U.S. Women’s National Team Defeats Ireland 4-0 to Reach 600 Wins in 40th Year of the USWNT Program

CINCINNATI (June 29, 2025) – The United States Women’s National Team faced the Republic of Ireland on Sunday afternoon for the second game of a three-match window and the second meeting between the two sides in the span of four days. Even with 11 changes to the starting lineup, the USWNT picked up right where they left off Thursday, shutting out Ireland 4-0 for the second straight match.

The win was the 600th in program history, a testament to the excellence set by the United States in the sport of women’s soccer. 

Goals from team captain Lynn Biyendolo, debutante Izzy Rodriguez, Yazmeen Ryan, who started her fifth career match, and second-half substitute Alyssa Thompson led the United States to the team's fourth consecutive clean sheet on a hot afternoon.

U.S. head coach Emma Hayes said she wanted a chance to look at the whole squad during this FIFA window, and Sunday’s match presented a good opportunity. Hayes went with an entirely new starting XI from Thursday’s match against Ireland. Today's lineup featured two debutantes – midfielder Sam Meza and left back Rodriguez – and two teenagers – 19-year-old Olivia Moultrie and 18-year-old Jordyn Bugg.

The only player in the starting XI with more than 10 caps entering Sunday’s contest was Biyendolo, who wore the captain’s armband for the first time and opened the scoring for the United States in the 11th minute. The 10 players aside from Biyendolowho started the match averaged just 4.1 caps per player.

It was the second least-capped starting lineup overall for the USWNT in the last 24 years.

The U.S. players passed the ball around patiently in the match’s opening minutes until they found a seam in the Irish defense. Biyendolo’s goal came when she played the ball to Emma Sears on the right wing and then continued her run into the penalty area. Sears took the ball toward the endline and crossed it back to Biyendolo in the center of the penalty box. The veteran forward calmly placed a volley into the upper left side of the net for the 25th international goal of her career.

The Irish gained some confidence as the first half went on and began to look more dangerous. Their pressure tested the United States defenders, including in the 38th minute when build up from the midfield resulted in a shot from Kyra Carusathat went wide. Still, the United States was the better side in the first half, controlling 70 percent of the possession and taking nine shots.

The U.S. doubled the lead in the 42nd minute on a play that involved two Ohio State alums. Ryan’s initial shot was blocked, producing some scrappy play from the United States to maintain possession near and inside the box. Working the tight spaces, U.S. attackers combined and Moultrie passed the ball to Sears on the right side of the box. The midfielder pivoted to create a good angle for a right-footed shot on frame, which forced Ireland goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan to make one of her six saves on the day. Rodriguez was in the area for a second chance and followed up with a clean, left-footed first-time strike to give the USA the same halftime scoreline they had on Thursday.

Looking to increase the tempo from the first 45, the USA created several chances early in the second half. After a blocked pass attempt on the left side of the USA’s attacking third, defender Tara McKeown pushed high from her position on the backline to clean it up. She dribbled toward the endline with pace, and sent a low, scintillating pass that crossed the box untouched until Croix Bethune, on the far side, tried a shot that was blocked. Later in the 58th minute, Sears did well to settle a ball after her pass to Emily Sams was disrupted. Sears’ attempt to bend the ball into the left corner of the net sailed high.

Ireland’s Lucy Quinn received a yellow card in the 62nd minute and the official awarded the United States a free kick from about 25 yards away from goal. Rodriguez took a few steps to fake the kick, but held up without taking a touch, which opened up a window for Moultrie. Her sinking shot called Brosnan into action to make the diving stop at the right post.

Moments later, the United States scored the team’s third goal of the afternoon. Midfielder Sam Coffey, subbing into the match for Biyendolo and taking up the captain's armband for the first time in her career, absorbed pressure from the Irish, attracting three defenders on the dribble. Sears tracked down a ball near the right corner flag on a pass from Ryan and stopped the ball a foot from the end line. Sears then dropped a pass back to Moultrie who found Ryan slipping through Ireland’s defense with her run and Ryan finished with her right foot just inside the right post to give the U.S. a 3-0 advantage.

And just like Thursday, the fourth goal for the United States belonged to Thompson, who came off the bench in the 80th minute. Fellow substitute Claire Hutton received a pass from Coffey up the pitch, then chipped a ball that held up perfectly for Thompson inside the box. With pressure on her back, Thompson’s took one calm touch with her left foot to set up the finish with her right.

The match played at TQL Stadium was a warm homecoming for Rose Lavelle, a Cincinnati native. The midfielder had a stellar performance against Ireland earlier this week when she scored a goal and recorded an assist to take her to 25 of each in her USWNT career. With Lavelle on a minutes restriction after returning from a six-month layoff after ankle surgery, she was never destined to see major action in this match, but Hayes was always going to give her a cameo.

Following the crowd’s chants of “We Want Rose!” Hayes instructed Lavelle to warm up on the sideline. The hometown crowd of 24,016 erupted in applause when the World Cup and Olympic champion subbed into the match in the 87th minute and had a chance at a direct free kick in the 88th.

Sunday’s game was the second of three in a week for the USWNT. In just three days, the USWNT takes on rival Canada in the Allstate Continental Clásico at Audi Field in the heart of Washington, D.C.

Goal Scoring Rundown:

USA – LYNN BIYENDOLO (EMMA SEARS), 11th minute: After being patient with the ball and controlling possession, the USWNT found an opening to create the first goal. Biyendolo played the ball to Sears on the wing then spun to make a hard run into the box. Sears’ controlled touch down the right wing took her to the endline, then she chipped a perfect cross into the box. Biyendolo showed her experience, poise and clinical finishing skills with a first-time volley high into the left side of the net for the afternoon’s first goal. USA 1, IRL 0

USA – IZZY RODRIGUEZ, 42nd minute: The United States maintained possession with some tight, short passes in and around the 18-yard box. Managing to find some space, Moultrie passed short to Sears in the middle of the box. Searsturned and fired a right-footed shot on goal. Ireland’s goalkeeper made the save on the midfielder’s strike, and the rebound traveled a little more than six yards where Rodriguez was ready to finish first-time with her preferred left foot. USA 2, IRL 0

USA – YAZMEEN RYAN (OLIVIA MOULTRIE), 66th minute: A hustle play to save the ball from running out-of-bounds led to a U.S. goal for the second straight match. Ryan sent a diagonal ball toward the corner flag and Sears raced to keep the ball in play. From there, Sears dropped the ball back to Moultrie, whose acceleration toward goal created a window of space for Ryan to finish with her right foot. USA 3, IRL 0

USA – ALYSSA THOMPSON (CLAIRE HUTTON), 86th minute: The fourth goal of the night involved players who all came off the bench for the U.S. Sam Coffey sent the ball up the pitch to Hutton, and the midfielder chipped a ball into the box for Thompson making a run. The midfielder delivered a right-footed strike to tally her second goal in as many matches. USA 4, IRL 0

Additional Notes:

• Midfielder Sam Meza and fullback Izzy Rodriguez became the 281st and 282nd players to earn a cap for the WNT and the 23rd and 24th players to debut under head coach Emma Hayes. They are also the 12th and 13th players of Hispanic descent to play for the USWNT.
• Lynn Biyendolo captained the USWNT for the first time. The forward is the oldest player on the camp roster and entering Sunday’s match had almost twice as many caps (81) as the entire rest of the starting lineup (41).
• With the opening goal, Biyendolobecame the 28th player in USWNT history with 25 or more goals. The finish brought her season total to four, tied with Ally Sentnor for most on the team, and brings her even with Rose Lavelle for most career goals in this camp.
• Rodriguez scored a goal in the 42nd minute to become the 23rd player in U.S. history to score in her first cap and the first since Emma Sears did so on Oct. 27, 2024, vs. Iceland.
• Yazmeen Ryan scored her first international goal in the 66th minute. It came in her 11th cap.
• Olivia Moultrie recorded her first career assist on Ryan’s goal in the 66th minute.
• Alyssa Thompson’s goal in the 86th minute was her second in as many matches and the third of her career. 
• Claire Hutton recorded her first career assist on Thompson’s goal.
• Defenders Kerry Abello and Gisele Thompson both took knocks in training yesterday and left camp this morning.
• The USWNT remains undefeated against Ireland, outscoring them 59-1 in 17 meetings. The 100% winning record is the best against any opponent in program history. The run is the USWNT’s longest winning streak against any UEFA opponent.
• The USWNT has now kept clean sheets in 14 consecutive meetings with Ireland, the longest run against a single opponent in program history

-U.S. Women's National Team Match Report-

Match: United States Women’s National Team vs. Republic of Ireland
Date: June 29, 2025
Competition: International Friendly
Venue: TQL Stadium; Cincinnati, Ohio.
Attendance: 24,016
Kickoff: 3:07 p.m. ET
Weather: 85 degrees, partly cloudy

Lineups:
USA: 1-Mandy McGlynn; 2-Emily Sams, 5-Tara McKeown, 3-Jordyn Bugg, 11-Izzy Rodriguez; 10-Sam Meza (16-Rose Lavelle, 87), 13-Olivia Moultrie (15-Claire Hutton, 80), 7-Croix Bethune (9-Ally Sentnor, 63); 19-Emma Sears, 6-Lynn Biyendolo (Capt.) (17-Sam Coffey, 63), 22-Yazmeen Ryan (21-Alyssa Thompson, 80)
Substitutes not used: 4-Naomi Girma, 8-Avery Patterson, 12-Michelle Cooper, 14-Emily Sonnett, 18-Claudia Dickey, 23-Lilly Reale, 24-Angelina Anderson
Head coach: Emma Hayes

IRL: 1-Courtney Brosnan (Capt.); 2-Jessie Stapleton, 12-Anna Patten (8-Ruesha Littlejohn, 73), 4-Caitlin Hayes, 5-Chloe Mustaki (6-Megan Connolly, 46); 7-Tyler Toland (22-Izzy Atkinson, 84), 14-Marissa Sheva; 21-Emily Murphy (24-Hayley Nolan, 46), 18-Kyra Carusa, 19-Abbie Larkin (15-Lucy Quinn, 46); 20-Saoirse Noonan (9-Amber Barrett, 58)

Substitutes not used: 3-Dee Bradley, 10-Erin McLaughlin, 16-Grace Moloney, 17-Ellen Molloy, 23-Sophie Whitehouse, 25-Erin Healy

Head coach: Carla Ward

Stats Summary: USA / IRL
Shots: 25 / 3
Shots on Goal: 10 / 0
Saves: 0 / 6
Corner Kicks: 2 / 1
Fouls: 10 / 13
Offside: 3 / 3

Officials:

Referee: Janeishka Caban (PUT)
Assistant 1: Mijensa Rensch (SUE)
Assistant 2: Katherine Prescod (PAN)
Fourth Official: Melinda Homa (USA)

Michelob Ultra Woman of the Match: Lynn Biyendolo