Photo credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Catarina Macario scored her fifth goal in three games to lead the U.S. women’s national team to a 2-0 win against Italy on Monday night. It was the team’s second win against Italy in this international window and fourth in a row to end the season.
Despite a shaky start to the 2025 campaign, the U.S. concludes the year with a 12-0-3 record and 41-8 goal differential. It also marked a third consecutive shutout for keeper Claudia Dickey.
In the 20th minute, Lily Yohannes played a ball into space for Macario down the right side of the pitch. Macario dribbled once and chipped a shot into the top left corner past an outstretched Francesca Durante. It was her team-leading eighth goal of the year.
Newly-crowned NWSL champion Jaedyn Shaw scored the United States’ other goal in the 41st minute. She scored a banger from the top of the box. Alyssa Thompson was credited with the assist.
The U.S. found the back of the net two more times in the second half, but both goals were called off. Had Macario’s counted, it would have marked her third straight brace. Yohannes had the other shot.
On the other side of the ball, defense held Italy to just one shot on goal during the contest. The U.S. recorded seven. Kate Wiesner made her first start on the backline alongside Emily Fox, Naomi Girma and Jordyn Bugg. Wiesner earned her first cap Friday after helping to lead the Washington Spirit to the NWSL Finals.
The U.S. women’s national team will reconvene in January for training camp and a pair of international matches.
.webp?ssl=1 "How did the new kids on the grid do in their first F1 season?")
