By OkayGoal 
The USWNT took on Ireland in the first of two friendlies at DSG Park in Denver. While the roster featured a unique mix of veterans and young players, the result was resounding for the USA. Ireland left some of their star players at home, which certainly didn’t help them in this matchup. Here’s a recap of how dominant the USWNT were in the first friendly against Ireland, with a look ahead to the second match on Sunday, June 29th.
USWNT vs. Ireland Game 1
This friendly represented a lot of firsts across the USWNT. Claudia Dickey made her first cap in the net for the United States, Lilly Reale made her debut at left back, Rose Lavelle returned for the first time since ankle surgery, and Avery Patterson scored her first goal for the USWNT. Patterson has demonstrated tremendous versatility for club and country, serving as a goal-scoring threat from the defender position. The former Tar Heel headed the ball home powerfully to get the scoring started.
AVERY PATTERSON’S FIRST GOAL FOR THE USA 🇺🇸pic.twitter.com/tcRdYVtD6z
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) June 27, 2025
Once the first goal went in, there was no looking back for the United States. Right before halftime, Sam Coffey would provide the second goal on a nice team move.
SAM COFFEY’S DONE IT AGAIN 🤩
The queen of the tucked in kit has scored second goal of 2025 for the US 🇺🇸
🎥 @USWNT pic.twitter.com/J2GUouRplK
— Attacking Third (@AttackingThird) June 27, 2025
Coffey would start the move by initiating a short pass to Rose Lavelle, who quickly moved the ball to Alyssa Thompson. Coffey then overlapped Thompson, who had a full head of steam to run onto the ball and attack the defense. Once the star midfielder got it back, she still had a lot to do, weaving in and out of defenders before finally finding the far corner with a strong left-footed shot. That’s two goals in her last three for Coffey.
It didn’t take long in the second half before the USWNT would bag their third goal. Rose Lavelle had a simple finish, but it still had to be a great moment for her to score in her return to the United States lineup.
Rose Lavelle scores her first USWNT goal since January 2023 🔙 pic.twitter.com/djFR0eCJsW
— B/R Football (@brfootball) June 27, 2025
The last goal of the game was the best one, scored by Alyssa Thompson. Lilly Reale created the chance with her effort, beating the Irish attacker to the ball and getting it to Thompson. Thompson would then do the rest using her pace and dribbling to beat Ireland’s defense. One quick touch to beat a defender before darting down the left wing and then cutting inside onto her right was all she needed. The finish was exceptional.
brb watching this Alyssa Thompson goal on repeat #USWNT x @VW pic.twitter.com/CMLjU6qw87
— U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team (@USWNT) June 27, 2025
By this point, the game was over, and another debutant entered the fray. Jordan Bugg, who has a bright future with the USWNT, came on as a sub late in the second half. Overall, this first match couldn’t have gone better for the USWNT. From the youngsters to the veterans, everyone contributed in a resounding victory. The second game should feature more of the same.
USWNT vs. Ireland: Sunday, June 29 at 3:00 PM PST/12:00 PM PST, TNT, TruTV, Universo
The group will head from Denver to Cincinnati for the second USWNT vs. Ireland friendly. Ireland’s best player, Katie McCabe, is home resting after winning the Champions League with Arsenal. Without her, Ireland doesn’t stand much of a chance, as we saw in the first game. Expect a few more players to make their debut for the USWNT. It’s the perfect chance for Emma Hayes to see how certain players perform in an international game. Sam Meza and Izzy Rodríguez were the only two players yet to get their first cap. Keep an eye out for them in the second game.
The way that Emma Hayes has been experimenting with lineups is only going to bode well for the growth of the USWNT talent pool. When the young players play as well as they have, it will only build their confidence moving forward. The best thing to enjoy about this team is that they’re preparing for the future, not just the present. The better the young players get, the deeper this team will be for a major tournament like the next World Cup or Olympics. Ireland will try to keep a clean sheet, but the USWNT is clicking on all cylinders right now; they look incredible.
Featured image via Noel Danseco
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