USWNT closes out 2025 with a resounding 2-0 victory over Italy in the final international friendly of the year

The United States women’s national team finished 2025 on a high note, earning a 2-0 victory over Italy on Monday. After two goals in the first half from Cat Macario and Jadeyn Shaw, the team held on and managed to shut out Le Azzurre in the last friendly of the year.

The USWNT, coming off a decisive 3-0 win over Italy on Friday, continued to show that strength on Monday. The United States dominated possession and took three times as many shots as the Italians, with two of them finding the net relatively early.

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The first was a goal from Macario in the 20th minute, when the striker sent a floater over the head of Italian goalkeeper Francesca Durante.

Then, in the 41st minute, Shaw added to the tally with a screamer from outside the box.

Both goals encapsulated the spirit of the USWNT in this moment: Macario and Shaw’s individual talent shined when they scored, but it was the rest of the lineup that allowed the attack to materialize. (Macario should have also scored a second goal, but the second-half rebound shot was disallowed after an apparent but unclear foul was called against the United States in the box.)

Italy was able to adapt well to the USWNT attack in the second half, keeping the score at 2-0. But it was still a great victory for the United States and a fitting end to 2025.

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2025 has been a year focused on growth for the USWNT: individual growth, team growth, player group growth. Including Monday’s win, the United States has racked up 12 wins and three losses this year as USWNT manager Emma Hayes pushes and experiments with the team in a year without a major tournament.

After winning a gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Hayes suddenly found himself without several top players. There were retirements (Alyssa Naeher, Alex Morgan, Christen Press) and injuries; Sophia Smith and Mallory Swanson, two-thirds of the forward trio known as Triple Espresso, missed the season while pregnant.

Hayes, however, has used the change as a perfect opportunity to expand the player pool, preparing both the next World Cup cycle and the next generation of the USWNT. Since he took over as head coach in 2024, 27 players have made their international debuts under Hayes. Hayes also took advantage of the off year to try out different on-field combinations: 50 different players have started for the USWNT team this year, according to OptaJack.

This story will be updated.