Strong second half propels USWNT past Paraguay

It took a while, but it was certainly worth the wait.

Despite spending most of the first half on the offensive, the USWNT found that first goal somewhat elusive in its inaugural match of 2026 against Paraguay. but then, just before halftime, the United States achieved the breakthrough, and what followed in the second half was a 10-minute fury of goals, and the USWNT rolled to a 6-0 win at Dignity Health Sports Park.

The match saw numerous new players earn their first caps for the national team, and some of those new players did not disappoint. Among them was Reilyn Turner, who scored that goal just before halftime that reenergized the team. Ally Sentnor also impressed on the pitch in her 14th appearance for the national team, as she had a brace inside the first 10 minutes of the second half.

“Honestly to talk to Reilyn and to talk about Reilyn and to talk about all the debut players, these are players i grew up playing with, and I’ve been in so many youth camps with Reilyn, so the smile on my face when she scored was unbelievable,” Sentnor said of Turner’s performance.

Despite having numerous chances in the first half, the US did not find the back net until the 47th minute of the first half. Olivia Moultrie sent a ball forward, Paraguayan defender Maria Martinez slid but missed the ball, which went to the feet of Turner, who then took the ball into the penalty area, took another touch before she fired a shot that got past keeper Cristina Recalde near post.

“Last year (at) the futures camp, we were able to get exposure with the full team coaches, and i think that was a really great opportunity for me at least to get to know the coaches, the style of play and being able to watch the full team,” Turner said. Leaving the futures came, knowing the kind of standard of what it takes to be on the full team, just learning and growing every day has been really nice.”

The floodgates opened soon after for the USWNT. Two minutes into the second half, the USA doubled its lead when Izzy Rodriguez played Sentnor into the penalty area and fired a left-footed shot that went through the hands of Recalde and into the far post net. Goal number three, which came in the 53rd minute came with some help from Paraguay themselves, as Croix Bethune played Moultrie into the penalty area, Moultrie played a ball back to Bethune, Paraguay defender Fiorella Martinez tried to cut off the pass, which she did, but in the process, sent the ball forward into the back net for a Paraguay own goal that tripled the US lead. 

The USWNT pretty much sealed the match from that point on. Trinity Rodman, fresh off signing a record extension with the Washington Spirit, scored in the 56th minute with a shot that beat Recalde near post, and Sentor got her brace a minute later, as Giselle Thompson sprung her down the right side and into the penalty area and Sentor did the rest, slotting the shot past Recalde near post. Emma Sears capped off the scoring in the 72nd minute when a shot past Recalde far post.

“I’m happy to be back,” Rodman said. “It’s been a while since I’ve been representing the crest, and them coming off from an offseason healthy, it’s really nice. I’ve needed it, and yeah, I’m healthy right now, so that’s all that matters.”

The USWNT heads up north to Santa Barbara to face Chile on Tuesday night.