U.S. U-23 Women’s National Team falls to Germany 2-1 in second matchup

PFORZHEIM, Germany – The U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team fell to host Germany 2-1 in the second of two matches between the teams. The USA won the first game, 2-1, on May 30 with a late Evelyn Shores goal, but this time it was the Germans who produced a late game-winner.

Germany put far more pressure on the USA than in the first game, and it paid off in the 38th minute. The USA tried to build from the back,but the Germans won the ball and Sophie Weidauer crossed from the left side. The USA had three chances to clear but couldn’t, and the ball was recycled to the right wing to Tuana Mahmoud. She did some nice work with a dancing dribble to make room for a cross and sent it back to the far post where Weidauer snuck her hard, left-footed shot just inside the near post to give Germany the lead.

To the USA’s credit, the response was good, as just a few minutes later, Caiya Hanks weaved her way into the German penalty box on the dribble and was chopped down. Midfielder Korbin Albert, who scored for the USA at the 2024 Olympics, converted to tie the match just before halftime.

Riley Tiernan and Albert both had great looks at the goal in the first half, but Tiernan, who has been on a roll for Angel City FC so far this season, fired high, while German goalkeeper Anneke Borbe stuffed Albert with a fine save as the U.S. midfielder tried to round her deep in the penalty box.

(+READ: U.S. U-23 Women’s National Team captures 2-1 victory over Germany)

The USA had a great chance to win it in the 87th minute as Makenna Morrisraced down the right flank but her cross on the ground across the top of the six-yard box evaded the crashing Mia Fishel and Maddie Dahlien. The Germans were able to clear, and Mahmoud picked up the loose ball about 20 yards above her own penalty area.She carried the ball all the way to the top of the U.S. penalty box and was able to evade U.S. defender Kennedy Wesley before absolutely crushing her shot off the underside of the cross bar and into the upper right corner from 23 yards out, giving U.S. goalkeeper Jordan Silkowitz no chance.

The U.S. U-23s will hold a concurrent training camp with the full USWNT in Denver, Colorado during the next FIFA window in June.

Additional Notes:

• The U.S. roster for this trip featured 15 players who are Under-23 in age, and per an agreement with Germany that is standard for Women’s U-23 internationals in Europe, each squad had five “overage players,” none of whom were born before Jan. 1, 1999.
• Players born in 2002, 2003 and 2004 are age-eligible for this year’s U-23 WNT, and the overage players on the U.S. roster were four born in 2001 — GK Angelina Anderson, F Mia Fishel, M Samantha Meza, D Kennedy Wesley and one in 2000 — GK Jordan Silkowitz.
• Ten players named to the roster have scored in the NWSL this season: Jordyn Bugg and Maddie Dahlien for Seattle Reign FC, Lilly Reale and Sarah Schupansky for Gotham FC, Kennedy Wesley for the San Diego Wave, Riley Jackson for the North Carolina Courage, Caiya Hanks for Portland Thorns FC, Jameese Joseph for Chicago Stars FC, Makenna Morris for the Washington Spirit and Riley Tiernan for Angel City FC.
• Almost all of the NWSL players got significant minutes with their clubs last season, as did Korbin Albert in France with Paris-Saint Germain and Abi Brighton, who helped Juventus FC win the Serie A Femminile this season.
• Ten players on the roster were at the USA’s first U-23 camp of the year in February in Los Angeles.
• Seven players on the roster were on the USA’s 2025 Futures Camp Roster in January in Florida, but four players from that camp – F Michelle Cooper, F Gisele Thompson, M Claire Hutton and D Avery Patterson – were called up to the USWNT for this latest FIFA window and matches against China PR and Jamaica.
• The roster featured players from six different birth years – 2001 through 2006.
• Bugg, Jackson and Dahlienwere all a part of the U.S. team that took third at the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
• These matches marked the first international games for the U.S. U-23s since February of 2023 as USWNT head coach Emma Hayes looks to kickstart the U-23 program as an important part of the player pool for the full U.S. Women’s National Team. In the first match, for the first time in USWNT history, the U.S. U-23s started a game featuring 11 professional players. The USA started 10 professionals in today’s game with the squad’s only college player – Evelyn Shores – getting the starting nod.

-U.S. Under-23 Women’s Youth National Team Match Report-

Match: United States U-23 Women’s National Team vs. Germany U-23 Women’s National Team
Date: June 2, 2025
Competition: International Friendly
Venue: Kramski-Arena; Pforzheim, Germany
Kickoff: 6:30 p.m. local (12:30 p.m. ET)
Weather: 69 degrees, cloudy

Lineups:

USA: 12-Jordan Silkowitz; 2-Emily Mason (20-Samantha Meza, 74), 4-Jordyan Bugg (5-Kennedy Wesley, 56), 19-Lauren Flynn,18-Evelyn Shores (9-Mia Fishel, 46); 17-Abi Brighton, 8-Korbin Albert, 10-Jaedyn Shaw (Capt.) (6-Riley Jackson, 56); 14-Riley Tiernan (3-Lilly Reale, 46), 13-Caiya Hanks (11-Maddie Dahlien, 56),16-Sarah Schupansky (7-Makenna Morris, 56)

Subs not used: 1-Angelina Anderson

Head Coach: Heather Dyche

GER: 12-Anneke Borbe; 3-Sarah Mattner-Trembleau, 4-Vanessa Diehm (Capt.), 6-Lisanne Grawe, 7-Vivien Endemann (21-Mara Alber, 61), 9-Shekiera Martinez (18-Selina Vobian, 74), 11-Tuana Mahmoud, 15-Camilla Kuver (14-Jella Veit, 61), 16-Meret Felde (8-Mathilde Janzen, 74), 19-Sophie Weidauer, 22-Nia Szenk (13-Julia Mickenhagen, 78)

Subs not used: 1-Rafaela Borggrafe, 2-Chiara Hahn, 5-Alina Axtmann; 10-Gia Corley; 17-Marie Steiner, 23-Laura Dick

Head Coach: Kathrin Peter

Stats Summary: USA / GER  
Shots: 8 / 5
Shots on Goal: 5 / 4
Saves: 2 / 4
Corner Kicks: 3 / 2
Fouls: 6 / 5
Offside: 1 / 1

Officials:
Referee: Selina Menzel (GER)
Assistant Referee 1: Sonja Rebler(GER)
Assistant Referee 2: Franziska Vogele (GER)
Fourth Official: Theresa Hug (GER)