Carson, California — The U.S. U20 Women’s National Team is a constant state of evaluation. With a deep talent pool and resources to match, the coaching staff has luxuries not afforded to many coaches elsewhere.

So when those players get the chance to get a few minutes in a meaningful game, like they did on Thursday in a 3-2 loss to Japan at the National Training Center, there is a lot of pressure to impress the coaching staff and keep a spot on the field.

Thursday’s games had some highs and lows from the U.S. players’ perspective, as some rose to the occasion while others faltered a bit against some of the best competition in the world.

Below is a breakdown of some players who stood out from the field: