The U.S. women’s national team roster is set for the final two friendlies of the year against England and the Netherlands, with coach Emma Hayes naming 24 players to her training camp roster. Once again, new names and potential debuts are on the line for the national team. This time, Manchester United goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce and Utah Royals FC forward (and under-20 USYNT captain) Ally Sentnor got their first call-ups under Hayes.
Notably, the starting front line from the Olympics is not included for the final two games, with Sophia Smith, Mallory Swanson and Trinity Rodman getting rest after a busy year for the players. Rodman will also be busy with the Washington Spirit this weekend as they face the Orlando Pride in the NWSL Championship.
Rodman might get to go home after Saturday’s final between the Spirit and the Pride, but teammates Casey Krueger and Hal Hershfelt as well as Orlando’s Emily Sams will be making the trip from Kansas City to Heathrow later this weekend to join up with the rest of the squad.
The big news ahead of the roster announcement was Ajax midfielder Lily Yohannes committing to the U.S. She’ll be the only teenager on the national team this time around, as both Alyssa Thompson and Jaedyn Shaw turn 20 years old this month.
Your final #USWNT roster of 2024 ✌️
— U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team (@USWNT) November 18, 2024
USWNT roster for England & Netherlands friendlies
Goalkeepers (3): Mandy Haught (Utah Royals FC), Phallon Tullis-Joyce (Manchester United), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars)
Defenders (9): Tierna Davidson (Gotham FC), Emily Fox (Arsenal), Eva Gaetino (PSG), Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave FC), Casey Krueger (Washington Spirit), Alyssa Malonson (Bay FC), Jenna Nighswonger (Gotham FC), Emily Sams (Orlando Pride), Emily Sonnett (Gotham FC)
Midfielders (6): Korbin Albert (PSG), Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC), Hal Hershfelt (Washington Spirit), Lindsey Horan (Lyon), Rose Lavelle (Gotham FC), Lily Yohannes (Ajax)
Forwards (6): Yazmeen Ryan (Gotham FC), Emma Sears (Racing Louisville FC), Ally Sentnor (Utah Royals FC), Jaedyn Shaw (San Diego Wave FC), Alyssa Thompson (Angel City FC), Lynn Williams (Gotham FC)
The Lily Yohannes era is official
While this is Yohannes’s third call-up to the national team, it’s the first following her commitment to the United States earlier this month. She was at camp with the team during the 2024 SheBelieves Cup but did not play. She earned her first cap during a June friendly against Korea Republic and scored in her USWNT debut.
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There are already massively high expectations around Yohannes and what she might offer the USWNT midfield, but Hayes and her technical staff have already shown a clear pattern of patience, allowing Yohannes time and space to make a crucial decision. While Yohannes already has big game experience with Ajax and in Champions League play, there’s plenty of time between the first couple of friendlies as an official USWNT player and World Cup qualification to allow her to settle in with the team.
As much as the development of such a potential talent is crucial, there is the small matter of the final friendly of the year taking place in the Netherlands — the other nation that was vying for Yohannes. This one will feel personal for the teenager.
Two more new faces
After Hayes gave seven uncapped players their debuts during the last international window — during the Olympics victory tour, no less — finding minutes for just two new players should probably seem a fairly simple task.
Hayes has expanded the depth chart of the goalkeeper pool once again this window, bringing in Tullis-Joyce from Manchester United (formerly of Reign FC). While Tullis-Joyce made the move to Manchester in September 2023, she only became the team’s starting goalkeeper following Mary Earps’s move to PSG but has picked up six clean sheets in her eight games played so far this season. United are currently fifth in the Women’s Super League standings but remain undefeated in league play.
Tullis-Joyce trained with the U.S. U-23s while in college, but does not have any youth national team appearances.
On the other end of the youth national team experience spectrum, Sentnor has finally earned her long-expected senior team call-up following this summer’s bronze-medal finish at the under-20 World Cup. She scored multiple goals during that run, including against the Netherlands in the third place game.
Sentnor was also the No. 1 pick for the Royals in the 2024 NWSL draft and was a clear bright spot for the team during the rough start to the season. She is also a finalist for the NWSL rookie of the year award.
The USWNT will face England at Wembley Stadium on Nov. 30 at 12:20 p.m. ET, before traveling to the Netherlands for its final game of the year on Dec. 3 at 2:45 p.m. ET from ADO Den Haag Stadium.
Hayes will speak to the media Monday about the roster for the European friendlies.
This story will be updated.
(Photo: Andy Lyons / Getty Images)
