Olivia Moultrie scored inside of 90 seconds and Cat Macario added a second-half brace as the United States Women’s National Team defeated Italy 3-0 tonight at Inter&Co Stadium. With the win, the USWNT improved to 9-0-0 at Inter&Co Stadium and has yet to concede a goal, outscoring opponents 27-0 here. The crowd of 14,199 who braved the chilly temperatures represented the city well, as it was the third-largest USWNT crowd at the venue.
With the win, the Yanks are 11-4-1 in the all-time series against Italy.
“Starting fast is one thing, but we’ve often started fast and conceded just as quickly, so a clean sheet means as much to us this evening as as the result and the performance,” USWNT Head Coach Emma Hayes said after the match. “I’ve said it many times is they’re so coachable, these players, and malleable, and everything we’re starting to drive in, in terms of the messaging is really sinking amongst them all. And look, if I’m honest, there’s so many areas I still think we have to do better, but I thought was a really good performance.”
Hayes did not start Orlando Pride defender Emily Sams on her club home field, but a couple of other Emilys got to start. Hayes went with a lineup featuring Claudia Dickey in goal behind a back line of Lilly Reale, Naomi Girma, Emily Sonnett, and Emily Fox. Alyssa Thompson, Sam Coffey, Claire Hutton, and Rose Lavelle were the midfield four behind forwards Catarina Macario and Moultrie.
The U.S. struck early, but struggled to finish despite dominating territorially. The Italians were able to create a bit of danger off set pieces and an occasional counter, but other than that, this night belonged to the USWNT.
It took the United States just 67 seconds to take the lead. After a frantic first 60 seconds, Lilly Reale collected the ball on the left and passed forward to Rose Lavelle, who played a quick ball wide to Alyssa Thompson. A good return ball from Thompson sent Lavelle down the left channel and the Gotham FC midfielder found Moultrie in the middle, and the Portland Thorns attacker swept a first-time shot past goalkeeper Laura Giuliana and in to make it 1-0 early in the second minute. It was the fifth time in 2025 that the USWNT scored a goal in the first 90 seconds of a game.
“I always think scoring early helps settle everyone down. For sure, it’s nice to just have that,” Moultrie said.
The Yanks came close to a second goal two minutes later. Cat Macario beat two defenders on the right and chipped a cross over the goalkeeper toward the back post. Thompson was making a run but was well covered and she could not get a touch on the ball to send it into the empty net.
Italy’s first chance came on a corner kick in the ninth minute. The ball skipped off the bodies in front to the left post, where Italy defender Elena Linari was unmarked. She tried to sweep it home but got under her shot and sent it over Claudia Dickey’s crossbar. The Italians nearly had something cooking on a long-range free kick a few minutes later but couldn’t control the entry ball.
The USWNT then enjoyed another spell of control and created shots but wasn’t able to convert. Moultrie picked up a pass in the area and fired, but Lisa Boattin blocked the effort in the 17th minute. Claire Hutton then got into a good position but fired her shot right at Giuliana three minutes later. In the 21st minute, Lavelle unlocked the defense with a beautiful right-to-left diagonal ball that sent Thompson down the left channel. However, her left-footed shot sailed over the crossbar.
In the 30th minute, Dickey finally got something to do as a floating shot by Michela Cambiaghi found its way on target but it was catching practice for the Seattle Reign goalkeeper.
After settling down for a few minutes, the game suddenly turned into a frantic, end-to-end match as it approached the 40-minute mark. Italy sent a good ball into the box that ended up with Chiara Beccari in front of goal, but Emily Sonnett blocked the shot to end the threat in the 37th minute. One minute later at the other end, the defense opened up in front of Lavelle, who blasted a shot on target that Giuliana fought off to keep the game at 1-0. Italy broke down the field in the aftermath of that chance, with Beccari getting behind everyone. Naomi Girma, playing her first international match in 149 days, made a lung-busting run to get back and put Beccari under pressure and preventing a shot.
The USWNT couldn’t do anything with a late corner kick and took its 1-0 lead into halftime.
At the break, the USWNT had the advantage in possession (69.2%-30.8%), shots (7-5), and shots on target (3-1), while each team won one corner in the opening period.
“Obviously Italy is a great team, and we knew that they would pose a different threat for us,” Macario said. “And so, yeah, I think today we just had to be really patient. And, you know, even though we were able to get the goal early on, you know, I think we had to, you know, just remain calm and keep trying to switch the play and really, like, break them down. Obviously, we were a little bit disappointed going into halftime to not have scored more goals, but I think when we came out for the second half, then, yeah, we were able to capitalize on the momentum that we had. And so, I think we did a better job in closing out the game than perhaps a couple previous matches.”
The U.S. came out strong and Lavelle quickly won a corner kick within the first minute but the service on the set piece was poor and the Yanks didn’t get a scoring chance out of it. The Americans thought they’d taken the lead through a Moultrie goal in the 49th minute, but Thompson was ruled offside in the buildup.
The hosts kept the pressure on, with Lavelle sending a good ball to the back post across the box, but a U.S. player couldn’t get to it. Moultrie then fired on target in the 52nd minute but hitting her shot right at the goalkeeper. A minute after that, the ball found Lavelle at the top of the six but her back was to goal. Without a teammate to drop it off to, she tried a cheeky backheel shot, but she didn’t get anything on it and hit it right at Giuliana.
Lavelle had yet another chance in the 54th minute. Moultrie stole the ball just outside Italy’s penalty area and found Lavelle on the left. However she fired over the bar.
Italy quickly came the other way and created a great opportunity, with Cambiaghi getting the ball on the left. She set up her shot well, but Dickey made a good diving save, getting her arm down and then scrambling to cover the loose ball.
The U.S. won a series of corners but did nothing with them. Girma ended up getting a head to a recycled ball into the area in the 58th minute but couldn’t direct it anywhere close to the target. After a couple more corners, Macario got a look at goal in the 63rd minute but fired straight at Giuliana.
The second U. S. goal came a minute later. Coffey sent Macario in on the left with a great through ball. Macario beat Giuilana, tucking her shot inside the right post to make it 2-0 in the 64th minute.
The United States continued to attack. Coffey blasted a shot from outside the box in the 66th minute but once again the shot was sent straight at Giuliana for the save.
Emma Hayes made her first substitutions in the 70th and 71st minutes, sending Jaedyn Shaw and Lily Yohannes into the game for Moultrie and Lavelle.
That, however, didn’t change the U.S. pressure, because within a minute of the changes, Thompson cut inside from the left onto her right foot and fired a shot that Giuliana fought off. Shaw headed the ball out of midair and Giuliana did well to make a good reaction save without spilling it.
Macario tripled the lead in the 76th minute when Yohannes sent a brilliant curling ball from the right sideline, sending the forward to the top of the box, where she blasted a shot into the right top corner to make it 3-0.
After the third goal, Orlando Pride defender Sams checked in for Girma to a strong ovation from the crowd. She also took the captain’s armband from Girma. Jameese Joseph replaced Macario at the same time, making her USWNT debut.
The game got a bit choppy down the stretch after both teams had made several substitutions. Sams made a nice play in the 87th minute to prevent a breakaway for Sofia Cantore as Italy looked for a consolation goal.
Eva Schatzer tried a shot from distance in the 88th minute but it was well wide of the right post.
Moments later, the final whistle blew on a dominant win. The final score was closer than it probably should have been, owing to some wasted shots, but the lopsided win was a fair result.
The USWNT finished with the advantage in possession (68.3%-31.7%), shots (18-7), shots on target (11-2), and corners (7-2). It was a dominant performance, even if the finishing was a little off on this night.
“It was great, great to hear all the fans chanting my name, and just so fun to be able to represent Orlando for the national team,” Sams said after the game. “Great to see so many familiar faces that normally are in Pride gear, and today they’re in the U.S. gear. So, very cool to see all of them.”
“I thought the crowd were tremendous,” Hayes said of the reception it gave Sams. “I said to Emily as I was putting her in, it’s always fantastic when you’re a player who has given so much service to a club that the fans show appreciation like that. And for her to feel seen and valued by the fans and loved by the fans was like really nice moment for her, because she’s such a great team player. And yes, she doesn’t always get a lot of minutes with us, but the way she conducts herself in the environment, the way she contributes to the team and our unity, and just her all round presence, like I always bring it back to she’s a real credit to her parents, because she’s a joy to be around, and someone who definitely deserved the ovation she got tonight.”
The USWNT coach was also complimentary of the stadium and the environment that Inter&Co Stadium provided.
“I loved it. I loved being here,” Hayes said. “I love the tunnel. I like that it creates connection with the fans, and there’s a great vibe. I love that it’s surrounded by lots of other sports teams downtown as well. I think it’s very unique, but it’s intimate. Fans are very, very close to the field. So, I can hear everything they’re saying, which is always great. I love to have a little giggle with them.”
The USWNT and Italy will meet again Monday night in Fort Lauderdale as the teams battle at Chase Field to close out their 2025 schedules.