USWNT opens 2026 with dominant win over Paraguay

CARSON — On a day when the U.S. Women’s National Team honored legendary forward Christen Press, a new crop of faces kicked off the new year in hopes of making an impression for the upcoming drive to a busy 2026 and 2027 and even beyond.

The USWNT kicked off 2026 Saturday with a roster full of players from the NWSL and eventually wore down Paraguay for a 6-0 win in front of 19,397 at Dignity Health Sports Park.

Reilyn Turner, who was making her senior national team debut, opened the scoring in first-half stoppage time.

“If you saw a big group of loud people, that was my family,” Turner, who is from Aliso Viejo, said. “There are so many players on this team that I played with in the past, so being able to play with them again is a dream come true. There’s some old chemistry and some new chemistry and I feel like I’m just really grateful to have been on the field today.”

Turner started last season in a Futures Camp, which trains alongside the senior national team. That experience, she said, was vital for her last season.

“We were able to get exposure with the full team coaches and I think that was a great opportunity for me, at least to get to know the coaches and style of play,” Turner said. “Leaving the Futures Camp knowing kind of the standard of what it takes to be on full team, just learning and growing day, has been really nice.”

The onslaught really began in the early stages of the second half as the USWNT scored five goals in a 15-minute span to blow open a once close game.

Ally Sentnor scored twice in the second half (47th and 57th minutes), Trinity Rodman capped her emotional week with a goal in the 56th minute and Emma Sears capped the scoring in the 72nd minute.

Emma Hayes said that Rodman told her not take her off until she scored.

“She’s ready to move forward and I think today symbolizes that,” Hayes said. “It’s a fresh start for her. She’s settled. She’s happy and I think knowing her future is a big weight off of her shoulders.

“I think she looked rusty, like all of them did in the many ways, but she said to me at halftime, you’re not taking me off till I get a goal, because I’ve got a celebration.”

It was a goal-scoring outburst that certainly Press would have enjoyed playing in. Press, who played the last three seasons of her professional career with Angel City FC, was honored during the pregame ceremony. She hasn’t played for the national team since 2021, but she left an incredible imprint.

Press finished her national team career with 155 appearances, ranking ninth all-time in goals scored (64) and 12th in assists (43). She was a member of two World Cup champion teams (2015 and 2019) and the 2021 Bronze Medal team from the Tokyo Olympics.

“I think when I was a player, I had this idea that once you’re off the U.S. national team, that you’re just sort of forgotten,” Press told reporters during a pregame media scrum. “A moment like this is really special. I think U.S. Soccer has done a really good job; our whole generation has been retiring, of just celebrating everybody’s career.

“I think the generation is really special. We went through drastic changes in women’s sports and obviously women’s soccer, so to have this moment to celebrate it and celebrate the growth of the game is important.”

Press finished her legendary USWNT career with 155 caps and ranks ninth all-time in goals (64) and 12th all-time in assists (43). She is a two-time FIFA World Cup champion (2015, 2019) and earned a bronze medal in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

“She has done so much for the sport and having her retire and this being her retirement match, I think means so much to our squad,” Turner said. “She has made such a big impact on the game.”

For the current collection of players, Saturday’s rout was an impressive way to kick things off. On the busy horizon for the U.S. is the SheBelieves Cup in March, qualifying for the 2027 FIFA World Cup and eventually the event itself. Also down the road is the 2031 World Cup, which could be hosted by the U.S. along with Mexico, Costa Rica and Japan.

The USWNT will head to Santa Barbara Tuesday to face Chile.