Trinity Rodman Leads USWNT to Dominant 6-0 Demolition of Paraguay in Captain's Performance

The United States women's national soccer team kicked off 2026 with a commanding victory, blanking Paraguay 6–0 in an international friendly at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California, on Saturday evening. The starting lineup featured the most inexperienced USWNT squad in a quarter-century, averaging just 9.6 international appearances per player.

Making her first appearance for the national team, Portland Thorns striker Reilyn Turner put the Americans on the board during first-half injury time. Finding room down the left flank, Turner received a clever through ball from Thorns teammate Olivia Moultrie, then carried the ball into the penalty area and calmly slotted home with her left foot near the front post.

Following halftime, the USWNT burst into action, finding the net four times within a frantic 10-minute span in the second period. Ally Sentnor doubled the lead in the 47th minute, an unfortunate deflection off Fiorella Martínez extended it to 3–0 six minutes later, Trinity Rodman added the fourth in the 56th minute, and Sentnor claimed her second goal less than 60 seconds afterward to make it 5–0.

Substitute Emma Sears capped off the dominant performance with the team's sixth goal in the 72nd minute. The strike was set up by Croix Bethune, who recorded her first assist for the USWNT in her sixth international appearance. Sears has now tallied five goals across 14 matches for the national team.

Reilyn Turner scores on her USWNT debut 🥳 pic.twitter.com/yqfnbxzTiF

Trinity Rodman debuts the captain's armband

Trinity Rodman debuts the captain's armband

Shortly after inking her groundbreaking new deal with the Washington Spirit, Rodman wore the captain's armband for the USWNT for the first time in her international career. With 48 caps to her name, the 23-year-old forward was the most seasoned player on the squad.

This marked Rodman's first USWNT appearance since April 2025, when she scored the opener in a 2–0 victory over Brazil. Rodman's 2025 campaign was disrupted by injuries, as she missed four months due to a back problem and then sat out another month with a knee injury.

For Rodman to make her comeback while both scoring and leading the team as captain represented a significant milestone for both the player and the squad. USWNT head coach Emma Hayes had been eager to see Rodman embrace a greater leadership position and was thrilled to witness her return in this fashion, despite acknowledging some visible "rust" in her performance.

"I'm delighted for her, truly. It was a challenging year, as we all witnessed, and she's prepared to look ahead. Today represents that fresh start. She's composed, she's content, and knowing her future is secured has lifted a significant burden from her shoulders. I believe she appeared a bit rusty," Hayes shared with reporters.

✅ Captain USWNT
✅ Get on the scoresheet
✅ Celebrate with a dance

Trinity Rodman is back 🫡 pic.twitter.com/RcQdPWtPLX

U.S. forwards' SoCal connection

U.S. forwards' SoCal connection

The USWNT struggled through the opening 45 minutes against Paraguay without managing to score. While they controlled possession, they lacked the finishing touch. That changed when Turner found space and produced a moment of brilliance to break the stalemate just before halftime.

To make her debut with a goal, and arguably deliver the game's pivotal moment, was extraordinary for Turner, who was raised in Southern California in the coastal town of Laguna Beach.

"I truly cannot express how I'm feeling right now ... it's beyond description, I'm speechless," Turner shared with TNT Sports. "It's incredible to even receive this chance to compete. This week, with four training sessions before tonight's match, I believe the squad has done an excellent job building chemistry."

While this young USWNT roster will require considerable time to develop cohesion, Turner and Rodman, both Southern California products, share deep connections to soccer fields throughout this region. The pair played youth soccer together at SoCal Blues starting at age 10. Seeing both players find the scoresheet created a meaningful full-circle moment.

A rejuvenated USWNT after the break

A rejuvenated USWNT after the break

The USWNT managed to score on just one of 10 first-half attempts, and that came in the dying moments. However, the second half told a completely different tale. The Americans converted five of their nine second-half shots. This represented a dramatic improvement from a 10% success rate to a 44% conversion rate (the own goal doesn't count statistically as a converted attempt for the USWNT).

Exhaustion for a very inexperienced and under-funded Paraguay squad certainly contributed, but whatever Hayes communicated during the interval clearly had an impact. However, she remained modest about taking too much credit or suggesting any magical intervention.

"As usual, I focus heavily on process. I highlighted some crucial elements I believed would make the difference. I emphasized we needed improvement in those areas, and if executed properly, goals would follow. We netted five times in 12 minutes, all praise goes to the players," Hayes explained.

Ally Sentnor gets her first goal of 2026 after a slick team move 😎 pic.twitter.com/fuGxCHWNuk

Another young leader emerges in Claire Hutton

Another young leader emerges in Claire Hutton

When Rodman was substituted, the captain's armband was passed to 20-year-old central midfielder Claire Hutton. The Kansas City Current mainstay has rapidly become one of Hayes's most trusted players and has earned 12 caps since her February 2025 debut.

While Hutton's youth might suggest she's an unexpected choice for team leadership, her composure and reliability indicate otherwise. She appeared in all but one of the Current's matches during their historic 2025 NWSL championship campaign.

"A valuable experience for her," Hayes noted. "If you worked alongside her, you'd understand. She possesses maturity well beyond her age. She carries herself like a seasoned professional. An outstanding player."

More Women's Soccer on Sports Illustrated

More Women's Soccer on Sports Illustrated

Theo Lloyd-Hughes is a writer for Sports Illustrated Soccer based in the Southern United States. Originally from England, he can often be found in a press box across the NWSL or at international matches featuring the USWNT and other Concacaf nations.