Stephen Spillman/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF
The United States women’s national team will try to extend its winning streak to eight games on Sunday in its second of two October clashes with Iceland.
Emma Hayes’ side beat Iceland 3-1 on Thursday to open up a three-game week inside the October international window.
Sunday’s game in Nashville should mark another opportunity for the newer players in the squad to receive some minutes and impress Hayes.
Alyssa Thompson made the most of her opportunity on Thursday with the first of the three American goals. Jaedyn Shaw and Sophia Smith, who have become regular scorers for the USWNT, produced the other two tallies.
Another victory is expected in Nashville, but the USWNT would love to start a new clean sheet streak after Iceland scored on the Americans for the first time in 326 minutes on Thursday.
Hayes has a tricky situation in front of her because the USWNT has three games in the international window, not the typical two.
Plenty of squad rotation should be expected not just for Sunday’s game against Iceland, but for Wednesday’s clash with Argentina in Louisville.
Hayes opted for a forward trio of Alyssa Thompson, Lynn Williams and Mallory Swanson on Thursday.
That likely means Jaedyn Shaw and Sophia Smith, who both scored as substitutes, will lead the line from the beginning on Sunday.
Shaw only played 24 minutes in Austin, while Smith was on the field for 18 minutes.
Lindsey Horan, Rose Lavelle and Naomi Girma all played 90 minutes on Thursday, and while it would surprise no one if all three started and played most of Sunday’s game too, Hayes may give one of them a break.
Horan, Lavelle and Girma are three of the USWNT’s most important players, but if the goal of the October window is to give more players experience at the international level, some rotation is required.
Hayes could turn to Korbin Albert in midfield to provide some experience in the middle of the park alongside some of the newer players, if that is the way the USWNT boss wants to approach the starting XI.
The USWNT handed out two debuts on Thursday to Hal Hershfelt and Yazmeen Ryan. Five other players on the roster are looking to make their respective international debuts.
A win is expected, regardless of who is on the field, and the goal will be to keep Iceland off the score sheet.
The European side was level with the USWNT for almost 30 minutes in the second half on Thursday before Shaw and Smith struck for their goals.
Iceland managed to put four shots on goal, a number that might seem too high for Hayes’ liking given how well the Americans have played defensively since she took over.
The USWNT has not allowed multiple goals in a single game since June 1 and it has held eight clean sheets in 11 games during that span.
Prediction: USWNT 3, Iceland 0
Read the full article here