Experimental USWNT survive as Trinity Rodman’s status is unclear after injury

U.S. women’s national team head coach Emma Hayes once again embraced a spirit of experimentation on Sunday, alternating her options and testing new tactical ideas in a 2-0 win over Argentina to open the SheBelieves Cup.

Captain Lindsey Heaps and Jaedyn Shaw scored to ensure the USWNT extended its winning streak to seven games, but the hosts survived an uneven performance with ups and downs. Fringe players like Emma Sears and Jameese Joseph have had their moments, while midfielder Claire Hutton’s stock continues to rise even after a substitute appearance.

The USWNT’s victory, however, was marred by injuries to Trinity Rodman and Lily Reale in the second half. Rodman was kneeling on his back in stoppage time and watching the final minutes of the match from the sidelines. Reale, a second-half substitute, came off after playing about 10 minutes following a violent tackle that left him with ankle discomfort and a limp.

Hayes’ team returns to play in the SheBelieves Cup on Wednesday at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field in Columbus against Canada, which beat Colombia 4-1 on Sunday.

Here are the takeaways from the United States’ victory.

No updates on Trinity Rodman

What appeared to be a relatively straightforward outing for the USWNT ended with a worrying moment for the hosts when Rodman went down after an Argentine player kneed her in the back, sending the 23-year-old to the ground. She was visibly emotional and was treated on the field for several minutes before standing and watching the game from the sidelines, with the United States having no more substitutes at that point.

Rodman’s fitness will carry over to the USWNT as they return to play in the SheBelieves Cup, while any potential concerns could impact the Washington Spirit as the NWSL season approaches its start later this month. Hayes, however, said after the game that she had no update on the player’s condition.

“I haven’t seen her,” Hayes said at a news conference. “I haven’t seen her. She came off the field. She’s in the locker room. I don’t usually see the team until they’ve done their debrief about an hour and a half after the game, so I can’t give you one. I don’t know.”

The concern is reasonable – Rodman has suffered from back injuries since his rookie season with the Spirit in 2021 and spent much of last year dealing with those issues, at one point seeing a specialist in London to help with his recovery.

Emma Sears continues to make her case

It’s easy to spot a handful of presumed locks for the World Cup roster in 2027 and before that, November’s World Cup qualifiers, but Hayes gave chances to a group of players who are on the fringes of the team against the lower-ranked team they’ll face in the SheBelieves Cup. Perhaps the highlight of this group has been Emma Sears, who has been fervently seeking to break into the team since her international debut in October 2024.

Sears earned her 15th cap on Sunday, once again demonstrating the natural skills that set her apart when playing for the national team. The striker is quick and effortless, so it’s easy to spot her in and around the penalty area, running after every opportunity like it’s of the utmost importance. It took little time for him to turn it all into a goal contribution, picking up the assist on Lindsey Heaps’ goal in the 19th minute, this time making a run into the box from the right flank and then smartly slotting the ball towards Heaps at the base of the area.

It looked like a continuation of his performances during the USWNT’s January camp and most notably his ever-present presence in a 5-0 win over Chile. For Sears, every moment – ​​and every contribution to a goal – counts. She has plenty of reps under Hayes, but a spot on a qualifying or World Cup roster isn’t safe given how the U.S. stays on offense, but she continues to capitalize well on her opportunities. This included a wider shift in the second half, a tactical change which did not diminish his qualities.

Hayes skips #6 – briefly

In keeping with Hayes’ spirit of experimentation, she altered her team’s shape slightly against Argentina, notably in midfield – she opted to do without a number 6, instead choosing Heaps, Lily Yohannes and Oliva Moultrie in the center of the park. The choice was fascinating but understandable in a game where the United States would hold the ball, prioritizing creating chances to make their lopsided possession stats worth it. The results, again, were mixed.

Heaps had a productive outing with a goal and an assist, her decision to feed the ball to Jaedyn Shaw in the 56th minute rather than shoot herself a shrewd move for the United States’ second goal. There was a disjointed feeling, however, which perhaps came from the players behind them. A backline of Gisele Thompson, Tara Rudd (formerly McKeown), Kennedy Wesley and first-time starter Maddie Dahlien – players with little reps together – looked disconnected and were inconsistent at the back, with the Argentine’s positioning higher up the pitch creating problems. This weighed heavily on the midfield’s subtle performance and low shooting numbers on offense – the United States managed just six shots, the lowest number since their SheBelieves Cup victory over Australia a year ago.

Hutton’s introduction in the second half, however, brought more balance to the USWNT’s operation, which is hardly surprising at this point. The 20-year-old has quickly become one of the United States’ most important players and already feels like the midfielder of not only the future but also the present. Hutton could well be the face of the USWNT’s youth development at this point and sooner or later she – alongside fellow young talents Yohannes and Moultrie – will push the more senior players into starting roles in the major games that likely await Hayes’ team.