.
Friday’s victory was a tale of two halves for the Stars and Stripes. In a similar trend to Portugal’s surprise win over the USWNT, Hayes’ group got off to a quick start against Italy but failed to capitalize on an early goal scored by Oliva Moultrie. But unlike Portugal’s come-from-behind win, the USWNT sealed victory in the second half, thanks to Catarina Macario. She scored a brace, and the two-goal performance was her second consecutive double-goal game.
Macario’s rise has been a quieter comeback of sorts, as the attacking player has had a long road back from an ACL injury in 2022. She heads into the final match of the year with six goals scored in seven previous starts, and the win against Italy had other players with moral victories as well.
Naomi Girma’s return to the roster after nearly 150 days was a welcome sight. The center back last featured for the team in July, during a 3-0 win against Canada, but has battled through a calf injury throughout the majority of the year. The vice-captain sported the armband on the pitch, with captain Lindsey Heaps on the sidelines for game one. Girma’s presence helped steady the backline and secure a clean sheet against Italy.
Hayes is no stranger to player rotations in 2025, so there could be several swaps in the lineup as the group prepares to face Italy once again.
Veteran players reflect on year of evaluations
With another game against Italy on the horizon, one such player who might get rotated back into the lineup will be team captain Lindsey Heaps. The 31-year-old midfielder is one of the most capped players on the team (169), has scored 37 goals for the USWNT, and first featured for the team in 2013.
She’s been integrated in and out of lineups as manager Emma Hayes tries to get as many players familiar with the program’s principles.
“I think first and foremost, the depth of this team is growing so much, and I think that is the most important thing with the U.S. national team,” Heaps told reporters on Saturday.
“It’s the most competitive environment that I’ve ever been a part of, and that’s been through years and years and years. That’s what makes it, you know, one of the best teams in the world for so long. So, to have that depth, to have these new young players coming through, and absolutely killing it, and putting on a show in this last game as well … with the balance of experienced players and new players, it’s really important.”
Sometimes in the past, U.S. women’s national team systems, player rotation and integration were not always met with positivity. Hayes’s arrival has shifted that perspective around the program and U.S. Soccer as a whole.
“She brings her experience and learnings from years and years at Chelsea in such a high environment and class environment, where she has players that come and go as well, and I think that’s what you have to make of this [program]. Like, it can’t just be a steady state starting 11 all the time. You need to have that competitive environment,” Heaps said about Hayes’ role in 2025.
“I think she’s been absolutely awesome in that, but also just giving confidence to everyone as well, to go do their thing and know that they’re here for a reason.”
Prediction
The turkey hangover was nowhere to be found on Friday, and that will likely be the case again in match two against Italy. The Europeans will want a better showing, so maybe not a big blowout, but still a win for the USWNT. Pick: USWNT 2, Italy 0
Add Comment