USWNT vs New Zealand prediction, projected lineups, and how to watch | OneFootball

The October International window ends for the USWNT on Wednesday night when it hosts New Zealand. The USWNT was stunned by Portugal 2-1 in the first game of the window, only to bounce back with a 3-1 victory over the Portuguese on Sunday behind a brace by Olivia Moultrie. Those results indicate that nothing can be taken for granted and that the U.S. needs a win to claim a successful October window.

Similar to the USWNT, this will be New Zealand’s third game in less than a week. The Football Ferns played a pair of matches against Mexico, losing both. They lost the first match 1-0 last Thursday, before falling 2-0 on Sunday. New Zealand has just three games left before the start of qualifying for the 2027 World Cup begins next February.

History is undoubtedly against New Zealand in this matchup. These teams last crossed paths in a January 2023 friendly that the USWNT won 5-0. In fact, the U.S. has won all four games against New Zealand this decade, winning by a combined score of 20-1, including a 6-1 win during the Olympics in July 2021. Therefore, the USWNT should be heavily favored to win on Wednesday.

How to Watch USWNT vs New Zealand

Time: Wednesday, October 29, 4:00 PM, ET

Venue: CPKC Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

TV/streaming: TNT, TruTV, and HBOMax in English | Universo and Peacock in Spanish

USWNT vs New Zealand Projected Lineup

After a disappointing result in the first game against Portugal, Emma Hayes made significant changes to the lineup for the second game. Those changes, which relied heavily on younger players, worked wonders. Of course, it’s now anybody’s guess who Hayes will look to for the third match of the window, especially with several players participating in critical NWSL games this weekend during the final week of the regular season.

USMNT Lineup (4-3-3, right to left)

Phallon Tullis-Joyce (GK) - Emily Fox, Kennedy Wesley, Emily Sams, Lilly Reale - Sam Coffey, Olivia Moultrie, Rose Lavelle - Emma Sears, Catarina Macario, Michelle Cooper

New Zealand Lineup (4-4–2, right to left)

Victoria Esson (GK) - Grace Neville, Katie Bowen, Meikayla Moore, Michaela Foster - Milly Clegg, Annalie Longo, Kate Taylor, Katie Kiching - Gabi Rennie, Indiah-Paige Riley

USWNT vs New Zealand prediction

On paper, New Zealand isn’t quite as good as the Portuguese side that challenged the USWNT across 180 minutes. On the other hand, New Zealand didn’t go down without a fight in two recent losses to Mexico. The Football Ferns certainly have enough quality to make things interesting.

Keep in mind that the USWNT wasn’t overly convincing in the two games against Portugal. The Americans are also missing several key pieces, most notably the attacking trio of Trinity Rodman, Sophia Wilson, and Mallory Swanson. The attacking players who are left are still trying to prove that they can perform consistently at the international level.

Ultimately, the USWNT should have no trouble beating New Zealand. The Americans won’t be on upset alert the way they were against Portugal last week. That being said, we’ve not seen the offensive firepower or ruthless approach that will lead to lopsided results that have become common in recent games against New Zealand. With a professional effort, look for the USWNT to win comfortably but not overpower a feisty New Zealand team.