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USWNT 1-1GOAL

Trinity Rodman takes center stage, Phallon Tullis-Joyce eyes her chance: Five keys as Emma Hayes' USWNT face world champions Spain

The U.S. Women's National Team will play Spain for the first time in four years on Saturday at Audi Field in Washington D.C. in the first of two friendlies against the World's No. 1.

Celia Balf

  • The U.S. Women's National Team are preparing for the kind of test Emma Hayes wanted: two matches against reigning world champions Spain, with World Cup qualifying on the horizon.

    Preparations began Tuesday at U.S. Soccer's Arthur M. Blank National Training Center in Fayetteville, Georgia, where the USWNT settled into their new home ahead of their first meetings with the world's top-ranked team since 2022.

    For the reigning Olympic champions, the immediate target is securing a place at the 2027 World Cup in Brazil, with El Salvador awaiting in the Concacaf W Championship quarterfinals. Spain have already booked their ticket. These two matches offer Hayes an opportunity to assess her team's readiness for the challenges ahead.

    “There will be learnings from game one to game two, but all of those learnings are helping us prepare for knockout football. It's going to be a great learning opportunity for us,” Hayes said.

    Hayes pushed for these fixtures, eager to expose her players to top European opposition before a major tournament. Results will offer one measure of where the USWNT stand, but her focus remains on building a team capable of winning next year's World Cup.

    “Listen I don't care about my win record as a head coach; our goal is to win the World Cup,” Hayes said. “The last thing you want is to go into a World Cup and see these teams for the first time.”

    Her 26-player roster offers plenty to unpack, from Ashley Sanchez's recall and Jaedyn Shaw's omission to another “Triple Espresso” reunion. There are opportunities for newcomers, too, with five uncapped players in camp. That group includes Utah Royals defender Kate Del Fava, who earned her first senior call-up after Naomi Girma withdrew through injury.

    “Look, I can't tell you what a World Cup qualifying or World Cup squad will look like, but I've got to make sure I've got a pool that's developed,” Hayes said.

    Balancing that development with the demands of facing Spain will be central to this camp. So will assessing her established attacking options and the competition in goal, where Phallon Tullis-Joyce and Claudia Dickey are vying for the starting role.

    GOAL looks at five keys as the USWNT prepare to face Spain in the first of two meetings.

  • Sanchez returns

    Ashley Sanchez

    Ashley Sanchez returns to the USWNT after nearly two years.

    Sanchez has never looked better in the NWSL. She has tied the league’s single-season scoring record with 20 goals and taken her move to the wing for the North Carolina Courage in stride after years as a central midfielder.

    A member of the 2023 World Cup squad, Sanchez is back in camp for the first time since January 2025. Her last USWNT appearance came in October 2024, leaving plenty to catch up on as she returns to Hayes’ setup.

    This week, Hayes has emphasized getting both newcomers and returning players up to speed.

    “If you're Ashley Sanchez, who hasn't been here for a long period, that's a lot tactically,” Hayes said. “I want to prioritize the development of players, and I don't want less experienced players always sitting on the bench and playing a few minutes.”

    In training, Sanchez has been working on the wing and soaking it all in, trying to find her footing in a short period of time. While every player wants minutes, perhaps even a start, Hayes is adamant that those stepping onto the field must understand their tactical roles. For Sanchez and others adjusting to the setup, that takes time.

    “I've explained to those players what their roles are this week, tactically where they need to develop ... it takes a few camps, we're intense here,” Hayes said.

  • A moment for Trinity Rodman

    Trinity Rodman and Tara Rudd

    Trinity Rodman and Tara Rudd both play for the Washington Spirit in the NWSL.

    Rodman enters the USWNT’s two-match series against Spain as one of the team’s most dangerous attacking weapons. Her form with the Washington Spirit has been outstanding in 2026, starting all 26 of the club’s matches this season, recording a career-best 11 goals and seven assists to lead the team in both categories.

    Rodman has also shown that her influence extends beyond club, but for country too. For the USWNT she has scored in both January friendlies against Chile and Paraguay, and contributed two assists across the three April matches against Japan, and added another assist during the June trip to Brazil.

    Rodman gets the opportunity to represent the U.S. on her club's home field, Audi Field, in the first match of the series. If there's one person who will make sure the USWNT showcases their best form and gets the crowd going, it's Rodman at home in D.C.

  • Front three options

    Alyssa Thompson

    Alyssa Thompson has four goals and four assists for the USWNT to date.

    There is plenty of competition for places in the USWNT attack.

    Across these two matches, Hayes can assess who can provide an immediate spark and how different combinations can challenge Spain.

    Chelsea’s Alyssa Thompson offers the kind of pace and directness that can stretch a back line, force defenders into one-on-one situations and create space for teammates.

    Sophia Wilson, meanwhile, is still building toward her best form after the birth of her daughter, but has already made an impact on her return to the national team. She scored against Brazil in June and now has 25 international goals. A natural goal scorer, she is likely to feature at No. 9.

    Michelle Cooper and Emma Sears give Hayes alternatives who can change the rhythm of the attack. Cooper, of the Kansas City Current, stands out for her service into the box and quick release. Racing Louisville’s Sears brings pace and work rate, along with six international goals.

    Perhaps the most intriguing newcomer is Trinity Byars, who earned her first senior USWNT call-up after a breakout season with San Diego Wave FC. Byars has scored 10 goals and recorded three assists in 2026, establishing herself as one of the Wave’s most productive attackers and earning NWSL Player of the Week honors in September.

    Her ability to find space behind defenders, finish chances and create for teammates makes her an exciting new option for Hayes to assess against Spain.

  • Center back questions loom

    Kennedy Wesley, USWNT
    Getty

    Kennedy Wesley is a center back who could likely see more minutes in this round of games for the USWNT.

    Emily Sonnett and Naomi Girma have been familiar faces in the heart of the USWNT defense. With both sidelined by injury, Hayes needs a different pairing for a major test against a Spain attack featuring Alexia Putellas and Salma Paralluelo.

    Hayes could experiment with several combinations, with Tierna Davidson, Kennedy Wesley, Tara Rudd and Kate Del Fava among her options. Finding chemistry will be important, but so will organization against a team that can exploit any space left open.

    “They're so dynamic in their movements and their interchange when they have the ball,” Wesley said. “It'll be really important for us to be disciplined, not get pulled out of position so that we can disrupt their attack ... not allowing them space and time because that's when they're the most successful.”

    At outside back, Emily Fox looks to have one spot locked down. The other is up for grabs, with Gisele Thompson, Avery Patterson and Evelyn Shores in contention.

  • Phallon Tullis-Joyce's time?

    Phallon Tullis-Joyce USWNT

    Phallon Tullis-Joyce and Claudia Dickey are competing for the USWNT’s starting goalkeeper spot ahead of two demanding tests against Spain.

    Phallon Tullis-Joyce and Claudia Dickey both deserve a closer look against the world’s top-ranked team. Tullis-Joyce brings valuable experience from Manchester United and has kept five clean sheets in seven USWNT appearances. Dickey, meanwhile, has been Hayes’ more frequent choice in goal, recording nine clean sheets in 11 appearances.

    Spain’s technical quality, movement and ability to create chances make these friendlies an important test of the USWNT’s goalkeeping options. Command of the penalty area, distribution and composure under pressure will all be under scrutiny.