GOAL and INDIVISA writers discuss the USWNT's upcoming European friendlies, Yohannes' future, and the NWSL Championship

The NWSL is coming to a gripping conclusion, with the championship due to be played Saturday between the Orlando Pride and Washington Spirit. This has been a thrilling playoff stretch, full of intrigue and drama. Will there be one more twist during Saturday's match in Kansas City? Brazilian legend Marta is out to finish her career with a bang, while USWNT star Trinity Rodman could be the difference maker for the Spirit and round off a wonderful 2024.

Internationals are underway, too. Emma Hayes has shuffled her USWNT roster heavily heading into a duo of friendlies with England and the Netherlands. Rodman, Sophia Smith and Mal Swanson are all out – resting at the end of a hectic calendar year. But there is some good news, with 17-year-old Lily Yohannes pledging to play for the U.S. She's in the squad, and could play a crucial role, both now and far into the future.

It will all make for intriguing watching. GOAL and INDIVISA writers break it all down in the latest edition of… The Rondo.

AFPWhat is the key takeaway from the USWNT roster?

Celia Balf: The biggest takeaway is Emma Hayes cares and is committed to building up young players. That's obvious in her managing the minutes and strain of what was a highly competitive year for "Triple Espresso." By keeping Mal, Trinity and Sophia off of the roster, she's showing a player-first mentality as a manager. Her investment in the young ones was also a takeaway. Lily Yohannes was added to the squad, joined by two players that are without USWNT caps – former Seattle Reign and current Manchester United goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce, as well as 20-year-old Utah Royals FC forward Ally Sentnor.

Amee Ruszkai: Hayes' commitment to expanding the USWNT player pool as much as possible is really admirable. There are a lot of national team coaches who, after a few years, are criticized for choosing the same names and not creating enough competition for places. Hayes might only be a few months into this area of coaching but it seems unlikely that she will fall into that trap. A player such as Tullis-Joyce, for example, is deserving of a USWNT call-up, but one can wonder how she can possibly get one given the depth at goalkeeper. However, these are friendly matches, and so for Hayes to take the approach of looking at these players, while giving others a deserved rest, is really refreshing and exciting.

Ryan Tolmich: No Triple Espresso, no party? Not quite, but the attack will surely look different. None of the three members of the USWNT's premier attack are in the squad, which opens up doors for the players looking to push into that group. Alyssa Thompson and Jaedyn Shaw are right on the precipice, while Emma Sears and Yazmeen Ryan made strong first impressions last month. Add in uncapped Sentnor and veteran Lynn Williams and you have an interesting group full of players with points to prove.

AdvertisementImagnPredictions for USWNT vs. England and Netherlands?

CB: Go with a 1-1 draw vs England and a 2-0 win vs. the Netherlands. The atmosphere is going to be electric at Wembley, and it will be interesting to see who's going to step up and score for the USWNT without any of the "Triple Espresso."

AR: The England game is a strange one because neither side is going to be at full strength, yet there's a lot of exciting talent coming through that could benefit from that. The Netherlands, meanwhile, have struggled to really back up a strong World Cup last year. It wouldn't be a surprise to see the U.S. win both matches, despite some of the absentees.

RT: These will be tough games. Without key players on both ends of the field, this isn't quite the best version of the USWNT. England and the Netherlands, though, will be ready for different reasons. England will be out to show that, if they had been in the Olympics, they'd have been a force to rival the USWNT in France. The Netherlands, meanwhile, will be playing a Yohannes revenge game. Expect both to be tight, with the U.S. struggling for a result in Hayes' homecoming before pulling out a win in Holland.

Who will claim the NWSL Championship?

CB: Orlando Pride. While the Washington Spirit have been unbelievable this season, and are bolstered from top to bottom with dynamic players, Orlando will do it. The fire in Marta's eyes when she picked that ball off against Kansas City in the semifinals, and dribbled past four defenders and a goalkeeper to score – that was the look of someone who won't settle for anything less than a championship. Orlando have been lights out this season, breaking records, unbeaten in 23 games at one stretch, so to see them complete their quest and win their first championship would be epic. With the way the Pride defend, with the grit and organization of Moorhouse, Sams and Strom, they are also hard to break down.

AR: It's so rare that the NWSL Shield winner also lifts the NWSL Championship trophy. In the league's entire history, it's only been done twice, by that remarkable North Carolina Courage team in both 2018 and 2019. That has made picking teams other than the Orlando Pride to win this year's championship quite tempting over the last few months – but perhaps this year it just really is this simple. The Pride were the best team throughout the regular season, they beat an outstanding Kansas City side to get to the championship game, and now it just feels foolish not to back them to finish the job.

RT: The vibes are too good for Orlando right now. Vintage Marta is back with a goal that got millions of views all over the world. Orlando won't win because they go viral, though, but because they're really damn good. They were the best team all season long and it all seems to be clicking at the right time. It'll be a tight one, but it feels like this has been Orlando's trophy win all year long.

ImagnHow big of a 'get' is Lily Yohannes for the USWNT?

CB: It's a big get. It's the right get. The whole way it was handled was correct, and on Yohannes' terms, which was nice. Obviously, a huge win for the USWNT getting a dynamic player, and just a good representation of the bright future ahead for the USWNT under Haye's management.

AR: From the early glimpses seen of Yohannes for club and country, it feels like a huge get. When a talent breaks through so young, it's easy to ponder whether or not they will live up to the inevitable hype, but in Hayes, Yohannes has a national team coach who has an established track record of developing promising stars. It's going to be exciting to watch her role in this USWNT evolve.

RT: Very big, largely because it's a reminder of where the U.S. are in the global hierarchy. Did the USWNT "need" Lily Yohannes? No. There are so many talented players in the pipeline, and they could have survived losing this one. Did the program want her, though? Hell yeah. She's an incredible talent who is USWNT-ready. Her decision to play for the U.S. wasn't about playing time or opportunity, but about power and prestige. Yohannes joining the USWNT gives the world's best team another superstar. As things stand, the USWNT's pull is still unmatched and, with Yohannes leading a new generation, it looks like that won't be changing soon.