USWNT closes out 2025 with commanding 2-0 win over Italy in last international friendly of the year

The United States women's national team ended 2025 on a high note, picking up a 2-0 win over Italy on Monday. After two first-half goals from Cat Macario and Jadeyn Shaw, the team held on for the shutout over Le Azzurre in the final 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 U.S. dominated on possession and took three times as many shots as the Italians, and two of them found the net relatively early on.

First was a goal from Macario in the 20th minute, with the forward sending a floater over the head of Italian keeper Francesca Durante.

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

Both goals encapsulated the spirit of the USWNT at this point: Macario and Shaw's individual talent shined as they scored, but it was the rest of the lineup that allowed the attack to materialize. (Macario should have had a second goal, too, but the second-half rebound shot was called back after an apparent, but unclear, foul was called against the U.S. in the box.)

Italy was able to adjust well to the USWNT attack in the second half, holding the score at 2-0. But it was still a great victory for the U.S., and a fitting end to 2025.

2025 has been a year focused on growth for the USWNT — individual growth, squad growth, growth in the player pool. Including Monday's victory, U.S. has picked up 12 wins and three losses this year as USWNT manager Emma Hayes stretches and experiments with the team in a year without a major tournament.

Coming off a gold medal run in the 2024 Paris Olympics, Hayes suddenly found herself without several core 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, though, has used the turnover as a perfect opportunity to expand the player pool, setting up both the next World Cup cycle and the next generation of the USWNT. Since taking over as head coach in 2024, 27 players have made their international debuts under Hayes. Hayes has also taken advantage of the down year to try out different combinations on the field: 50 different players have started for the USWNT team this year, per OptaJack.

This story will be updated.