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Sam Coffey Man City GFXGetty/GOAL
Celia Balf

USWNT Abroad: Sam Coffey growing in influence at Manchester City as Alyssa Thompson shines for Chelsea, Naomi Girma returns

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Women's football
A. Thompson
N. Girma
S. Coffey
P. Tullis-Joyce
E. Fox
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Arsenal Women
Manchester City Women
Manchester United Women
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GOAL reviews the top USWNT performances abroad over the weekend, from Girma's return to the Chelsea roster, Thompson's hunt for more goals, Tullis-Joyce's saves for United and Coffey's presence for Man City.

The ripple effects of Catarina Macario’s move to the NWSL’s San Diego Wave are already being felt - but not in the way many might have expected.

Rather than slowing down, Chelsea have continued to lean into their American core. Naomi Girma returned from absence to help secure a point against London City Lionesses, while Alyssa Thompson remained a constant threat down the left, creating chances even without finding the net.

In many ways, it’s part of a broader trend taking hold across Europe.

In England, Phallon Tullis-Joyce continues to anchor Manchester United, while Sam Coffey is carving out a bigger role with Manchester City.

And across the continent, the American imprint is just as evident. Emily Fox helped Arsenal overwhelm Everton, while Lindsey Heaps and Lily Yohannes were both involved as Olympique Lyonnais Féminin added another win to remain top of the French table.

GOAL takes a closer look at how USWNT players fared across Europe over the weekend.

  • Alyssa Thompson Chelsea Women 2025-26Getty Images

    Thompson's left-wing impact and Girma's return

    Thompson may not have scored for Chelsea this weekend, but she came close in the 1-1 draw against the London City Lionesses. The young winger was a constant threat down the left, using her pace and movement to stretch the defense. While she didn’t find the net, she was involved in several of Chelsea’s most dangerous moments, combining well in the final third and consistently getting into promising positions.

    Chelsea rank fourth in the WSL for shots on target this season, with Thompson’s direct running contributing to that attacking output.

    Naomi Girma also made her return from injury, coming on for the final 25 minutes as Chelsea absorbed late pressure. The defender was quickly tested after entering, helping the Blues hold on for a point as the Lionesses pushed forward.

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  • Sam Coffey Manchester City 2025-26Getty Images

    Coffey's budding impact in City's midfield

    Coffey continues to grow into her role with Manchester City, earning a start in midfield in their 5-2 win over Tottenham Hotspur. The holding midfielder was composed in possession, helping circulate the ball and initiate attacking sequences, though she found less success in duels when pressing higher up the pitch.

    The result keeps Manchester City top of the table on 46 points, eight clear of Manchester United in second.

  • Phallon Tullis-Joyce Man Utd HICGetty/GOAL

    Another win for Tullis-Joyce and the Reds

    Manchester United picked up a late 2-1 win over Everton to remain second in the WSL, with Tullis-Joyce playing a key role in goal. The goalkeeper produced a sharp low save late in the first half to deny Zara Kramžar, helping keep the match level at a crucial moment.

    Tullis-Joyce has been a steady presence for United throughout the season, providing reliability between the posts. She currently ranks second in the WSL in clean sheets, with six in 17 appearances.

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