USA vs. Argentina: Match Preview for Oct. 30 Friendly in Louisville

After a pair of 3-1 victories over 13th-ranked Iceland to kick off this camp, the U.S. Women’s National Team will close out the international window against Argentina on Oct. 30 at Lynn Family Stadium in Louisville in a match presented by Jim Beam, the #1 selling bourbon. Kickoff is 7 p.m. ET with broadcast coverage available on TNT, truTV, Universo, Max and Peacock.

Unbeaten in 12 games under 2024 Ballon d’Or Women’s Coach of the Year recipient Emma Hayes, the U.S. arrives in Louisville with an overall record of 16W-1L-3D in 2024, including a 10W-1L-3D mark on home soil.

Wednesday’s match will be the final home game of 2024 for the Americans as the Olympic gold medalists close the schedule in Europe with matches against second-ranked England (Nov. 30) and the 11th-ranked Netherlands (Dec. 3).

Fans can also follow the USWNT in action via X (formerly Twitter – @USWNT),Instagram (@USWNT), Facebook and the official U.S. Soccer App.

HAYES WINS BALLON D’OR

On Monday, Oct. 28, Hayes picked up her first world honor as head coach of the U.S. Women’s National Team, winning the inaugural Ballon d’Or as the Women’s Soccer Coach of the Year.

Hayes, who took over the USWNT in May of 2024 after leading Chelsea FC to the Women’s Super League title in England and then guided the U.S. to gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics in just her 10th game at the helm, won the award over fellow nominees Sonia Bompastor (Olympique Lyon), Arthur Elias (Brazil, Corinthians), Jonatan Giraldez (Barcelona), Filipa Patao (Benfica) and Sarina Wiegman (England).

Five U.S. players were named to the 30-player shortlist for the 2024 Women’s Ballon d’Or following the team’s success at the 2024 Olympics. Sopha Smith finished fourth in the voting, Lindsey Horan was fifth, Mallory Swanson finished sixth and Trinity Rodman was ninth. Alyssa Naeher, the only goalkeeper nominated, finished 17th in the final voting.

COMEBACK COMPLETE

While honors came in on Monday, Sunday was all about soccer as the USWNT came back to beat Iceland 3-1 at GEODIS Park in Nashville, Tenn. Meeting for the second time in four days, Iceland scored directly off a corner kick in the 31st minute for the game’s only goal and the U.S. found itself trailing for the first time in 12 matches under Hayes.

Yet despite the early deficit, the Americans remained undeterred and put together an emphatic second half comeback. Second-half substitutes Lynn Williams and debutant Emma Sears had a goal and an assist apiece and Lindsey Horan, who entered the match at halftime, scored the game winner in the 76th minute to lift the U.S. to its eighth consecutive win.

SENSATIONAL START FOR SEARS

Sears, one of four players to make her debut for the USWNT during this international window, had a night to remember, becoming just the fourth USWNT player and first since Christen Press in 2013 to score a goal and tally an assist in her first cap.

Sears, who is in the midst of her rookie season with Racing Louisville FC and earned her first senior national team call-up for this camp, came on in the 56th minute to become the 265th player all-time to earn a cap for the USWNT. She is the seventh player to debut for the U.S. this year and the fourth in the last two games, joining Yazmeen Ryan and Hal Hershfelt, who both came on as substitutes on Oct. 24 in Austin, and Olympic alternate Emily Sams, who started and played the full 90 minutes in her debut on Sunday.

U.S. WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM ROSTER BY POSITION (CLUB; CAPS/GOALS) – OCTOBER FRIENDLIES 2024

GOALKEEPERS (3): Mandy Haught (Utah Royals; 0), Casey Murphy (North Carolina Courage; 20), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars; 113)

DEFENDERS (9): Emily Fox (Arsenal FC, ENG; 59/1), Eva Gaetino (Paris Saint-Germain, FRA; 0/0), Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave FC; 41/0), Casey Krueger (Washington Spirit; 58/0), Hailie Mace (Kansas City Current; 8/0), Alyssa Malonson (Bay FC; 0/0), Jenna Nighswonger (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 17/2), Emily Sams (Orlando Pride; 1/0), Emily Sonnett (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 101/2)

MIDFIELDERS (7): Korbin Albert (Paris Saint-Germain, FRA; 19/1), Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC; 26/1), Hal Hershfelt (Washington Spirit; 1/0), Lindsey Horan (Olympique Lyon, FRA; 158/36), Rose Lavelle (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 107/24), Olivia Moultrie (Portland Thorns FC; 5/2), Ashley Sanchez (North Carolina Courage; 27/3)

FORWARDS (7): Yazmeen Ryan (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 2/0), Emma Sears (Racing Louisville FC; 1/1), Jaedyn Shaw (San Diego Wave FC; 18/8), Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns FC; 58/24), Mallory Swanson (Chicago Red Stars; 102/38), Alyssa Thompson (Angel City FC; 11/1), Lynn Williams (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 73/20)

GOLDEN GALS ARE BACK

Playing its first international matches since winning gold at Paris 2024, this 26-player USWNT roster features 17 members of the U.S. Olympic Team while three players on this roster are still in search of their first caps. Paris Saint-Germain center back Eva Gaetino, who makes her second USWNT roster, and first-time call-ups Mandy Haught, who joined the team in Nashville replacing injured goalkeeper Jane Campbell, and defender Alyssa Malonson are still awaiting their international debuts.

The roster also does not include any players from the U.S. Under-20 Women’s Youth National Team that finished third in late September at the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Colombia as those players are being given time to reintegrate with their clubs and colleges.

Twenty-one different players have seen the field so far for the U.S. during these October matches, with only four players – Sam Coffey, Jenna Nighswonger, Emily Sonnett and Mallory Swanson – starting both matches. Hayes will once again select a 23-player roster for Wednesday’s match in Louisville and is permitted six substitutes per game.

LOUISVILLE CELEBRATES ROSE 100

Rose Lavelle, who earned her 100th cap on June in St. Paul, Minn. against South Korea, will be honored prior to kick off on Wednesday for reaching the 100-cap milestone. Lavelle, who hails from nearby Cincinnati, Ohio, became the 43rd player in USWNT history to reach 100 international appearances.

A 2019 World Cup champion and 2024 Olympic gold medalist, Lavelle started all five of her appearances at this Summer’s Olympics and was the fourth-most capped player on the roster. Lavelle made her senior national team debut on March 4, 2017, against England at the SheBelieves Cup.

Along with honoring Lavelle, Louisville will also be celebrating the return of the U.S. Women’s National Team following a 20-year absence. The USWNT has played four times previously in the Derby City and all four games took place at University of Louisville’s Cardinal Stadium between 1999-2004, the first of those being one of the victory celebration matches after the USA won the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The 20 years between matches in a city is the second-longest for any city in USWNT history, with the U.S. going 22 years between matches in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

The 7,451 days between matches in Kentucky is the largest gap between games in any state in program history, surpassing the 5,658 days between matches in Michigan between June 1993 and December 2008.

GOLDEN SUMMER

The USWNT reeled off six straight wins at the 2024 Paris Olympics, advancing through the tournament in impressive fashion, downing Zambia (3-0), Germany (4-1) and a defensive-minded Australia (2-1) in group play and then winning two 1-0 matches in overtime, beating Japan in the quarterfinal and Germany in the semifinal. The 1-0 victory over Brazil in the championship game capped a glorious tournament that was led by the “Triple Espresso” front line of Swanson (4 goals, 2 assists), Smith (3 goals, 2 assists) and Rodman (3 goals, 1 assist), which scored 10 of the USA’s 12 goals during the tournament. Forward Lynn Williams and midfielder Korbin Albert added one goal each as the USA’s won its record fifth gold medal in women’s soccer and the program’s first since 2012. Defensively, the U.S. didn’t allow a single goal during the knockout stages and center back Naomi Girma played every minute of every match while Naeher became the first goalkeeper to earn a shutout in a Women’s World Cup Final and an Olympic gold medal game.

USWNT TO END YEAR IN EUROPE

The U.S. will finish its 2024 schedule with two matches in Europe, facing 2022 European Champions and 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup finalists England on Saturday, Nov. 30 at the iconic Wembley Stadium in London (12:20 p.m. ET / 5:20 p.m. London Time on TNT, Max, Universo and Peacock) followed by a Dec. 3 match against the Netherlands at the ADO Den Haag Stadium in The Hague (2:45 p.m. ET / 8:45 p.m. local time on TNT, truTV, Universo, Max and Peacock).

2024 MEDIA GUIDE

The 2024 USWNT Media Guide is available for viewing and download. The Media Guides features all the history and statistics for the USWNT, as well as full bios on technical staff and the current top players, information on the USA’s Youth Women’s National Teams and general important information on U.S. Soccer.

USWNT TEAM & ROSTER NOTES

• Five players on this roster have 100+ caps, led by Lindsey Horan with 158. Alyssa Naeher has 113 international appearances followed by Rose Lavelle (107 caps), Mallory Swanson (102) and Emily Sonnett (101).
• Three players on this roster have yet to be capped – Eva Gaetino, Mandy Haught and Alyssa Malonson.
• This roster averages 26.0 years of age and features three teenagers – Olivia Moultrie, Jaedyn Shaw and Alyssa Thompson, all aged 19.
• Fifteen different clubs – three from Europe and 12 from the NWSL – are represented on this roster. NJ/NY Gotham FC leads the way with five players.
• Fourteen of the 22 NWSL players on the roster play for clubs that have qualified for the playoffs while seven are on teams still vying for a post-season berth.
• Swanson is the top scorer on this roster with 38 career international goals, followed by Horan with 36 goals, and Rose Lavelle and Sophia Smith with 24 each.
• Horan leads the USA with 1,592 total minutes played in 2024, followed by Alyssa Naeher (1,530 min) and Emily Fox (1,473).
• Fifteen different players have scored so far for the USWNT in 2024 – led by eight goals from Smith, six from Swanson, five from Shaw, four from Horan and three from Rodman. The now-retired Alex Morgan, Olivia Moultrie, Tierna Davidson, Lynn Williams and Jenna Nighswonger have two goals each while Crystal Dunn, Lily Yohannes, Korbin Albert, Alyssa Thompson and Emma Sears have one goal apiece on the year.
• Rodman, Smith and Swanson lead the U.S. with four assists apiece this year, followed by Horan and Lavelle with three assists each and Midge Purce, Casey Krueger and Sam Coffey with two. Nine other players have one assist on the year.
• Overall, 21 different players have been directly involved in a goal for the USA in 2024, led by 13 goals involvements from Smith (9 goals, 4 assists) and 10 goal involvements from Swanson (6 goals, 4 assists).

Current FIFA World Ranking: 33
CONMEBOL Ranking: 3
World Cup Appearances: 4 (2003, 2007, 2019, 2023)
Olympic Appearances: 1 (2008)
Record vs. USA: 0W-5L-0D (1 GF; 32 GA)
Last Meeting vs. USA: Feb. 23, 2024 (4-0 USA win in Carson, Calif.)
Head Coach: Germán Portanova (ARG)

ARGENTINA WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM – ROSTER BY POSITION

GOALKEEPERS (2): 1-Solana Pereyra (San Lorenzo), 12-Abigaíl Chaves (Universidad de Chile, CHI)

DEFENDERS (9): 2-Adriana Sachs (Racing Club), 3-Milagros Martín (Platense), 4-Anela Nigito (CSU Bakersfield, USA), 6-Aldana Cometti (Madrid C.F.F., ESP), 9-Kishi Núñez (Boca Juniors), 11-Yamila Rodríguez (Santos F.C., BRA), 13-Sophia Braun (Spokane Zephyr F.C., USA), 14-Catalina Roggerone (CSU Bakersfield, USA), 16-Sofía Domínguez (River Plate)

MIDFIELDERS (5): 5-Vanina Preininger (Boca Juniors), 7-Romina Núñez (Belgrano), 8-Margarita Giménez (Ferro Carril Oeste), 10-Dalila Ippolito (Grasshopper Club, SUI), 15-Maricel Pereyra (San Lorenzo)

FORWARDS (4): 17-Marianela Szymanowski (Standard Liège, BEL), 18-Carolina Troncoso (Boca Juniors), 19-Agostina Holzheier (Racing), 20-Chiara Singarella (Purdue University, USA)

ARGENTINA TEAM NOTES

• Argentina head coach Germán Portanova has selected 20 players for this match, putting together a roster that features many players early in their international careers.
• Defender Aldana Cometti is by far the most experienced play on this roster with 85 international appearances and is the only player on this roster with over 50 caps. The 28-year-old plays her club soccer in Spain for Madrid CFF and has scored eight international goals.
• Yamila Rodríguez is the leading scorer on this roster with 11 goals in 48 international appearances. The 26-year-old plays her club soccer for Santos in Brazil and led Argentina in scoring with six goals at the 2022 Copa America Femenina.
• On the opposite end of the spectrum, 14 players on this roster have fewer than 20 caps including three uncapped players. Four players on this roster are in their teens while another seven players are under the age of 25.
• In a sign of the continued global growth of the women’s game, nine players on this Argentina roster play their club soccer outside of the country, with players competing in Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Spain, Switzerland and the United States.
• Of the four players with current ties to the U.S., three are still in college, with Chiara Singarella playing for Purdue and defenders Catalina Roggerone and Anela Nigito both competing for CSU Bakersfield. Now in her junior year with the Boilermakers, Singarella began her collegiate career at Kennesaw State and then transferred to South Alabama where she was an All-Region selection.
• Sophia Braun, who was born in Oregon and attended Gonzaga University, plays for Spokane Zephry in the newly-formed USL Super League. Braun, who scored for Argentina at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, signed with the Kansas City Current in January of 2024 before going to Spokane on loan in July. Braun has appeared in seven matches and made five starts for the Zephyr this season.
• One of four South American participants in the inaugural Concacaf W Gold Cup earlier this year, Argentina finished third in Group A, but advanced to the knockout rounds as the best third-place team after drawing Mexico (0-0), losing to the U.S. (4-0) and beating the Dominican Republic (3-0). In the quarterfinals, Argentina lost to South American rivals Brazil 5-1, with midfielder Celeste Dos Santos scoring Argentina’s lone goal in the 82nd minute.
• Argentina was invited to participate in 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup after finishing third at the 2022 CONMEBOL Copa America Femenina. At that tournament, which was held in Colombia in July of 2022, Argentina qualified for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup by defeating Paraguay 3-1 in the Third-Place Match. The dramatic victory saw Argentina fall behind on an own goal, before storming back to score three goals in the final 12 minutes of play – including a game winner in the 90th – to punch its ticket to Australia and New Zealand. Argentina narrowly missed out on qualifying for the Olympics, with only the top two finishers from the region – Brazil and Colombia – qualifying for Paris 2024.
• The 2023 World Cup was Argentina’s second consecutive and fourth Women’s World Cup overall. La Albiceleste finished fourth in Group G at the World Cup, drawing South Africa and playing Italy and Sweden to hard-fought losses. Braun and midfielder Romina Nuñez, scored for Argentina in the 2-2 draw against South Africa.

1. The Argentina roster includes 10 players from the squad that competed in the 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup.