Despite carrying play for significant stretches, especially during the first 60 minutes, the USWNT settled for a 0-0 draw in Saturday’s high-profile friendly against England at a buzzing Wembley Stadium.
The tie extended the USA’s unbeaten run to 19 games, dating back to February of this year. The Americans had a goal called back for offside and a penalty kick awarded and then correctly reversed on VAR review, while retiring goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher posted her 10th shutout of 2024 (a personal single-year record) in what could be her penultimate USWNT appearance.
Report by USSoccer.com
Hayes’ squad for these year-end friendlies is a blend of veterans and fresher faces (10 of the 24 players began camp had two caps or fewer going into the game), but Saturday’s lineup understandably tilted toward experience. Seven U.S. starters took part in the sides’ most recent encounter — the October 2022 friendly at Wembley that was won, 2-1, by the hosts — and nine won Olympic gold this summer.
The two non-Olympians were forward Alyssa Thompson, who made her USWNT debut as a 17-year-old during that 2022 Wembley friendly, and forward Emma Sears, who tallied a goal and an assist in her sensational debut last month. The XI was led by captain Lindsey Horan, who earned her team-leading 20th start of 2024, and the stalwart Naeher, who five days earlier had announced her pending international retirement at the end of this year.
The electric setting and commotion produced by a crowd of 78,346 — the fourth largest in USWNT history and biggest ever for a friendly — helped spark a brisk, transition-heavy opening to the match. Thompson nearly lifted the USA into an early lead off a cross from Sears, but the promising fifth-minute shot from the left side of the penalty area was saved by diving England goalkeeper Mary Earps.
The Americans’ speed on the ball and pressure off it dictated terms early, as Rose Lavelle frequently had room to run through midfield and was the game’s primary attacking architect. While the second-ranked Lionesses found some rhythm after around 20 minutes and posed more of a threat, the USA remained on the front foot. Defender Casey Krueger forced another good save from Earps with a 32nd-minute rip from the edge of the penalty area. Midfielder Sam Coffey then tested Earps from around the same spot in the 44th.
The Americans outshot England 5-1 in the first half and enjoyed a 59%-41% advantage in possession, but there were zeroes on the Wembley scoreboard at intermission.
The second half unfolded like the first. There was relentless U.S. pressure that didn’t pay off (Horan put the ball in but was whistled offside), followed by a stretch when England seemed to settle in and level the playing field. The Lionesses, who are preparing to defend their continental title next summer in Switzerland, enjoyed their most threatening spell as the match approached the hour mark. The hosts then got a break when a penalty kick awarded by referee Lina Lehtovaara for an apparent 64th-minute handball by England’s Alex Greenwood was correctly reversed after video review.
Hayes had inserted Yazmeen Ryan for Sears at halftime, then sent on Korbin Albert and Jaedyn Shaw for Thompson and fellow forward Lynn Williams in the 73rd. England’s Beth Mead and Lavelle, who remained the most dangerous player on the pitch, traded chances. In the 88th, Horan made way for debutant Ally Sentnor, the Utah Royals FC striker who won the Bronze Ball at this year’s Under-20 FIFA Women’s World Cup. But time expired before the subs could find a breakthrough.
The Americans outshot England, 10-4, and put three chances on frame to the Lionesses’ one. The hosts narrowed the possession gap with an improved last half-hour but the USA, driven forward by Lavelle, remained the more dangerous team. Nevertheless, the visitors were shut out for the first time since a July draw against Costa Rica and for just the third time in 22 matches this year.
The USA now leads the all-time series against England 12W-5L-3D, with a 1W-2L-1D mark on English soil. The Americans are 17W-1L-4D overall in 2024.
1-Alyssa Naeher; 23-Emily Fox, 4-Naomi Girma, 14-Emily Sonnett, 20-Casey Krueger; 17-Sam Coffey, 16-Rose Lavelle, 10-Lindsey Horan (Capt.) (9-Ally Sentnor, 87); 13-Emma Sears (24-Yazmeen Ryan, 46), 6-Lynn Williams (8-Jaedyn Shaw, 73), 7-Alyssa Thompson (3-Korbin Albert, 73)
Substitutions Not Used: 21-Mandy Haught, 2-Emily Sams, 5-Jenna Nighswonger, 11-Lilly Yohannes, 12-Tierna Davidson, 15-Alyssa Malonson, 19-Hal Hershfelt, 22-Eva Gaetino
Head coach: Emma Hayes
1-Mary Earps; 2-Lucy Bronze, 5-Leah Williamson (Capt.), 3-Jess Carter, 6-Alex Greenwood; 8-Georgia Stanway, 4-Keira Walsh, 10-Jess Park (14-Fran Kirby, 75); 7-Jess Naz (17-Chloe Kelly, 75), 9-Alessia Russo, 11-Beth Mead
Substitutions Not Used: 13-Hannah Hampton, 21-Anna Moorhouse, 12-Esme Morgan, 15-Millie Bright, 16-Millie Turner, 18-Grace Clinton, 19-Aggie Beever-Jones, 20-Gabby George, 22-Ruby Mace, 23-Laura Blindkilde-Brown
Head coach: Sarina Wiegman
The meeting between the top two teams in FIFA’s Women’s World Rankings opened a challenging international window that will end on Dec. 3 in The Hague, where the No. 1 USA will conclude its 2024 schedule against the 11th-ranked Netherlands. Kickoff at ADO Den Haag Stadium is at 2:45 p.m. ET / 8:45 p.m. CET and the match will be broadcast by TNT, truTV, Universo, Max and Peacock.
