Game Report: USA-Brazil Women’s Friendly Player Ratings

USA-BRAZIL EXPRESS:
April 5 in Inglewood, California
USA 2 Brazil 0. Goals: Rodman 5, Heaps 66 (pen.).
Att.: 32,303.

After losing for the first time under Emma Hayes last time out against Japan, the U.S. women’s national team had a terrific response in a 2-0 win at SoFi Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Trinity Rodman scored the game’s first goal on her first appearance for the USA since the 2024 Olympics. Lindsey Heaps put the game beyond doubt with an expertly taken penalty kick just after the hour mark. It was the USA captain’s 37th goal for her country.

The Americans didn’t have it easy in a feisty contest. This exhibition match had been billed as a rematch of the 2024 Olympic gold-medal match, and in terms of intensity, it lived up to hype. Brazil harassed and harangued the USA, committing 18 fouls and saw five of their players go into Mexican referee Katie Garcia’s book. Twice Garcia could have shown a red card to a Brazil player, but opted not to. 

A back and forth affair, when the USWNT were on top they were impressive. The opening 20 minutes and final half an hour of the match saw Hayes’ team create plenty of big chances. But the middle section of the match was flat. Brazil’s high-press caused problems in the USA’s half. The USA ended the night victorious, edging the total shot count 17-15, with a much more one-sided 12-6 for shots on target. 

USA Player Ratings

(1=low; 5=middle; 10=high.)

GOALKEEPER

A fabulous clean sheet debut for Phallon Tullis-Joyce. The Manchester United goalkeeper is on course to win this season’s golden glove over in the English Women’s Super League, and she has bided her time to earn her first USA cap. 

Tullis-Joyce finished the match with six saves. Although most of them weren’t breathtaking, a parry in the second half from a fearsome Giovana Quieroz shot showed brilliant shot-stopping and handling ability. There was a smart early rush off her line that showcased her watchful eye on opposing passes.

Player (Club) caps/goals (age)

7
Phallon Tullis-Joyce (Manchester United, ENG) 1/0 (28)

DEFENDERS

Despite the clean sheet, this was a slightly mixed bag for the USA’s backline. It should be said that Brazil is not an easy opponent to play against. The South Americans played quick and direct. The USA defenders couldn’t pass the ball with much confidence. Few big chances fell for Brazil, and that is a real credit to the USA backline. 
Crystal Dunn was a standout. With her form for both club and country coming into question since the Olympics, this was a renaissance performance at left back. She won all seven of her ground duels, blocked a key shot, and picked up two interceptions. One excellent through ball to Alyssa Thompson in the first half was another highlight. More than anything the 32-year-old looked switched on and strong. Not intimidated one bit. 

On the other flank, Emily Fox did look flustered at times. Fox likes to gamble with space and play high, but that causes a few issues when gaps would appear with Brazil looking to make the most of transition. She relied on Rodman to come back and cover a lot in the first hour. 

Similar to Fox, Emily Sonnett had her moments of doubt. But lucky for her, Tullis-Joyce was there to clean things up. Sonnett got beaten on an early through ball, and then looked nervy when Giovana Quirez went by her. Nonetheless, still fairly solid for the most part. 

Despite her lack of experience, Tara McKeown had an understated and non-showy performance. Which for a center-back is a rather good thing. She blocked three shots, and threw her body about when she needed to. A better physical match for Brazil’s aggression. 

Player (Club) caps/goals (age)

5
Emily Fox (Arsenal, ENG) 66/1 (26)

6
Tara McKeown (Washington Spirit) 4/0 (25)

5
Emily Sonnett (Gotham FC) 106/2 (31)

7
Crystal Dunn (Paris St. Germain, FRA) 158/25 (32)

MIDFIELDERS

This was a difficult match for the USA midfield who defensively were bypassed by Brazil looking to get vertical as quickly as possible. With the ball they were pressed into making mistakes. Hayes opted to play with Ally Sentnor in a more advanced role, exchanging places with Catarina Macario sometimes. There wasn’t a lot of athletic defensive cover to help Lindsey Heaps and particularly Sam Coffey. It was a hybrid 4-3-3 and 4-2-4. 

One couldn’t fault Coffey for effort, but at times it felt like she was outnumbered in pressing and counter-pressing moments. Brazil swarmed the base of the USA midfield and Coffey battled as best she could. Certainly not a poor match, but one where she couldn’t quite set the tempo with the ball, or cope with Brazil’s physicality. 

Heaps deserves praise for her penalty kick that was perfectly executed and killed the game. Brazil goalkeeper Lorena guessed the correct direction but there was no stopping the shot. Still quite ineffective when it comes to intricate forward passing in smaller spaces, especially under pressure. But on the other hand, always an aerial presence. Which was much-needed in this type of game. Could have helped Coffey more defensively, though.

Sentnor started the match very well, testing goalkeeper Lorena twice. She could be seen running into space and floating in and out of multiple positions; from central midfield, to winger, to attacking midfield, and into the forward line. But after the first 20 minutes or so she drifted away. Just six successful passes in an hour of play. 

Player (Club) caps/goals (age)

5
Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns) 32/1 (26)

6
Lindsey Heaps (Lyon, FRA) 164/37 (30)

5
Ally Sentnor (Utah Royals) 6/2 (21)

FORWARDS

A homecoming of sorts for a frontline that all grew up in southern California. Alyssa Thompson in Los Angeles, Trinity Rodman in Corona del Mar, and Catarina Macario in San Diego. 

The long wait for Rodman to play for the USA again is over. The 22-year-old was majestic on her return to international soccer. On both sides of the ball, she brings such a valuable mix of relentlessness and technique. Helped out significantly on the defense, covering for Fox, and played some testing passes into the box that teammates just missed. A fantastic finish for the opening goal, too.

In the middle, and like Sentnor in a bit of a hybrid role, was Macario. Such an intelligent player who is always looking to move into spaces, and create angles, and flick the ball in unsuspecting ways. With just one early shot that flew wide of the post, there was a lot more that needed to be shown from her striking. On a positive note, there was expert back-to-goal build-up play. A connector, who didn’t quite have the magic touch in the final third. 

Thompson takes the glory as the player of the match. Perhaps because she played 85 minutes compared to Rodman’s 61. The Angel City winger’s assist for the opening goal was the moment of the match. A huge sign of the patience she has been developing in her game. She faked out the Brazil defense as the play evolved, and then slipped the ball to Rodman perfectly in the pocket to split the South Americans’ backline. Her dribbling and passing shone, she had three shots on target, and was unlucky not to score from point-blank range right at the end of the match. 

Player (Club) caps/goals (age)

7
Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit) 47/11 (22)

6
Catarina Macario (Chelsea, ENG) 22/9 (25)

8
Alyssa Thompson (Angel City FC) 16/1 (20)

SUBSTITUTES

The USA were the second best team between minute 30 and minute 61. What changed? Well, Hayes introduced Lily Yohannes and Michelle Cooper just after the hour and the substitutes revitalized the reigning Olympic champions. 

Even in a quick 29-minute sojourn, Yohannes offers such delicate forward passing and radar in the midfield that her skillset feels so unique. She won the penalty for the USA’s second goal, and had two impeccable passes behind the Brazil defense that caused problems and should have forced a red card. 

Cooper was also effective off the bench. Vital fresh legs to help invigorate the team as Rodman tired. She stretched the pitch, and almost scored at the back post but her NWSL teammate Lorena made the save. Cooper did pick up a tactical but clumsy yellow card knocking over a Brazil player to kill off a counter attack. 

Jaedyn Shaw, Yazmeen Ryan and Ashley Hatch all came on after the game was already won at 2-0. But the trio continued to pile on the pressure as the USA looked for a third goal. 

A special mention must go to Avery Patterson, who came off the bench for Fox to make her senior debut for the USWNT at outside back. 

Player (Club) caps/goals (age)

7
Lily Yohannes (Ajax, NED) 5/1 (17)

6
Michelle Cooper (KC Current) 3/1 (22)

5
Ashley Hatch (Washington Spirit) 23/5 (29)

5
Jaedyn Shaw (NC Courage) 25/8 (20)

5
Yazmeen Ryan (Houston Dash) 8/0 (26)

N/R
Avery Patterson (Houston Dash) 1/0 (22)

• TRIVIA: With a pre-match average of 55.5 caps per player, this was the least experienced USWNT XI to face Brazil since January 1996 (52.4).

• NOTABLE: At 28 years and 168 days old, Phallon Tullis-Joyce is the second oldest goalkeeper to earn her first USWNT cap after Aubrey Kingsbury (30 years and 143 days).

• UP NEXT: Brazil and the USA meet again on Tuesday in San Jose, California (10:30 PM ET, TBS, truTV, Universo, MAX, Peacock).

April 5 in Inglewood, California
USA 2 Brazil 0. Goals: Rodman 5, Heaps 66 (pen.).
USA — Tullis-Joyce; Fox (Patterson, 88), McKeown, Sonnett, Dunn; Coffey, Heaps (Shaw, 84), Thompson (Ryan, 85); Rodman (Cooper, 61), Macario (Hatch, 84), Sentnor (Yohannes, 61).
Brazil — Lorena; Haas, Tarciane (Fernanda, 81), Yasmim (Antonia, 73); Adriana, Mariza, Angelina (Duda Sampaio, 81), Ludmila (Bruninha, 73); Giovana (Jheniffer Gouveia, 89); Portilho, Gutierres (Kerolin, 73).
Yellow cards: USA — Sonnett 45+2. Brazil — Tarciane 50, Giovana 58, Haas 68, Adriana 72, Antonia 83. Red cards: none.
Referee: Katie Garcia (Mexico). AR1: Sandra Ramirez (Mexico). AR2: Shirley Perello (Honduras). 4th Official: Marianela Araya (Costa Rica). VAR: Diana Perez (Mexico). AVAR: Tatiana Guzman (Nicaragua)  
Att.: 32,303.

Stats:
USA/Brazil
Shots: 17/15
Shots on target: 12/6
Saves: 6/10
Corner Kicks: 5/6
Fouls: 15/18 
Offside: 4/0
Possession: 54%/46%

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