USWNT Stock Up, Stock Down: Sophia Wilson on Fire, Goalkeeper Decisions Loom

The U.S. women’s national team may have split a pair of feisty friendlies with Brazil, but the lessons from playing at the site of next year’s World Cup could prove crucial.

Sophia Wilson (11) was the force behind both of the USWNT’s goals over the last week. | Brad Smith/USSF/Getty Images

On Saturday and Tuesday, the USWNT traveled to Brazil, the home of the upcoming 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, to, as manager Emma Hayes put it, to get away from the “nicey-nicey” environments of home games. With eight red cards assessed to Brazil’s players and coaching staff, this chippy and physical game certainly came with plenty of fodder for the visiting USWNT to take back as the group prepares for next year’s tournament.

The point was to be uncomfortable, playing a formidable opponent in a formidable away atmosphere, and quite frankly, become accustomed to the “discomfort” of what awaits them next year. The two matches against Brazil provided plenty of learning lessons as the USWNT came away with a 2–1 loss Saturday and a 1–0 win Tuesday.

This week was also the return of triple espresso, sort of. Although Trinity Rodman, Sophia Wilson and Mal Swanson all suited up for the first time since the 2024 Olympics, the group did not see field time as a trio. In fact, Swanson did not see any minutes at all. With only two U.S. goals scored across two matches, Swanson’s eventual return will be welcomed alongside her fellow two espressos. 

As Hayes moves ever closer to making her final decisions for next year’s tournament, let’s take a look at the players who saw their stock rise and fall over this international window.

Stock Up

Sophia Wilson

With the team’s lone goal in both matches (the second game’s technically an own goal due to a deflection, but surely Wilson will take it either way), Wilson continues to prove that she hasn’t lost a step since coming back from maternity leave earlier this year. The Portland Thorns forward started both matches showing just how integral she is to this USWNT side. As the game got increasingly physical, Wilson stayed sharp, tough and clinical. Her nose for goal remains as strong as ever, and the team is certainly grateful for that. 

BACK TO BACK GAMES WITH A GOAL FOR SOPH ‼️

USWNT x @VW pic.twitter.com/9cemBmHtyJ

— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) June 10, 2026

Kennedy Wesley

While the 25-year-old defender did not see minutes in the first match, she proved her worth in the second. In what was a very physical game, Wesley showed her ability to keep up with the game, use her own physicality to match the opponents, and provide key 1v1 defending in and around the box. In fact, she was part of a backline that held Brazil to no shots on goal Tuesday. She was tasked with defending her San Diego Wave teammate Ludmila, and showed that she was very much up for the challenge.  

Lily Yohannes

At only 18 years old, the OL Lyonnes midfielder has plenty of room to grow, but her tenacity and technique were on full display across these two matches, especially in Tuesday’s showing. Between last ditch slide-tackle defending to controlling midfield play during a physical match, Yohannes rose to the occasion. She has shown once again that her ceiling is as high as she’d like it to be, and if she continues to string together strong performances, show resilience like she did between the first and second games and compete for club and country, she’ll likely be on the plane to Brazil come 2027.

Lily Yohannes continued to show she’s a future star of the USWNT. | Miguel Schincariol/AFP/Getty Images

Honorary Mention: Michelle Cooper

The natural forward was called to play as a defender in both matches against Brazil, but especially impressed during the second of the two games. Her work rate on the wing was a large part of the reason why the USWNT held Brazil scoreless on Tuesday. 

Stock Down

Mandy McGlynn

In a super tight race to see who secures the starting goalkeeper spot for the USWNT, the pressure is on for the likes of McGlynn. After missing some time earlier this season with a finger injury, the Utah Royals keeper got her minutes in goal during the first of the two matches. It’s impossible to ask for perfection, but with the margins between McGlynn and fellow keeper Claudia Dickey so fine, everything counts. 

With two goals conceded on McGlynn’s watch, it is important to note she did save four out of six shots on target on Saturday. However, these are the fine margins that Hayes will be considering when making her final decisions, especially compared to Dickey’s clean sheet on Tuesday. 

Ally Sentnor 

The forward has been struggling to find the back of the net or make an impact with her NWSL team in the Kansas City Current, and she saw limited field time during these two international matches. When she did come in, although solid, she did not provide the spark that we’re so used to seeing from her. With no starts and Hayes seemingly starting to coalesce around a preferred front line, it’s clear Sentnor is a bubble player who will need to find ways to show out for both club and country if she’s going to see Brazil again in 2027. 

Claire Hutton

While the Bay FC midfielder has been key for club since joining from the Current earlier this year, she struggled across the two matches against Brazil. A poor back-pass in Saturday’s match led to Brazil’s go-ahead goal, and the 20-year-old struggled uncharacteristically to keep up with the game’s physicality. Hutton could easily become an integral part of this USWNT, but she’ll have to continue to show Hayes the same calmness and skill she shows every week for her club in the coming months. 

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