The U.S. women’s national team’s send-off series is more about learning than celebrating.
For much of the first half, the pregame celebration of the 1999 Women’s World Cup-winning team was the most excitement offered in Harrison, New Jersey as the U.S. kicked off its Olympic send-off series against Mexico.
After a handful of missed chances in the first half, Trinity Rodman, Mallory Swanson and Sophia Smith finally combined to give the U.S. the lead. The U.S. scored just one goal from 17 total shots. The game showed how much more the USWNT needs to grow into head coach Emma Hayes’ system than what they might offer at the end of the month in France.
The weather was a factor, with soupy conditions thanks to the heat and humidity. The shade offered little relief, with temperatures past 90 degrees for most of game time, and the direct sun on half the field even worse. The summer heat won’t get any easier in Washington D.C., and will absolutely be a factor in the south of France too.
Meg Linehan, Steph Yang and Jeff Rueter discuss the key moments…
It took a while, but the U.S. attack found a goal
Throughout the 2024 season, Trinity Rodman has been working to refine her chance creation game. She hasn’t struggled to find targets with the Washington Spirit, as they were among the NWSL’s best teams before the Olympics break.
However, the focus on getting her final ball refined is paying off with the USWNT. Already a first-choice option at right wing in 2023, Rodman’s crosses and through balls have kept her in the lineup this year despite having not yet scored for her national team in 2024. Sequences like the one that led to the game’s only goal reinforce why she’s likely to stay in the lineup this summer.
Throughout the first hour, the United States struggled to threaten goalkeeper Esthefanny Barreras. Their build-up was often plodding as the team works to install Hayes’ tactical tenets into their second nature decision-making. The result was that Mexico was able to comfortably shift side to side to keep up with the USWNT’s angles of build-up — that is, until the 64th minute.
International Goal No. 2️⃣0️⃣
Sophia Smith is the 11th player in #USWNT history to reach 20 goals before turning 24 years old!#USWNT x @VW pic.twitter.com/XdV2ljCy5v
— U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team (@USWNT) July 13, 2024
Rather than recirculate, Rose Lavelle — who spent most of her shift operating in the right half-space as an off-center playmaker — spotted Rodman sprinting down the right flank and rewarded her with a well-weighted pass. Rodman advanced the ball to the edge of the box before centering to Swanson, who prodded it to her left to find Sophia Smith. Smith calmly moved the ball to her right foot before finding the far side of the net for her 20th international goal.
It’s understandable why Hayes wants to establish more sustainable possessive principles into her players, both to try facilitating more in-game chances while diminishing opponents’ chances to trouble the USWNT defense. Like we saw in the W Gold Cup quarterfinal against Colombia, however, the collective pace and versatile skillsets of Swanson, Smith and Rodman makes this team incredible difficult to contain in transition moments. If the USWNT is going to make a run for the gold in Paris, it’s almost certain these fast break moments will be crucial to winning close contests.
Jeff Rueter
A good but not great (yet) midfield
The U.S. midfield was all about Lavelle this game. She was the one covering ground, finding space and getting the offense set up in front of goal. While it’s good to see her able to set up the space in front of her quickly, the team needs more out of Lindsey Horan to really capitalize on Lavelle.
It did help that Sam Coffey was also clicking in this game, often successfully reading Mexico’s offense and coordinating with Tierna Davidson to cut off play and restart the ball from the back. But Horan was too prone to turnovers or pressuring ineffectively for the 65 minutes she was on the field. A little more aggressive counter-pressure might have yielded results for Mexico off of Horan and you definitely don’t want that from your captain right before a tournament.
Lavelle controlled the U.S. midfield when she was on the pitch. (Photo by Howard Smith, Getty Images)
On the other hand, we also got a look at Croix Bethune and Jaedyn Shaw in the midfield, if only for part of the second half. They were in a line with Trinity Rodman in a 4-2-3-1 and both worked at coming central or rotating out to the wing to be available, an exciting addition to an offense that has incredible tools to fulfill their stated philosophy of being fluid and adaptable.
How did the crowd respond to Korbin Albert?
Korbin Albert entered the match in the 65th minute, replacing Horan in the midfield. Hayes previously made entreaties for fans not to boo Albert, but on Saturday the sold-out crowd of 26,376 at Red Bull Arena did not hold back with their reaction — both upon her entrance to the match, and the first few times she touched the ball.
“She’s been a delight to coach. I think she’s had a really, really tough time. She’s really struggled, and I think some of that has shown in her performances,” Hayes said last month. “Understandably. She’s a young person and having to deal with a lot of criticism, rightfully so. She can hear the noise in the stadium. That’s affected her.”
Arguably, the crowd’s reaction in New Jersey was one of the loudest ones following public discovery and reporting around Albert’s social media activity, including sharing anti-LGTBQ+ content. Albert apologized via a post on her Instagram Stories, which are designed to be temporary posts.
Hayes had previously asked fans to embrace Albert. (Photo by Elsa, Getty Images)
Hayes, for her part, fully backed Albert as a player and a person last month, saying she earned her Olympic roster spot fully on merit.
“All I can say, firsthand, having spent limited time with Korbin, is that she really is a lovely person and someone who really values the most important things; that she’s spending time working on herself, as we all do, and I look forward to building on that with her,” Hayes said. “I want everybody to know that my job is to make sure I keep doing that. I want the fans to really embrace Korbin, because I do. I think she’s a tremendous human being.”
Meg Linehan
A work in progress?
June’s friendlies were teeming with feel-good factors as the program kicked off the Emma Hayes era. Lavelle celebrated her 100th cap. Lily Yohannes marked her debut with a cooly taken shot. Before and after games, the first regular interactions with Hayes helped the media fully acclimate to the dawn of whatever is to come under her leadership.
Although today’s game and Tuesday’s against Costa Rica are nominally friendlies, they’re unlikely to feel as breezy as last month’s matches. Upon appointing Hayes, U.S. Soccer made a calculated gamble that hiring her was worth a lost half-year of having a permanent coach on the touchline. Interim coach Twila Kilgore operated in line with Hayes’ vision, as has been made clear by the simultaneous wanes and emergences of several players in the USWNT pool.
Still, the team is adjusting to Hayes’ management — especially tactically. Throughout the first-half, a team already languishing in the summer afternoon heat looked even slower in build-up as they tried to refine their new training. Goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher will start in Paris and her dependable shot-stopping under pressure will benefit the team, but playing out of the back has never been her forté for club or country.
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On Saturday, Hayes looked to build out of the back rather than having Naeher heave long kicks into the attacking half. Naeher’s primary recipient was Davidson, a former longtime club teammate at Chicago with whom she seemingly would have an established passing partnership. However, Mexico pounced on two different weak passes from Naeher to Davidson in the opening 23 minutes, both times creating immediate danger in the box despite failing to convert either chance.
Seemingly, Hayes will want her team to start with Davidson or Naomi Girma collecting the ball before shuttling it to their nearest full back to begin working up the pitch. Jenna Nighswonger and Emily Fox were more common targets for the center backs’ distribution than Coffey or Horan in midfield. The midfield partners struggled to get on the ball in the first half, more often providing an outlet to their full backs for quick one-twos to create space from a marking defender.
It wasn’t always pretty, and it led to a fairly demure first half, but it’s becoming increasingly clear how this team might operate under Hayes. All that’s needed is time to work out the wrinkles.
Jeff Rueter
How did the team honor the 1999 World Cup winners?
Members of the 1999 World Cup-winning USWNT were in attendance and were honored before the match. It was slightly surreal to see the 1999 trophy paraded through the stadium alongside the players in replica ‘99 jerseys, reissued by Nike for the tournament’s 25th anniversary. Mia Hamm led the group along the sideline, cool in sunglasses and the 9, more gregarious with the cameras this time around than her shyer 1999 self.
Members of the 1999 USWNT celebrate the 25th anniversary of their win. (Photo by Elsa, Getty Images)
Members of the 1985 USWNT were also in attendance and it was affecting seeing three different generations of players handing off accolades between them, from the first players to officially play international matches for the U.S., to the squad that helped explode women’s soccer into the American cultural consciousness, to the squad now trying to live up to a legacy while creating their own identity.
There were a couple of 1999 final nods too: goalkeeper Saskia Webber brought back the red, white and blue hair dye, and USWNT press officer Aaron Heifetz wore the exact same vest he wore in 1999.
Stars and Stripes Forever @saskia_webber pic.twitter.com/fyolxghbX4
— U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team (@USWNT) July 13, 2024
Meg Linehan
What’s next for the USWNT?
The United States faces Costa Rica at Audi Field in Washington, D.C. at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 16. It’s the final game before the U.S. opens the Olympic tournament against Zambia in Group B on July 25 at 3 p.m. ET in Nice, France.
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(Top photo: Getty Images)
