Soccer Monday: An international break and a USWNT win
The IX: Soccer Monday with Annie Peterson, April 7, 2025
The NWSL took the weekend off because of the international break. That meant a USWNT game!
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There was, rightfully, a lot of attention on Trinity Rodman’s return to the team, but one of the most interesting aspects of the game was Phallon Tullis-Joyce starting in goal and coming away with a shutout in the 2-0 victory.
Tullis-Joyce became the 10th U.S. goalkeeper to earn a shutout. And, per below, she’s the second-oldest goalkeeper to earn a first cap.
“I’m just grateful for it, very grateful. Super happy to have my family in the stands. I’m sure my mom doesn’t have a voice right now,. This is good moment for me and my family,” Tullis-Joyce said.
She is among several candidates for the team’s No. 1 goalkeeper after Alyssa Naeher’s retirement, including Jane Campbell and Casey Murphy. Head coach Emma Hayes has also looked at Angelina Anderson, Claudia Dickey and Mandy McGlynn recently.
Hayes has said she wants more clarity regarding the goalkeeping situation by June, which seems challenging. Murphy feels like the incumbent with 20 caps, most of anyone else in the group.
Tullis-Joyce appears to be someone that Hayes would like to see more of. After six saves in her national team debut, Hayes may look to start her again soon as she finds her way and develops a rapport with the backline.
And she needs to work on a few things, like ball distribution from the back, Hayes said.
“What more could you want as a goalkeeper than a clean sheet,” she said. “In terms of keeping people out the back of the net, that’s a super strength for her. I thought everything from set pieces to defending the cross, she did a tremendous job.”
She went on to say: “Her next step is something I’ve been clear on, her team at United don’t play a lot of buildup, they tend to go from back to front, but her next step is with pressure, being able to make the short passes to come out.”
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Tullis-Joyce was confident—- to a point. She still leaned a bit on her loved ones for support.
“I think it was the same preparation that I’ve had for most of my Manchester United games. Just trusting that I’ve done the preparation for me for this moment. But there were a lot of texts to my mom and my partner,” she said. “I won’t just stand here like I was all cool and composed. But I have a great support team, with my family, as well as my teammates.”
And then there was Rodman, who pranked everyone, including her coach, when she pretended to hurt her back after her goal. Check it out at the end of the video below.
“I didn’t think she was pretending,” the USWNT coach said after the game. “I will have a word with her, because that’s like a cry-wolf moment. I turned to the physios and I said, ‘Her back’s hurting.’ And then I realized she was tricking us.”
Rodman was just happy to be back.
“It feels really good, coming off the Olympics and then obviously being out, progressing back into high-level minutes is exciting but also, it’s kind of managing how I want to play and the intensity at which I’m doing it,” she told reporters at the game.
There were 32,303 fans on hand at SoFi Stadium to see the match. And stay tuned: The USWNT plays Brazil again on Tuesday in San Jose.
Links:
Jenna’s NWSL talking points from The Equalizer.
Mark Parsons says Alyssa Thompson has been the best player in the league so far.
Sports Business Journal on the NWSL shopping media deal, eying Sunday nights.
US Soccer sees World Cup bid as catalyst for growth
Boston wins legal challenge to renovate White Stadium
Gotham bans “fan” who violated NWSL Code of Conduct. Your turn, Thorns.
I’m so sad for Davidson. Tierna Davidson tears ACL, what it means for Gotham.
Chelsea has record valuation for a women’s team amid restructuring.
The USWNT helped SoFi in preparations for big events to come.
Nadia Nadim talks about her exit from Milan.
Women’s football is growing, and so is the betting market around it.
The BBC looks at whether field surfaces contribute to injuries in women’s soccer.
Here’s Hayes’ entire postgame press conference:
| Mondays: Soccer |
| By: Annie Peterson, @AnnieMPeterson, AP Women’s Soccer |
| Tuesdays: Tennis |
| By: Joey Dillon, @JoeyDillon, Freelance Tennis Writer |
| Wednesdays: Basketball |
| By: Howard Megdal, @HowardMegdal, The Next |
| Thursdays: Golf |
| By: Marin Dremock, @MDremock, The IX |
| Fridays: Hockey |
| By: @TheIceGarden, The Ice Garden |
| Saturdays: Gymnastics |
| By: Lela Moore, @runlelarun, Freelance Writer |
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