Yohannes named to USWNT squad, Rodman, Smith left out

A week after announcing her intention to represent the United States and not the Netherlands, 17-year-old midfielder Lily Yohannes headlines a 24-player USWNT roster for upcoming road games against England and the Dutch.

The 2024 Olympic gold-winning Americans round out the year against England on November 30 at Wembley Stadium in London, followed by a meeting with the Netherlands in The Hague three days later.

They will be without all three starting forwards from the Olympics — Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith and Mallory Swanson — to allow them to rest lingering injuries after a long season, USWNT head coach Emma Hayes said Monday.

Smith limped off the court at a recent NWSL playoff game after appearing to aggravate an ankle injury that has bothered her since the Olympics, while Rodman will compete for the NWSL championship with the Washington Spirit on Saturday.

“Not one of these players ever wants to miss a game to play for their country,” Hayes said. “I want to be absolutely clear about that. But two, I want to make sure these players are prepared for a long time to come. And when you’re at the tail end of a season and you’re playing a lot and your body is tired , your mind is tired, that’s where it can get risky sometimes.”

Hayes has called up goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce and striker Ally Sentnor for the first time. Sentnor captained the U.S. team that recently finished third at the U20 World Cup, and she was a standout rookie in the NWSL for Utah Royals FC. Tullis-Joyce, who has just turned 28, took on the starting goalkeeper role at Manchester United this season following the departure of England international Mary Earps.

Hayes has now given 11 players their first senior call-up since officially starting the job at the end of May. All seven players who earned their first caps in October are back on the roster for these high-profile road friendlies. Fourteen players have 20 caps or fewer, continuing Hayes’ search for depth and the next generation of talent ahead of the 2027 World Cup.

She could roll out a somewhat inexperienced roster at Wembley Stadium on November 30 in front of a crowd of at least 70,000 fans, as of Monday ticket sales.

“I like doing these things,” Hayes said. “I’ve developed rosters over a long period of time. Well, they don’t improve just by having them on the roster. We’ve got to give them the opportunities to do that. I have no fear whatsoever of being able to put out. a very different team if that’s what we choose to do against England because I think the players are demonstrating — look at last camp, from Alyssa Thompson to Emma Sears to Eva Gaetino — they’re demonstrating that they deserve opportunities to be seen again.”

Fifteen of the 22 members of the 2024 Olympic team were named to this list. In addition to the striker’s absence, midfielder Croix Bethune and goalkeeper Jane Campbell are injured. Fullback Crystal Dunn has been an excused absence from club and international duty for over two months.

Casey Murphy, the team’s backup goalie at the Olympics, is healthy but absent from the roster. Tullis-Joyce and Mandy Haught will support no. 1 Alyssa Naeher in this camp. Haught made his debut in October after replacing Campbell midway through training camp.

Yohannes returns to the USWNT for his third training camp. She scored 10 minutes into her debut in June against South Korea. She grew up in Virginia before her family moved to the Netherlands when she was 10 years old when her father accepted a job in Amsterdam. Yohannes signed with Dutch power Ajax as a 15-year-old in 2023. Later that year, at 16, she became the youngest player in UEFA Champions League history to start a group stage match.

Dutch coach Andries Jonker publicly proposed to Yohannes, who previously said she was seeking Dutch citizenship.

But Yohannes decided to represent the USWNT, as she announced last week.

“Having the commitment from Lily Yohannes is huge for us and one where I’m so grateful to everyone involved, from Lily to her father to the federation, and everyone shows the importance of (how) you have to get the plan right when someone like Lily faces such an interesting choice,” Hayes said Monday.

“But she’s been really ready and we had a really good talk with her this week. The camp she came to in (in) May was such an enjoyable one for her that she’s been thinking about it ever since and she really wants to move forward with her international career. She knows she has to work hard with the pool as strong as it is, but I think she’s an exceptional talent and I’m glad we can develop a very young Lily Yohannes for the next few years to prepare her for a future with the national team.

Yohannes thanked both federations for their patience in the process when she announced her decision.

“The United States is my homeland, my birthplace and where my extended family lives,” Yohannes said in a statement. “These strong connections have driven me to honor my roots and proudly commit to U.S. Soccer. I am excited and eager to continue working and earning my spot on the U.S. Women’s National Team.”

Twenty-three of 24 players will suit up for each game, which serves as the final two before a “Futures Camp” in Los Angeles in mid-January, intended to identify new players who have yet to earn call-ups .

A trip overseas is rare for the USWNT for friendlies. The Americans last played a non-competitive match outside the United States in New Zealand in January 2023 as part of World Cup preparations.

USA lost to England, 2-1 at Wembley Stadium in October 2022.

Hayes said she would like to see more tests like this ahead of the 2027 World Cup in Brazil.

“Yes, I would like to, but we have to plan it strategically with people doing it in the background. We’re looking to do it when the opportunities arise, whether it’s in ’25 or ’26. But absolutely , I will push for at least once a year that we could do this, maybe not always, but I will definitely try to do it.

US Women’s National Team List by Position (Club; Caps/Goals):

TARGET POWERS (3): Mandy Haught (Utah Royals FC; 1), Phallon Tullis-Joyce (Manchester United, ENG; 0), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars; 113)

DEFENDERS (9): Tierna Davidson (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 64/3), Emily Fox (Arsenal FC, ENG; 60/1), Eva Gaetino (Paris Saint-Germain, FRA; 1/0), Naomi Girma (San ) Diego Wave FC 42/2), Casey Krueger (Washington Spirit; 59/0), Alyssa Malonson (Bay FC; 1/0), Jenna Nighswonger (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 17/2), Emily Sams (Orlando Pride ; 2/0), Emily Sonnett (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 101/2)

MIDFIELDERS (6): Korbin Albert (Paris Saint-Germain, FRA; 20/1), Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC; 26/1), Hal Hershfelt (Washington Spirit; 2/0), Lindsey Horan (Olympique Lyon, FRA; 159/36), Rose Lavelle (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 108/24), Lily Yohannes (Ajax, NED; 1/1)

FORWARD (6): Yazmeen Ryan (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 2/0), Emma Sears (Racing Louisville FC; 2/1), Ally Sentnor (Utah Royals FC; 0/0), Jaedyn Shaw (San Diego Wave FC; 8/19), Alyssa Thompson (Angel City FC; 11/1), Lynn Williams (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 20/73)