MACARIO BRACE LEADS USWNT TO 3-0 VICTORY OVER EURO SEMIFINALISTS ITALY IN ORLANDO

Admin
19 minutes ago
5 min read

CATARINA MACARIO SCORES TWICE AS U.S. WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM SHUTS OUT EURO SEMIFINALIST ITALY 3-0 TO OPEN TWO-MATCH SET IN FLORIDA

Olivia Moultrie Nets Fifth International Goal; Macario’s Brace Makes Her USWNT Leading Scorer in 2025; Rose Lavelle, Sam Coffey Add Assists

ORLANDO, Fla. (Nov. 28, 2025) – Nearly 40 years to the day since the program’s international debut against Italy, the U.S. Women’s National Team opened a two-match set against 2025 UEFA Women’s Euro semifinalists with a convincing 3-0 win on a chilly Florida night at Inter&CoStadium.

The fifth international goal from 20-year-old Olivia Moultrie and a second brace in back-to-back matches for forward Catarina Macario led the U.S. to the team's eighth win in nine games to keep the USWNT record in Orlando to a perfect all-time 18W-0L-0D.

While 51 percent of her starters in 2025 have had fewer than 10 caps, USWNT head coach Emma Hayes opted for a veteran starting XI tonight against Italy. Only three U.S. starters – goalkeeper Claudia Dickey, 2025 NWSL Rookie of the Year Lilly Reale and the youngest player, 19-year-old Claire Hutton – started the match with fewer than 10 caps.

Defender Naomi Girma featured in the starting lineup, returning to the fold after 149 days away from international play. Girma earned her 49th cap and started the match wearing the captain’s armband for the fourth time in her career.

Two members of the century club appeared in tonight’s starting XI. Midfielder Rose Lavelle and defender Emily Sonnett – both fresh off winning the NWSL Championship with Gotham FC – earned their 116th and 113th caps, respectively.

Hayes urged her team to start the match on the front foot, and her team did just that, opening the scoring just 67 seconds into the match. The U.S. attack worked the ball in the left channel, starting with Reale at the left fullback position. She played a pass to Lavelle, who combined for a fast give-and-go with winger Alyssa Thompson. Lavelle, the NWSL Championship MVP, then slid a cross into the box to set up Moultrie’s fifth international goal in just her 11th cap.

The assist was Lavelle’s 27th in her international career and her third of the year. She has now recorded a goal contribution in five of her last six appearances for the USWNT.

It's also the fourth match in a row that the U.S. scored in the opening 10 minutes of action.

Italy nearly leveled on a corner kick in the ninth minute when defender Elena Linari snuck behind the backline on the far post and got her foot on the end of a service, but her shot soared over the frame. It was one of the few bright moments in the first half for Le Azzurre.

The U.S. dominated the first half, closing out the first 45 minutes with 69 percent of the possession and seven shots with three on goal. That pressure carried well into the second half.

After a few good chances for the U.S. attack, Le Azzurre created an opportunity of their own that tested Dickey in the second of back-to-back National Team starts for the Seattle Reign goalkeeper. Forward Michela Cambiaghi’s left-footed strike was well-hit, but Dickey made an impressive stop low to her left, showing why she finished the NWSL season as the leader in saves.

With the USA needing to show more ruthlessness in the attack and after numerous chances, including a few dangerous shots from Lavelle, Macario doubled the lead. Midfielder Sam Coffey, earning her 42nd cap, drove the ball forward through the middle channel, then located a window to her left to thread a through ball to Macario. The forward, in her second straight start, took two touches to clean it up then finished with her left foot into the lower right corner.

Macario wasn't done and the forward secured her brace in the 76th minute. Moments after entering the match as a sub, 18-year-old Lily Yohannes placed a precise pass behind Italy’s backline for Macario to run onto. Like her first goal of the night, the forward took a touch to settle the ball, then with her right foot curled a gorgeous shot into the lower left corner to give the U.S. a comfortable 3-0 lead and earn herself a brace in back-to-back matches.

The goals bring Macario’s total in 2025 to seven. She is the USA's goal scoring leader in 2025 and now has 15 goals in 28 international appearances.

In the closing minutes of the second half, Chicago Stars forward Jameese Joseph and Washington Spirit defender Kate Wiesner subbed on, marking the international debut for each player. Encouraged by the cheers from the Purple & Gold supporters in attendance, Hayes also sent onOrlando Pride defender Emily Sams as a substitute. Sams, a key member of Pride’s 2024 NWSL Championship, came on in the 78th minute at her club's home stadium.

In three days, the USWNT plays its second straight match against Italy in the state of Florida. The team's 2025 finale on Monday, Dec. 1 at Chase Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale kicks off at 7 p.m. ET and will be broadcast live on TBS, HBO Max and Peacock.

Goal Scoring Rundown:

USA – OLIVIA MOULTRIE (ROSE LAVELLE), 2nd minute: Lilly Reale pushed the ball up the left side of the pitch to Lavelle, who worked withThompson on a long give-and-go. Lavelle received Thompson’s pass inside the 18-yard box and sent a low, left-footed cross into the center of the box. Moultrie struck the ball first-time with her left foot and sent the ball spinning past the goalkeeper’s diving attempt and into the right sideof the net. USA 1, ITA 0

USA – CATARINA MACARIO (SAM COFFEY), 64th minute: Coffey carried the ball up the U.S. attacking half with a brilliant dribble. The midfielder then slipped a through ball to Macario making a run to her left. The forward took two touches to set up a shot with her left foot.Macario kept her shot low and drove the ball toward the right post and into the side netting to record her fifth goal in her last six starts. USA 2, ITA 0

USA – CATARINA MACARIO (LILY YOHANNES), 76th minute: Yohannes lifted a precise ball over the top of Italy’s backline for Macario. The forward collected with one dribble at the top of the box and then set up a right-footed strike. Her beautiful shot travelled into the left side nettingto give her the brace. USA 3, ITA 0 FINAL

Additional Notes:

This is the fifth time this year the U.S. has scored in the first 90 seconds.
Cat Macario’s goals were her sixth and seventh of the year which maintains her position as the leading scorer of 2025. She has six goals in her last six starts.
- This is also her fifth career brace, her last came in the most recent U.S. match vs. New Zealand.
The assist was third assist of the year for Lavelle and her 27th of her career. Lavelle's three assists this year are tied for the team lead in 2025 with Ally Sentnor, who scored today for the U.S. U-23 WNT in the 1-0 win over Slovakia in Bratislava.
Sam Coffey’s assist is her first of the year and her second of her career, the first coming in October of 2024 vs. Iceland.
Italy’s two NWSL players – Sofia Cantore and Lisa Boattin – both started tonight’s match.
This was Jameese Joseph’s first cap and first call-up to the senior USWNT.
Tonight was Kate Wiesner’s first cap as well but her second call-up to the senior team

- U.S. WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM MATCH REPORT -

Match: United States Women’s National Team vs. Italy

Date: Nov. 28, 2025

Competition: International Friendly

Venue: Inter&Co Stadium, Orlando, Fla.

Attendance: 14,199

Kickoff: 7:07 p.m. ET

Weather: 55 degrees and clear skies

Scoring Summary: 1 2 F

USA 1 2 3

ITA 0 0 0

USA – Olivia Moultrie (Rose Lavelle) 2nd minute

USA – Catarina Macario (Sam Coffey) 64

USA – Catarina Macario (Lily Yohannes) 76

Lineups: USA: 18-Claudia Dickey; 23-Emily Fox, 14-Emily Sonnett, 4-Naomi Girma (6-Emily Sams, 78), 12-Lilly Reale (9-Kate Wiesner, 84); 13-Olivia Moultrie (8-Jaedyn Shaw, 70), 17-Sam Coffey, 15-Claire Hutton, 20-Alyssa Thompson (26-Jameese Joseph, 78); 21-Catarina Macario, 16-Rose Lavelle (7-Lily Yohannes, 70)

Substitutes not used: 1-Mandy McGlynn; 2-Jordyn Bugg, 3-Avery Patterson, 5-Kennedy Wesley, 10-Lindsey Heaps, 19-Emma Sears, 25-Jaelin Howell

Not dressing: Jordan Silkowitz, Izzy Rodriguez, Croix Bethune

Head coach: Emma Hayes

ITA: 1-Laura Giuliani, 2-Valentina Bergamaschi, 19-Martina Lenzini (23-Cecilia Salvai, 60), 5-Elena Linari, 17-Lisa Boattin (13-Elisabetta Oliviero, 60); 6-Manuela Giugliano (4-Eva Schatzer, 76), 20-Giada Greggi, 18-Arianna Caruso (16-Giulia Dragoni, 76); 7-Sofia Cantore, 21-Michela Cambiaghi (10-Cristiana Girelli, 84), 14-Chiara Beccari (15-Julie Piga, 60)

Substitutes not used: 12-Rachele Baldi, 22-Francesca Durante; 3-Beatrice Merlo, 8-Matilde Pavan, 9-Martina Piermonte, 11-Agnese Bonfantini, 24-Alice Corelli, 25-Nadine Nischler, 26-Federica D’AuriaHead coach: Andrea Soncin

Stats Summary: USA / ITA

Shots: 18 / 7

Shots on Goal: 11 / 2

Saves: 2 / 8 Corner Kicks: 7 / 2

Fouls: 8 / 6

Offside: 2 / 1

Misconduct Summary:

ITA – Valentina Bergamaschi 89th minute

Officials:

Ref: Sandra Benitez (SLV)

AR1: Elizabeth Aguilar (SLV)

AR2: Hilda Hernandez (SLV)