Lily Yohannes Announces Herself as a USWNT Force in Impressive Lyon Start

Lily Yohannes has long been regarded as a generational talent, but her coaches have approached her early career with appropriate caution. Whether making an highly anticipated international debut or joining a European powerhouse, the teenager has been given time to develop. Her emergence at Lyon appears to be arriving at precisely the right moment—and the early results are compelling.

After sharing midfield duties with Lindsey Heaps during her first season at the French club, Yohannes is now being trusted with a larger role. Her creativity was evident in Lyon’s 8-0 UEFA Women’s Champions League victory over Servette on Wednesday, when she assisted Marie-Antoinette Katoto’s second-half goal. Finding a pocket of space in a crowded penalty area, Yohannes delivered the pass that set up Katoto’s finish. The assist came via a backheel, offering further evidence of the flair and quiet confidence that define her game.

That goal was her standout contribution, but it was hardly her only one. Although Lyon’s sample size is still small, the midfielder is already improving on her previous numbers while receiving more playing time. She is producing an average of two chances per game and 0.3 expected assists, up from 1.1 chances and 0.2 expected assists per outing last season. Her vision remains an exceptional strength. On Wednesday, Yohannes attempted 39 passes—her lowest total so far this season—and still created two chances during 72 minutes.

Her playmaking is ideally suited to Lyon’s formidable attack. France international Katoto scored a hat trick on Wednesday, while Melchie Dumornay contributed two goals and an assist. Spain international Salma Paralluelo is also part of Lyon’s young core as the club pursues its first UWCL title in five years. Yohannes’ adjustment period in France appears to have helped her understand both Jonatan Giraldez’s tactical demands and the expectations of playing for Lyon before taking on greater responsibility as an attacking midfielder.

There is also promise in her attacking output, a less prominent but still important part of her game. Yohannes has yet to score this season, but she is averaging 2.7 shots and 0.3 expected goals per match, compared with 1.1 shots and 0.1 expected goals last season. How that aspect of her game develops remains to be seen. She has never scored more than six goals in a club season with Lyon or Ajax, and her only goal for the U.S. women’s national team came on her debut in June 2024. At present, however, both her club and national team place the primary scoring responsibility on the players ahead of her, allowing her creativity to remain the central focus.

Yohannes’ continued development raises intriguing questions for USWNT head coach Emma Hayes as the team approaches November’s Concacaf W Championship. The quarterfinal against El Salvador is a win-and-qualify match on the road to the 2026 Women’s World Cup. Hayes has expanded her player pool and rotated through her options over the past two years, but the November fixture will finally force her to define her preferred starting lineup.

The midfield in particular is undergoing a potential generational transition. Holding midfielder Claire Hutton may soon displace Sam Coffey, who started at the 2024 Olympics, while Yohannes faces an even greater challenge in claiming the No. 10 role. Mainstay Rose Lavelle has not been displaced by younger players, remaining an injury-free presence and earning a Ballon d’Or nomination this year.

It is still early in the season, but Yohannes has already justified Giraldez’s decision to give her increased responsibility. She may eventually receive the same trust from Hayes. Whether she can surpass Lavelle on the way to Brazil remains to be seen, but so far Yohannes is fulfilling her role perfectly—by making Emma Hayes’ selection process more difficult.

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