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Catarina Macario stars again as the USWNT sweeps Italy to end its year

Macario scored in her third straight game and Jaedyn Shaw added the second goal in a 2-0 win in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Catarina Macario (center) celebrates with Jaedyn Shaw (left) after scoring the game's opening goal.
Catarina Macario (center) celebrates with Jaedyn Shaw (left) after scoring the game's opening goal.Read moreRebecca Blackwell / AP
    Associated Press
    Published 

FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Catarina Macario scored in her third straight international match and the United States women’s national team defeated Italy 2-0 on Monday night in the final game for the national team this year.

The United States has scored in 16 straight matches, including all 15 this year. The national team wrapped up 2025 12-3-0.

Macario scored the opening goal in the 20th minute with a strike from the corner of the box and up over Italy goalkeeper Francesca Durante’s head and into the side netting of the far post.

Jaedyn Shaw added a second goal before halftime, taking a pass from Alyssa Thompson before squaring up and calmly finishing out of Durante’s reach to make it 2-0.

Claudia Dickey earned her fifth clean sheet in her sixth appearance in goal for the USWNT.

Macario had a pair of goals a 3-0 victory over Italy on Friday night in Orlando, Florida. Olivia Moultrie, who scored the other goal on Friday, was available off the bench Monday.

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Macario, who plays for Chelsea, led the team this year with eight goals, including seven goals in her last seven starts. She nearly got a second goal at Ft. Lauderdale’s Chase Stadium but it was disallowed because of a foul, denying her a third brace in her last three international games.

Macario and Emily Fox were among the players named earlier Monday as nominees for the women’s U.S. Soccer Player of the Year award, joining Rose Lavelle, Thompson, and Sam Coffey.

U.S. coach Emma Hayes made five changes to the starting lineup from Friday’s victory in the first game against Italy, going with veterans Naomi Girma, Lindsey Heaps, Fox and Macario. Three teenagers started for the United States, including 19-year-olds Claire Hutton and Jordyn Bugg and 18-year-old Lily Yohannes.

The USWNT will next gather from Jan. 17-27 for the team’s annual camp in Carson, Calif., with a match planned against Paraguay and another against an undetermined opponent.

    Associated Press