US Takes on World Champions
The USWNT returned to action this month as they played host to Spain, the defending World Champions. This is the best team the US has faced, as Spain is a perennial top 3 team in the world and has dominated the women’s game domestically with Barcelona, and of course, winning the last World Cup and finishing as runners-up in the EURO. The US dropped the first game 2-0 and drew the second game 2-2. While the results may not be what fans hope for, Emma Hayes and the US continue to take these games as a learning process, giving new players and some familiar faces their first appearance in multiple years, which has always provided a great impact for the US. The biggest story coming out of these two games is the return of forwards Ashley Sanchez and Mallory Swanson, who both scored in the second match.
Swanson, some may know, scored the game-winning goal against Brazil in the 2024 Olympics and was crucial to that gold medal team, scoring or assisting on 6 of the 11 US goals in Paris. This Olympic team is arguably the best we have seen from the US since 2019, when they won the World Cup. Swanson slowly fell out of the US rotation due to a knee injury in 2023 and her pregnancy and maternity leave in 2025. Missing out on camps and training for the US, with the deep pool they have, it is hard to keep a spot after missing so much time. Swanson returned to play in May for her club, the Chicago Stars, and with her returning to consistent play, US coach Emma Hayes called her up for the first time in June for the two matches against Brazil. Despite not seeing the field, this first call-up was important as it helped her ease back into the US style of play and regain chemistry with the players. “Mal has shown improvement every day in training,” Hayes said. "I say it all the time: she's an important player on our team, and I think the more we have her back, the better it will get.” With a big tournament coming in 2027, Hayes is continuing to not force her players to return and is taking the time to look at younger depth options, giving players like Swanson time to return to 100% form.
Ashley Sanchez’s last appearance was in October 2024, and Emma Hayes decided against selecting her in favor of developing and evaluating the player pool, and in a very crowded midfield, Sanchez was not selected. The 2026 season has changed everything for Sanchez, as she currently stands as the top goal scorer in the NWSL with 20 goals, which ties the NWSL single-season scoring record and ties the single-season record for most goals scored by an American player in the NWSL. All of this with two matches remaining. For context, last season Ashley Sanchez scored only two goals. This type of increase in production is something the US could not ignore, and Sanchez earned her first call-up back to the US since 2024.
Swanson and Sanchez eventually returned to the field on October 10th and provided an instant spark against Spain as the US was down 2-0. They both nearly connected for a goal, but the shot went wide. The impact they brought did not go unnoticed. US veteran defender Tierna Davidson said, “When they came in, the quality of the game rose. We had lots of opportunities that they had a big hand in creating. They're fantastic, and I'm really happy to have both of them back.”
The second game is where they both took advantage of their moment. Sanchez earned her first US start in 714 days, and Swanson came off the bench once again. It started in the 49th minute as the US began their counterattack; forward Sophia Wilson found Sanchez with a lot of space on the left wing. Spain choosing to defend a cross gave Sanchez space to work, and she gave the defender a little shimmy and placed the ball perfectly on the right side netting for her first US goal since 2022. Then, in the 86th minute, defender Kate Del Fava lobbed a great ball to forward Michelle Cooper on the right wing, who then found Swanson right behind the penalty spot, took one touch, and volleyed it perfectly in the left corner. Swanson earned her 39th international goal and her first since that Gold Medal game in 2023. Both players returning in a big way provided a huge lift for the US against the World Champions Spain.
In matches like these, winning and losing obviously matter a lot, but I think Emma Hayes sees each window and game as an opportunity to try something different, whether it be a new player or a new strategy. Spain is a tough challenge for the US because of their ability to keep possession and lull the opposing defense to sleep by just playing smart soccer and capitalizing on their opponents’ mistakes. The US, on the other hand, also likes a possession-style of play, and in these two matches, we saw the US have to play a more counter-attacking style game. This is a new challenge that helps them learn if it’s something they can switch to when needed in a big tournament and who they can rely on to perform in that role. I think in both games we saw the US show how much depth they have, as both games the US bench players made the difference. It was more than Mallory Swanson or Ashley Sanchez, two players who have been starters, but someone like defender Kate Del Fava, making her first US appearance, who started the play that led to Swanson’s equalizer in the second match. Hayes said. “I think we see the importance of the squad depth and how our players are really developing, especially the less experienced ones. The strength was in the size of our pack.”
The US returns to action on November 27th as they begin their World Cup Qualification by facing El Salvador. This will be a knockout tournament from November 27th to December 5th, and all four semifinalists will qualify for the World Cup. I believe this camp could be where we see the projected starting lineup for the US if the World Cup started today. This tournament features Canada and Mexico as well, two teams the US is known to struggle with, and both teams are very familiar with the US. The last two contests between the US and Mexico have been split, with the US winning the last matchup 1-0 and Mexico winning the match prior 2-0. Canada and the US have tied and gone to penalties in their last two matches, so while this tournament may have a slow start, it is expected to bring fireworks for the semifinal and final matches.
Stay notified here for updates on AI’s Projected 2027 USA Roster, as this update will feature many risers and new faces.
AI's Verse of the Day:
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28
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