USWNT

Incoming United States women’s national team head coach Emma Hayes sent shockwaves through the women’s soccer world on Saturday as her Chelsea side defeated Barcelona 1-0 on the road in the first leg of the Women’s Champions League semifinal.

The defending Champions League winners were undefeated at home in the previous FIVE YEARS. Hayes’ side limited Barcelona, who had scored 33 goals in eight Champions League games this season, to just one shot on target.

The result is also Barcelona’s first defeat of the season.

The United States women’s national team fandom is divided on one big question. Should Alex Morgan go to the Olympics this summer?

Only 18 players will be on USWNT head coach Emma Hayes’ roster this summer as the USA seek their first gold medal in women’s soccer since 2012. Does Morgan deserve one of the coveted roster spots?

Alex Morgan Olympics debate

Morgan was on the outside looking in at the start of 2024. When the USWNT Gold Cup roster was released in February Morgan’s name was nowhere to be found. 

The United States women’s national team will go on a month-and-a-half hiatus following a spring that saw them lift the inaugural Concacaf W Gold Cup and their seventh SheBelieves Cup. We’d say we’ve seen enough for a USWNT Olympic roster prediction.

Incoming USWNT head coach Emma Hayes will need to narrow the roster to 18 names for the Paris Olympics. She’ll have watched both tournaments and have a solid idea of who deserves to go.

Twila Kilgore’s time as interim head coach of the United States women’s national team has come to an end following the SheBelieves Cup triumph vs. Canada. 

Current Chelsea boss Emma Hayes will coach the next USWNT game which will be a friendly vs. South Korea on June 1.

Kilgore finishes her eight-month tenure with a Concacaf W Gold Cup title, a SheBelieves Cup title and a national team with renewed hope.

The U.S. women’s national team were crowned the 2024 SheBelieves Cup champions after defeating Canada in Columbus on Tuesday.

After facing off against Canada in the W Gold Cup semifinals last March and  defeating The Maples through penalties, both national teams were to meet once again in hopes of winning a trophy.

The young American has had quite the week in her return to USWNT camp.

Following a more than controversial end of March for the USWNT's Korbin Albert, the 20-year-old midfielder was relegated to the bench and booed by fans as she came onto the pitch as a substitute.

Korbin Albert booed by fans in USWNT-Japan

The United States women’s national team mounted a 2-1 comeback victory vs. Japan in the SheBelieves Cup semifinal on Saturday in front of a record crowd in Atlanta, Georgia.

The 50,644 fans (the most ever for a non-World Cup or Olympic game on U.S. soil) in Mercedes-Benz Stadium sat stunned when Japan figuratively punched the USWNT in the mouth with a goal just 30 seconds into the game.

30 seconds is all it takes for Japan’s Kiko Seike to take the lead vs. USWNT.

Woah

United States women’s national team head coach Twila Kilgore turned heads with her starting XI for the SheBelieves Cup semifinal vs. Japan on Saturday. Korbin Albert will start the game on the bench and Mallory Swanson returns for the first time in a year.

Swanson last started a game with the USWNT on April 8, 2023, when she suffered a severe knee injury. She’s back in the starting XI for the first time since.

USWNT starting XI vs Japan

The XI to get us started in Atlanta

All eyes will be on the United States women’s national team starting XI on Saturday ahead of the SheBelieves Cup semifinal vs. Japan. The elephant in the room is obvious. Will Korbin Albert start the game?

Under normal circumstances Albert starting in the midfield for the USWNT would be a no brainer. She was terrific for the team alongside Sam Coffey during the Concacaf W Gold Cup and broke her way into the starting XI.

United States women’s national team legend Ali Krieger is returning to the field and will play for the U.S. Women’s team in TST (The Soccer Tournament) this summer.

Krieger, who retired after winning the NWSL Championship with Gotham FC last season, is dusting off her boots for one last dance.

TST had its inaugural 7-on-7 competition last year and was a smashing success drawing in tons of fans for the $1 million tournament.