Most of the League A and League B matches were set as home and away between the teams, with the final two group matches coming in June. We also look at some friendly internationals involving CONCACAF, CONMEBOL and AFC sides held during the April window.
UEFA Nations League April Internationals
We have more clarity in the Group standings after four match days, with the League A group winners advancing to the semifinals, where all games will be played over two legs, including the third place game and the final—for 2023-24 the semifinals, third place and final were all single matches.
The group winners of Leagues B and C are automatically promoted, while the fourth-placed teams in Leagues A and B, as well as the two lowest-ranked third-placed teams in League B, are automatically relegated. All promotion/relegation playoffs will also be home-and-away ties as the third-placed teams of League A play the runners-up of League B, while the two best-ranked third-placed teams in League B play the two best-ranked League C runners-up. The teams from the higher leagues are seeded, and play the second leg at home.
League A Groups
Group A1: Germany, Netherlands, Austria, Scotland
Friday 4 April
Netherlands 3 vs Austria 1
Scotland 0 vs Germany 4
Tuesday 8 April
Germany 6 vs Scotland 1
Real Madrid’s Caroline Wier gave Scotland a shock lead five minutes before halftime, but Germany came uncorked five minutes after the break to blast Scotland 6-1 in Wolfsburg. Breakout star Selina Cerci (24), who has scored 11 goals in 16 matches in her first season with Hoffenheim following two seasons with Cologne, led the way with a hat-trick while forward Giovanna Hoffmann (26), who has 10 goals in 17 matches in her first season at Red Bull Leipzig following four years at Freiburg, added a brace.
Austria 1 vs Netherlands 3
After scoring the third goal from the penalty spot in the previous game, Sherida Spitse (34) set the European record for most international caps by appearing in her 241st match for the Netherlands, thus surpassing the previous record of 240 by Sweden’s Caroline Seger, who retired in 2023. Spitse was first capped as a 16-year-old in August of 2006 in a 4-0 loss to England; she became the Netherlands’ all-time most-capped player in 2019. Lieke Martins (34), still with PSG, who retired from the national team in mid-2024, has 160 caps and is second on the team in goals with 62 over 13 years. Viv Miedema (28) of Manchester City leads the Dutch WNT with 95 goals from only 115 caps.
After four games, Germany and Netherlands share the lead at the top with ten points, though Germany has a much better goal difference (+12 to +5), thanks largely to their second half explosion against Scotland, with Austria on three points and Scotland at the bottom with 0 points.
Group A2: France, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland
Friday 4 April
Iceland 0 vs Norway 0
Switzerland 0 vs France 2
Eugenie Le Sommer (35) of Olympique Lyon came on as a substitute in France’s 2-0 win over Switzerland for her 200th international cap, the eighth most for a European player.
Tuesday 8 April
Iceland 3 vs Switzerland 3
Norway 0 vs France 2
After four games France tops the group with twelve points and has clinched first place in the group, followed by Norway on four points, Iceland with three points and Switzerland bottom with two points, which is not a good sign ahead of their hosting role for the 2025 Women EUROs this summer.
Group A3: Spain (holders), England, Belgium, Portugal
Friday 4 April
Portugal 2 vs Spain 4
England 5 vs Belgium 0
Tuesday 8 April
Spain 7 vs Portugal 1
Spain did not have the struggle in the second match against Portugal on April 8 that they faced in the first leg of the home and away series. Aitana Bonmati of Barcelona scored twice within the first 12 minutes of the match in Vigo to stake Spain to a 3-0 lead and they coasted easily to a 7-1 win. Mariona Caldentey (29), in her first season at Arsenal of the WSL, had a goal and three assists and Alexia Putellas (31), who has played in over 300 league matches with Barcelona, is close to 150 goals and scored her 34th tally in 129 internationals, added a brace.
Belgium 3 vs England 2
In Heverlee, Tessa Wullaert (32), who has scored eight goals in 19 matches in her first season with Inter Milan in Italy after scoring 46 goals in 42 matches across two seasons in Netherlands with Fortuna Sittard (who coincidentally just announced that they will not field a professional women’s team next season to save money at the club)—scored twice and added an assist within the first half hour of the match; England couldn’t overcome that deficit.
For England, 19-year-old Michelle Agyemang (on loan from Arsenal to Brighton and Hove Albion) scored on a stunning volley just after coming on as a substitute on her international debut. After the match, England manager Sarina Wiegman told ITV: “We started really sloppy and not sharp. They exposed us. You are down quickly. We conceded three (goals) in half an hour. It is not good enough. We played a better second half, but overall it wasn’t good enough. We expected this, we were prepared for a different game (from their 5-0 win at home in the first game). We have been here before and were missing some players. We knew it would be the case.
"This game was about being focused and we did not do that. That is the biggest lesson.”
England defender Leah Williamson added on air with ITV after the game: “We started too slow and they didn’t. You expect it after the other day. We needed to figure it out, and we didn’t. Ultimately, you have to deal with the players and runners better. We will watch it back (on video). We need to make sure we improve that. Really disappointing and there is a lot of frustration. There are two games left but we have made it harder for ourselves… It is more to do with them. They were a completely different side to the other night.”
With the win, Belgium sent a message that they should not be written-off at this summer’s Women’s EURO in Switzerland and Tessa Wullaert is a breakout star for the side.
Even with their loss to England away in February, after four games Spain heads the group with nine points, England is second on seven points, Portugal is third with four points and Belgium has three points following their shock win over England. Spain, the defending Women’s Nations League champions, is now in the driver’s seat but the group will likely be decided on June 2 as Spain hosts England.
Group A4: Italy, Denmark, Sweden, Wales
Friday 4 April
Sweden 3 vs Italy 2
Frida Rolfo (31), who is in her fourth season with Barcelona in Liga F, scored the winner in the 95th minute from the penalty spot in Solna (suburban Stockholm) after an Italian defender was adjudged to touch the ball with her hand in her own box. She did, but it was clearly accidental and her head was turned away as the ball bounced into her hand lightly and did not alter its flight. Rolfo took the kick rather than regular penalty kick taker Ingrid Angeldahl (27), in her first season with Real Madrid after three seasons at Manchester City in the WSL, as she a penalty kick saved early in the second half.
Angeldahl did step up after her missed PK and scored from a long-range free kick in the 75th minute on a brilliant thumping goal that goalkeeper Laura Giuliani (31) of AC Milan barely moved a muscle on. Emma Severini (21), in her third season with Fiorentina, gave Italy the lead in the first minute of the match. Kosovare Asllani (35), who is in her first season with the London City Lions of the English Championship (second tier) and has five goals in 14 matches, tied up the match for Sweden at 1-1 in the 56th minute. The London City Lions currently lead the Championship with a 12-2-3 (W-D-L) record for 38 points, leading Birmingham City (36 points) by two points in the race for the lone promotion spot to the WSL. Asllani now has 48 goals in 195 international matches.
Wales 1 vs Denmark 2
Tuesday 8 April
Denmark 0 vs Italy 3
Sweden 1 vs Wales 1
Magdalena Eriksson (31), in her second season in Germany with Bayern Munich, scored on the hour mark, but English-born Wales forward Hannah Cain (26), in her fifth season with Leicester City—the last four in the WSL—tied the match eight minutes later for the ultimate 1-1 tie in Gothenburg.
After four matches, Sweden tops the group with eight points, Denmark and Italy are tied for second with six points, followed by Wales with two points.
League B
Group B1: Poland, Northern Ireland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Romania
Friday 4 April
Poland 5 vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina 1
This was a 1-1 game at half time but Ewa Pajor’s second goal two minutes after the restart led to an explosion of goals and a 5-1 win for Poland. Pajor (28) has scored 17 goals in 22 matches in her first season with Barcelona.
Romania 1 vs. Northern Ireland 1
Midfielder Danielle Maxwell (22) of Blackburn Rovers in the English second tier opened the scoring in the 33rd minute but Romania tied it five minutes later on a goal by midfielder Mihaela Ciolacu (26), who has played at home with Olimpia Cluj for a decade and won eight league titles, with an assist by Maria Ficzay (33), who is in her fourth season in Denmark with Fortuna Hjorring and has also played in Poland, winning three league titles at Medyk Konin.
Tuesday 8 April
Bosnia and Herzegovina 1 vs. Poland 1
Northern Ireland 1 vs. Romania 0
After four games, Poland—who qualified for the 2025 Women’s EURO Finals this summer—leads the group with ten points, while the Irish are second with seven points, Bosnia is third on four points and Romania is bottom with one point.
Group B2: Republic of Ireland, Türkiye, Slovenia, Greece
Friday 4 April
Greece 0 vs. Republic of Ireland 4
The Irish bounced back well after losing by the same score in Slovenia in their last Women’s Nations League match on February 25. The first two goals came from their American diaspora with American-born Melissa Sheva (27), who only played a total of 80 minutes across six games last season with Portland Thorns and recently moved to England to join Sunderland in the English Championship—who currently are in seventh place in the 11 team league with a 7-3-8 record and 24 points—along with Kyra Carusa (29), who is in her third season with the San Diego Wave, getting on the scoresheet for the Irish. Defender Jessica Stapleton (20), also of Sunderland, and forward Amber Barrett (29) of Standard Liege of Belgium—where she has scored 22 goals in 32 games since joining the club for the 2023-24 season—scored the other two goals. All the goals were scored in the second half.
Slovenia 3 vs. Turkey 0
Tuesday 8 April
Republic of Ireland 2 vs. Greece 1
Turkey 0 vs. Slovenia 1
The winning goal came just after the hour mark from Slovenia’s 19-year-old forward Zara Kramzar, who is in her first season with Como and has scored 6 goals in 15 matches after winning two consecutive Serie A titles with Roma. Midfielder Mateja Zver (37) has won eight league titles in nine seasons with St. Polten in Austria and one at home with Pomurje; she has 54 goals in 116 international appearances—she came on as a substitute in the 1-0 win over Turkey in Sivas.
After four games, Slovenia leads the group with 12 points, ahead of the Republic of Ireland with 9 points, Turkey has 3 points while Grece is pointless.
Group B3: Finland, Serbia, Hungary, Belarus
Friday 4 April
Finland 0 vs. Belarus 0
Hungary 0 vs. Serbia 1
Serbia defeated Hungary 1-0 away on a 69th minute goal by forward Nina Matejic (20) of Red Star Belgrade.
Tuesday 8 April
Finland 3 vs. Hungary 0
Belarus 0 vs. Serbia 3
Nina Matejic (20) of Red Star Belgrade scored twice, taking her tally to three goals over the four day international window as Serbia collected six points from their two matches.
This group was one of the few that did not see the League B teams playing each other home and away during this FIFA window.
After three games, Serbia tops the group with ten points, Finland is second on seven points, Hungary is third on three points and Belarus is fourth with two points.
Group B4: Czechia, Ukraine, Croatia, Albania
Friday 4 April
Albania 4 vs. Croatia 0
Ukraine 1 vs. Czech Republic 0
Ukraine took a 1-0 win over Czech Republic with a 57th minute goal by midfielder Olha Ovdiichuk (31), who is playing with Fomget Genclik in Turkey and has won six league titles at home with Zhytlobud-1. Canadian-born Nikol Kozlova (24), who has 16 goals in 24 games in her first season with Glasgow City in Scotland, assisted on Ovdiichuk’s goal.
Tuesday 8 April
Croatia 1 vs. Albania 2
Czech Republic 1 vs. Ukraine 1
After four games, Ukraine leads the group with ten points, Czech Republic is second with seven points, Albania has six points and Croatia is fourth with no points.
League C
Gibraltar and Liechtenstein are both making their senior women’s national-team competitive debuts in the 2024-25 Nations League, part of a record entry of 53 countries in a UEFA Women’s competition. Slovakia (12 points) and Israel (7 points from 3 games) both remain undefeated, but Israel dropped points in a 3-3 thriller against Bulgaria (see below).
Group C1: Slovakia, Faroe Islands, Moldova, Gibraltar
Friday 4 April
Faroe Islands 2 vs. Moldova 0
Durita Hummeland (27) of KI Klaksvik scored in the 47th minute followed by Heidi Sevdal’s (36) goal in the 74th minute for the Faroes’ second win in a row in the Nations League.
Gibraltar 0 vs. Slovakia 8
Midfielder Tamara Moravkova (22) of Slavia Prague scored four goals and forward Klaudia Fabova (26) of Polish Ekstraliga side AP Orlen Gdansk added a brace in Slovakia’s 8-0 triumph against Gibraltar.
Tuesday 8 April
Moldova 0 vs. Slovakia 2
Faroe Islands 5 vs. Gibraltar 0
Heidi Sevdal (36) scored again for the Faroes, while Asla Johannesen (28) scored twice in the final minutes of the match—she is in her third season with Pitea in Sweden’s Damallsvenskan and has also played at home and in Denmark.
After four games, Slovakia tops the group with 12 points, surprising Faroe Islands are second with nine points, Moldova is third with three points and debutants Gibraltar has zero points with no goals scored and 15 allowed.
Group C2: Malta, Georgia, Cyprus, Andorra
Friday 4 April
Georgia 2 vs. Malta 3
Midfielder Maria Farrugia (24) scored two goals by the 47th minute to give Malta a 3-0 lead but had to hold off a Georgia fightback for their 3-2 away win. Farrugia has four goals in 17 games this season in the English Championship with Sheffield United, after spending a season each in the second tier with Lewes, Durham and Sunderland.
Cyprus 2 vs. Andorra 2
Teresa Morato (27), who played three seasons at Villareal in Spain through the 2023-24 season, scored the opening goal in the 7th minute for Andorra and the game-tying goal in the 83rd minute in Andorra’s 2-2 away tie in Cyprus for their first points in the 2025-26 Women’s Nations League. She has 14 goals in 24 internationals for Andorra. Cyprus entered the April matches with full points from two games but only earned one point in their two internationals during the recent break.
Tuesday 8 April
Malta 2 vs. Georgia 1
Andorra 2 vs. Cyprus 1
Teresa Morato again scored a brace against Cyprus, this time as Andorra won a historic first match in a UEFA tournament. Morato tied the match in the 84th minute and then scored the winner in the 92nd minute from the penalty spot.
After four games, Malta leads the group with nine points, Cyprus is second on seven points, Andorra is third on four points and Georgia has three points at the foot of the table.
Group C3: Luxembourg, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein
Friday 4 April
Armenia 1 vs. Luxembourg 3
Midfielder Amy Thompson (30) scored twice as Luxembourg upset Armenia away. Thompson played for Stony Brook University in the States and is currently with Swift Hesperange at home.
Liechtenstein 0 vs. Kazakhstan 4
Bibigul Nurusheva (31) scored twice to power Kazakhstan to a 4-0 win away over Lichtenstein. Nurusheva is with BIIK Kazygurt and won the league title with the Kazakhstan power in 2023 and 2024.
Tuesday 8 April
Kazakhstan 3 vs. Armenia 2
Liechtenstein 2 vs. Luxembourg 3
Amy Thompson scored two goals in a three minute span—both from C Jorge assists—in the 11th and 14th minute goals—to give Luxembourg a 2-0 lead in this derby. Forward Caroline Jorge (19), who plays in neighboring Belgium with Standard Liege, rescued the game in the 77th minute with her goal after Liechtenstein had tied it up just after the hour mark. Thompson is the all-time leading scorer for her national team with 33 goals in 49 internationals after the match.
After four games, Luxembourg leads the group with ten points, Kazakhstan is second with seven points, Armenia is third with six points—having won full points in February but the dropped both matches in April—and Liechtenstein has zero points.
Group C4: Azerbaijan, Montenegro, Lithuania
Friday 4 April
Lithuania 0 vs. Azerbaijan 2
Forward Esra Manya (25), who was born in Turkey and joined Fatih Vatan this season and played in ten games to date, and defender Nigar Mirzeliyeva (22)—in her third season with Zenit St. Petersburg in Russia and who won the league title the last two seasons in Russia—each scored a goal. Defender Alina Dorofeyeva (26), who was born in Russia and joined Rubin Kazan this season after eight seasons with Yenisey in Krasnoyarsk, assisted on both goals. About half of the Azerbaijan side plays in Turkey, with about one quarter in Russia, with only a few playing domestically at home.
Tuesday 8 April
Montenegro 1 vs. Azerbaijan 1
After three games, Montenegro and Azerbaijan are tied at the top of the group with five points, while Lithuania has no points to date from two games.
Group C5: Israel, Bulgaria, Estonia
Friday 4 April
Estonia 0 vs. Bulgaria 0
Tuesday 8 April
Israel 3 vs. Bulgaria 3
Forward Eden Avital (28), who we featured during our review of the February Nations League matches (see: The Week in Women's Football: Reviewing UEFA Nations League; examining Armenia squad - TribalFootball.com), opened the scoring for Italy in the 18th minute to reduce a 2-0 deficit as Bulgaria’s shot off to a two goal lead by the 15th minute.
Dimitra Ivanova (21) of NSA Sofia scored in the 12th minute, followed by Polina Rasina’s (26) goal three minutes later—Rasina also plays for NSA Sofia. Talia Sommer (21)—who was born in the States, raised in Israel and will play her senior season for Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana this fall and played previously for ASA Tel Aviv in history, winning a league title and the league’s Rookie of the Year award in 2018-19—scored two goals for Israel before half time for a 3-2 lead but then defender Nikoleta Boycheva (30) scored in the 50th minute. Boycheva plays for Farul Constanta in Romania and has played in Germany in the past. Sommer at Butler University is in the top ten all-time for goals (11—tied for tenth), assists (7—tied for tenth) and points (29—tied for sixth) entering her senior season.
After three games, Israel tops the group with seven points while Bulgaria has two points and Estonia has one point from two matches.
Group C6: Kosovo, Latvia, North Macedonia
Friday 4 April
North Macedonia 1 vs. Latvia 2
Karlina Miksone (25) scored both of Latvia’s goals in the 2-1 win over North Macedonia in Skopje, with the winner coming in the 78th minute. Miksone has played in Iceland, Lithuania and Poland, playing with Czarni Sosnowiec since the 2023-24 season, scoring 19 goals in 32 matches. For the national team, she has 22 goals in 71 games.
Tuesday 8 April
Kosovo 3 vs. North Macedonia 0
Forward Kaltrina Biqkaj (24) scored two goals and added an assist—all in the second half—as Kosovo defeated North Macedonia 3-0 at home in Pristina. Biqkaj won four Superliga Femrat league titles in Kosovo with Mitrovica in their six team loop; she moved in August of 2024 to Turkey’s Trabzonspor.
Latvia heads the group with six points from two games, tied with Kosovo who has played three matches, while North Macedonia is at the bottom of the group with zero points.
CONCACAF/CONMEBOL/ASIAN FOOTBALL CONFEDERATION FRIENDLY GAMES IN APRIL FIFA WINDOW
U.S. splits two games with Brazil
In the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles—which will host World Cup games in 2026 and the Olympics in 2028 and was opened in 2020—on April 4, the U.S. scored once in each half, the first by Trinity Rodman (22) of the D.C. Spirit and then a penalty kick goal from Lindsey Heaps (30) of Olympique Lyon, to take a 2-0 win over Brazil’s WNT. This was the teams’ first meeting since last summer’s Olympic Games Gold Medal Match, when the U.S. won 1-0. Goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce (28) of Manchester United and defender Avery Patterson (22)—in her second season with the Houston Dash—each won their first USWNT caps. The match was played in front of 32,303 fans at SoFi Stadium and marked the first-ever women’s professional sporting event at the world-class stadium, which featured a grass system that was being tested for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
It was the second largest crowd in the Los Angeles area for the U.S. Women’s National Team, not counting the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup Final at the Rose Bowl, with 90,185 present. The teams were near even on shot attempts (16 vs. 15) for the U.S., but the Americans were well ahead for shots on goal (12 vs. 6). Goalkeeper Lorena (27) of Brazil was strong in the net; the new Kansas City Current backstop had just been named as the Goalkeeper of the Month for March in the NWSL, held with league media members.
In the second match in San Jose, California at PayPal Park (where the MLS San Jose Earthquakes play), with a very young team, the U.S. looked headed to a 1-1 tie, after a Catarina Macario goal in the first minute was offset by Kerolin’s brilliant right-footed curving goal into the far top corner of the net from the left side in the 24th minute. Kerolin joined Manchester City of the WSL in January after three years with the North Carolina Courage. However, deep in stoppage time, Brazil won the match (2-1) as Amanda Gutierres (24), who had just come on as a substitute, scored with almost the final kick of the game after Luany (22) of Athletico Madrid broke away from the defense and sent a perfect low cross into her path for the win. It was Gutierres third goal for Brazil in six matches; she plays for Palmeiras of Sao Paulo. The midweek Tuesday night game attracted a sell-out crowd of 18,000.
Brazil had full control of the second half; they led in possession (58% vs. 42%), in shots (19 vs. 18) and shots on goal (8 vs. 7). It was the first victory ever for a CONMEBOL team over the Americans in the States. Brazil had not defeated the Americans since December 2014. With an average of 17 caps per player, the USA’s starting XI against Brazil on Tuesday was the least experienced starting lineup for a home match since a February 1999 friendly against Finland. Emma Hayes made seven changes in the starting lineup from the first game. The end of the game was stunning and resulted in the Americans second loss in three games—after losing the SheBelieves Cup Final to Japan in San Diego in February.
In past years, the two losses would have set off alarm bells and cries that the coach needed to be changed—we’ve seen it before and Australian interim head coach Tom Sermanni was ditched years ago for losing a few spring friendlies while playing young players, which he had been instructed to by federation management. This time it’s different. Emma Hayes is on a very high salary of an estimated $2 million a year for three years—similar to what the previous U.S. men’s head coach was paid—and she has always said that her goal is to have the team ready for the 2027 WWC in Brazil. To do that, their young players need to learn to deal with tense moments and this last-second loss to the next World Cup host side is one of those teachable moments. Plus, Emma Hayes won the Olympic Gold Medal last summer after being in the job full-time for just a few months.
I actually see the largely muted and reflective reaction to the loss as a sign of the maturation of the American media market and fan base. The women’s global soccer scene has improved leaps and bounds and the idea that the Americans should win every game is no longer valid. Their goal should be capturing major international titles and Emma Hayes is still the coach to lead them in that endeavor.
Canada splits two games with Argentina
Canada won easily in Vancouver on April 4 against Argentina (3-0), with first half goals by defender Jade Rose (22) of Harvard University and forward Nichelle Prince (30)—in her second season with the Kansas City Current—and a second half tally by midfielder Julia Grosso (24) three minutes from time. Canada lost the second game against Argentina 1-0 in Langford (greater Victoria) on April 8 as Yamila Rodriguez (27) scored in the 34th minute—she is in her first season with Gremio in Brazil following two seasons with Palmerias in Sao Paulo—past veteran Canadian backup keeper Sabrina D’Angelo (31), who has played in 17 regular season games this season with Aston Villa, after a season and one-half with Arsenal in England.
Haiti splits pair with Chile in South America
In Santiago, Melchie Dumornay (24) of Olympique Lyon scored a penalty kick goal in the 17th minute to power Haiti to a 1-0 win. Dumornay scored both goals as Haiti defeated Chile 2-1 in New Zealand in FIFA’s Women’s World Cup play-in tournament in 2023. Haiti’s visit was very popular in Chile, where there has always been a large Haitian diaspora, according to Jon Arnold of Getting Concacafed, who wrote that there are an estimated 183,131 Haitians living in the country in 2023—the fourth-largest foreign population and almost 10% of the immigrants in the country. Chile won the second game on April 8 (2-1) also in Santiago.
Mexico defeated Jamaica twice with a 7-0 goal difference in two matches held in the midwestern U.S.
Mexico defeated Jamaica 3-0 on April 4 in Kansas City with goals in the first half by Alexia Delgado (25) of Tigres UANL, Christina Burkenroad of Monterrey and Rebeca Bernal (27) of the NWSL’s Washington Spirit. Jacqueline Ovalle (25) of Tigres UANL had two assists. Mexico won the second game on April 8 in Houston, Texas (4-0), led by two goals by Alice Soto (19), who plays with Pachuca in Liga MX Femenil.
The list of call-ups for the two matches are shown below and are entirely from Liga MX Femenil except for two called in from the NWSL:
Goalkeepers:
Esthefanny Barreras—Pachuca
Bianca Felix—Guadalajara
Celeste Espino—Guadalajara
Defenders:
Karen Lunca—Club America
Anika Rodriguez—UANL Tigres
Annia Mejia—FC Juarez
Nicolette Hernandez—Club America
Karol Bernal—Monterrey Rayadas
Karina Rodriguez—Club America
Reyna Reyes—Portland Thorns (USA)
Natalia Colin—UANL Tigres
Midfielders:
Nicole Perez—Monterrey Rayadas
Rebeca Bernal—Washington Spirit (USA)
Diana Garcia—Monterrey Rayadas
Karla Nieto—Pachuca
Alexia Delgado—UANL Tigres
Alice Soto—Monterrey Rayadas
Forwards:
Scarlett Camberos—Club America
Jasmine Casarez—FC Juarez
Christina Burkenroad—Monterrey Rayadas
Montserrat Saldivar—Club America
Myra Delgadillo—Pachuca
Jacqueline Ovalle—UANL Tigres
Jamaica’s roster was much more diverse in terms of the leagues that their national team players are with around the world, comprising 11 different countries for their 23 player roster, with eight from the States, five from England and none currently playing at home in Jamaica.
Goalkeepers:
Sydney Schneider (25)—Tampa Bay Sun of the USL-Super League of the (USA)
Rebecca Spencer (34)—Tottenham Hotspur but currently on an emergency loan to Chelsea (ENG)
Liya Brooks (19)—University of North Carolina (USA)
Defenders:
Deneisha Blackwood (28)—Cruz Azul (MEX)
Naya Cardoza (20)—Brown University (USA)
Vyan Sampson (28)—INAC Kobe Leonessa (JPN)
Chantelle Swaby (26)—Leicester City (ENG)
Allyson Swaby (28)—Crystal Palace (ENG)
Dominique Bond-Flasza (28)—Fram Reykjavik (ISL)
Jaileah Cox-McPherson (18)—University of Memphis (USA)
Midfielders:
Olufolasade Adamolekun (24)—Hearts (SCO)
Paige Bailey-Gayle (24)—SC Sand of the German second tier (GER)
Shaneil Buckley (19)—Daytona State College (USA)—she won the 2024 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) National Championship with Dayton State of Florida.
Kalyssa van Zantem (23)—Houston Dash (USA)
Jade Bailey (29)—Sheffield United of the second tier English Championship (ENG)
Reanna Blades (19)—Lewes United in the FA Women’s National League South (third tier) following relegation last season from the Championship (ENG)
Konya Plummer (27)—Fenerbahce (TUR)
Forwards:
Jody Brown (22)—Benfica (POR)
Trudi Carter (30)—Espanyol (SPA)
Kameron Simmonds (21)—Florida State University (USA)
Tiffany Cameron (33)—Real Betis (SPA)
Kayla McKenna (28)—Grasshoppers Zurich (SUI)
Ricshya Walker (21)—La Salle University (U.S.)
At press time, it was announced that Jamaica will replace China for a friendly with the U.S. on June 3 in St. Louis, Missouri. China will stay play the U.S. on May 31 in St. Paul, Minnesota but could no longer play in the second match. With all the turmoil going on the U.S. with tariffs—currently at 125% on goods from China—and deportations of migrants, the first game could be at risk. Haiti stepped in with short notice to replace Australia for matches in 2015 in Detroit and Birmingham, Alabama, as Haiti was training in nearby Goshen, Indiana. U.S. Soccer will probably have a back-up plan for the game in Minnesota.
Zambia didn’t call in their four NWSL-tied players for a tournament in China during the window: Orlando Pride trio Barbra Banda, Prisca Chilufya and Grace Chanda, along with Bay FC forward Rachael Kundananji.
Venezuelan international Deyna Castellanos of Portland likewise did not leave the U.S. for Venezuela’s matches with Panama (a 1-1 tie and 1-0 win in Los Robles, Venezuela), explaining: “I don’t know when I’ll be safe to travel. The political situation in Venezuela is tricky. Obviously, I have a responsibility here. I am under contract. The uncertainty of like, ‘Yeah, I can go home, but not knowing if I can come back’ is something that is very scary, not just for me but players across the league. It was very sad I couldn’t go with (the) national team. I think it was the right decision for me to stay here and just keep training.” If this uncertainty continues, it could affect the NWSL side’s ability to recruit international players, as well as risk the ones that are playing in this country. It is a very uncertain time in America.
Australia does the double over Korea Republic in New South Wales
On April 4, in Sydney, Lim Seon-Joo (34) of Incheon Red Angels scored an own goal to give the Matildas a 1-0 win in front of a crowd exceeding 37,000. On April 7 in Newcastle, New South Wales, Mary Fowler (22), in her third season with Manchester City in England, and Kaitlyn Torpey (25) of the Portland Thorns, scored the goals for the Matildas’ 2-0 win against Korea Republic.
The Newcastle match drew 28,019 fans. Midfielder Claire Wheeler (27), who is in her third season with Everton in the WSL, grew up in Newcastle near the McDonald Jones Stadium and returned to the national team after an injury lay off, said: “I feel immense pride representing my country and getting to do it here in Newcastle. From minute one, to the 90th minute, we felt supported. You could hear the crowd today…
“It’s really heartwarming to be able to represent my country in front of them. They’ve been a really big part of my journey. Every player on this team is going to have a massive support system behind them to make it where they are. You feel so much gratitude to be able to represent your country in front of them.”
She was pleased with the two wins over Korea Republic, who have qualified for the last three Women’s World Cup Finals, making the Round of 16 in 2015 in Canada: It’s really important to play this kind of opposition before we get to the Asian Cup (which Australia will host next year). Two wins, but also two clean sheets, puts us in a really good position to build from here and look forward to March next year.”
Tim Grainey is a contributor to Tribal Football. His latest book Beyond Bend it Like Beckham on the global game of women’s football. Get your copy today. Follow Tim on X: @TimGrainey