USWNT Roll Past China 3-0 in St. Paul

The energy was loud in St. Paul as the USWNT took the field with five fresh faces in the lineup, shaking off the loss to Brazil and looking to build something new. Crystal Dunn, Sam Coffey, Lindsey Heaps, and Naomi Girma were back in the mix, with a new goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce between the posts—and Avery Patterson earning a start and third cap.

From the start, the U.S. looked eager to test China’s mid-block, and the gaps were there. In the 12th minute, Michelle Cooper nearly connected with Alyssa Thompson on a brilliant through ball, but China’s backline barely cleared it in time. Thompson was everywhere as has been the case all year—making hard runs, stretching the field, and forcing China to scramble.

China’s decision to play a high line? Let’s just say… it backfired.

The opener came in the 27th minute after Thompson tore up the middle of the box off a piercing cross and gave the most delicate of touches. In the chaos, Catarina Macario—the Chelsea champion—was there to clean it up, slotting home her 11th international goal. Ten minutes later, it was Sam Coffey’s turn. Thompson again shredded China’s backline, Macario laid it off, and Coffey calmly finished it off. It was the kind of goal that felt like a statement—sharp, clinical, and confident. A composed finish from a traditional six stepping up big.

Before halftime, Cooper nearly added a third, ripping a shot just wide off a slick pass from Heaps. You could feel the momentum building as the half closed.

In the second half, Heaps wasn’t going to be denied. It all came together in the 53rd minute—Cooper sent in a perfect cross, and Heaps smashed it home. China had no answer for the U.S.’s high press, and their defensive posture paid the price.

Subs rolled in at the 56th—Emma Sears and Ally Sentnor coming on for Cooper and Thompson. Sears, who’s been on fire in her second season at Racing Louisville (five goals already this year), wasted no time making an impact, bringing fresh energy to the attack.

A special shoutout went out to Lo’eau LaBonta, who at 32 earned her first-ever USWNT cap. It’s the kind of moment that shows what Emma Hayes is building—a pipeline that mixes youth with experience in a way only she could dream up.

The final score: USWNT 3, China 0. Plenty to build on, plenty of young players stepping into the spotlight, and plenty of energy on the field. This is the kind of match you circle as a turning point—where the so-called “international” class of players, as Hayes has dubbed them, get their chance to grow into world-class. With the usual suspects—the triple espresso lineup—still out of rotation, it’s Thompson, Cooper, Sears, Sentnor, and Macario making their mark and pushing this team forward.

Hayes is also sending a clear message about building a long-term talent pipeline—choosing to have Jaedyn Shaw play with the U-23s in Germany while the senior team holds it down at home. The mission is clear: cement quality for the next decade. As Hayes herself put it, this has to happen “without losing”—a challenge that this next generation will have to rise to meet.