The U.S. Women’s National Team kicked off its 2026 calendar in emphatic fashion on Saturday afternoon, rolling past Paraguay 6–0 at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California. A debut goal from Reilyn Turner and a second-half scoring avalanche highlighted a dominant performance from a youthful U.S. side that blended emerging talent with established leadership in front of a lively Southern California crowd of 19,397.
The victory marked the U.S. program’s first match of the new cycle under head coach Emma Hayes and served as an early tone-setter ahead of a busy year that includes the SheBelieves Cup in March, a three-match series against Japan in April, and World Cup Qualifying later in 2026. Despite the lopsided scoreline, the afternoon carried additional significance, as the Americans fielded their least experienced starting lineup in the last 25 years, with the Starting XI averaging just 9.6 caps entering the match.
That youthful group was led by Trinity Rodman, who returned to the national team after re-signing with the Washington Spirit in a landmark NWSL deal. The 23-year-old forward earned her 48th cap and wore the captain’s armband for the first time in her international career, becoming the most experienced player on the January roster. Rodman’s leadership was evident throughout, guiding a lineup that leaned heavily on first- and second-year internationals.
The opening half saw the U.S. control possession and probe Paraguay’s defensive block, with Rodman and debutant Reilyn Turner providing early attacking sparks. Turner, a Laguna Beach, California native and former UCLA standout, was making her first international appearance after rising to prominence with Portland Thorns FC. The breakthrough arrived in first-half stoppage time when Turner capped her debut in memorable fashion. After Olivia Moultrie slipped a perfectly weighted through ball into her path, Turner cut inside and rolled a left-footed shot inside the near post, becoming the 25th player in program history to score in her international debut.
That goal proved to be the catalyst for an explosive second half. Just two minutes after the restart, Ally Sentnor doubled the U.S. advantage, finishing a well-worked sequence that began on the left flank. Sentnor, who started the match in midfield before shifting higher, struck her first goal of 2026 and the fifth of her international career, giving the Americans full control.
Paraguay’s resistance crumbled soon after. In the 53rd minute, U.S. pressure forced an own goal, as a driven pass across the box deflected into the net. Three minutes later, Rodman capped her captain’s debut with a goal of her own, finishing calmly from close range after a perfectly timed ball over the top from fellow Spirit player Tara Rudd. The moment sparked a jubilant celebration and underlined Rodman’s importance to this evolving U.S. side.
The goals continued to arrive in rapid succession. In the 57th minute, Sentnor completed her brace by chasing down a long through ball from Gisele Thompson and finishing low into the corner. Five goals—spanning Turner’s stoppage-time strike and Sentnor’s second—were scored in a remarkable 12-minute stretch that effectively ended the contest before the hour mark.
Emma Sears added the finishing touch in the 72nd minute, sliding her effort past the Paraguayan goalkeeper after a turnover forced by Croix Bethune. The goal capped a comprehensive team display and secured the U.S. Women’s National Team’s fourth consecutive clean sheet dating back to 2025.
Statistically, the match was one-way traffic. The U.S. held 70 percent of possession, attempted 19 shots with eight on target, and did not allow Paraguay a single shot on goal. Goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn, earning her fifth cap, was largely untested, with her lone meaningful involvement coming late in the first half when she calmly collected a cross into the box.
Before kickoff, the afternoon also included a moment of reflection, as U.S. Soccer honored Los Angeles native and USWNT legend Christen Press in a pre-match ceremony. Press, a two-time World Cup champion who announced her retirement from professional soccer last fall, concluded her international career with 155 caps and 64 goals, ranking ninth all-time in program history.
The match also featured multiple milestones beyond the scoreline. Sally Menti and Maddie Dahlien made their international debuts in the second half, becoming the 287th and 288th players to earn caps for the U.S. Women’s National Team. Lo’eau LaBonta made her first international start at age 32, becoming the oldest player to do so for the program, while Izzy Rodriguez and Gisele Thompson recorded their first career assists.
With the convincing win in the books, the U.S. now turns its attention north, traveling 117 miles to Santa Barbara to face Chile on Tuesday, Jan. 27 at Harder Stadium. The match will serve as the final tune-up before the SheBelieves Cup and another opportunity for Hayes’ youthful squad to continue building momentum as the 2026 cycle gets fully underway.
