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Jeff Kassouf
CHESTER, Pa. — The U.S. women’s national team’s main coach, Emma Hayes, struck the table many times at Subaru Park on Thursday as she communicated her feelings regarding her team’s 2-1 loss to Portugal just moments prior.
“I felt a certain level of irritation this evening because I perceived the game as a Whac-A-Mole-style event,” Hayes stated, tapping various areas of the table to clarify her statement. “I felt that whatever I tried to address was only a temporary solution. That’s how I, as the coach, experienced the game, and having coached for such a considerable time, I detest such games.”
Portugal’s scores originated from corner kicks — “No coach appreciates allowing goals from any set pieces, never,” Hayes jokingly expressed while exiting the news conference, prompting a chuckle from those present — and the U.S. team encountered challenges in connecting, both with and without possession, against a skillfully arranged Portuguese squad.
“It seemed unusually isolated out there,” commented midfielder Rose Lavelle, who managed to score within the initial 35 seconds of the match. Captain Lindsey Heaps further noted that “at times, it felt somewhat as though we were isolated on different islands.”
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The underwhelming display triggered reminders of the 2023 World Cup, during which the USWNT barely managed a draw against Portugal — aided by the goalpost during added time — thus narrowly avoiding their initial group-stage elimination in World Cup history. Literal alarm bells echoed around Eden Park that day in Auckland, New Zealand, caused by a malfunctioning sprinkler — a precursor to the team’s poorest World Cup performance, which occurred shortly thereafter against Sweden.
However, Hayes was not the coach at that time, and despite her evident disappointment with the “hurried” showing from her team on Thursday, she remains unconcerned.
“In the words of Ben Northey, the [Australian] conductor, ‘Release it’,” Hayes mentioned while gesturing with her hand past her face.
This statement may appear to be a simple excuse from Hayes, yet Thursday’s defeat followed 113 days after the U.S. last competed — “To me, it resembled a team still in preseason,” Hayes noted. More critically, it occurred 609 days before the 2027 World Cup.
Thursday’s loss marks the team’s third within the current year, a phenomenon that has only occurred four other instances in the program’s extensive 40-year history. The U.S. team has never sustained four losses within a single calendar year.
Portugal’s midfield diamond formation enabled them to maintain 60% of possession during the first half, successfully exploiting gaps within the U.S.’s three-player midfield setup. The Portuguese side frequently played around the American team, though their finishing in open play was generally inefficient.
The challenges for the U.S. extended across all areas of the field. Hayes expressed dismay at mistimed defensive attempts and lost battles. And, naturally, there were the set-piece plays. Diana Gomes outleaped three defenders at the six-yard mark, scoring Portugal’s tying goal just before halftime, and Fátima Pinto added a second after the American squad failed to adequately clear a corner kick.
“I believe a lot of aspects simply weren’t effective across the field,” midfielder Sam Coffey stated.
“There could be numerous justifications — however, we won’t utilize them. Claiming that we haven’t spent sufficient time together, or that we’re too young, or anything similar, would be an evasion. The standard expected of this team is to accept responsibility when performance falls short and fails to meet the levels symbolized by the team’s crest. This includes maintaining a winning standard that surpasses all other factors.”
Thursday’s loss is only the third instance in the USWNT’s history of losing against a team positioned outside the top 20 in FIFA’s rankings. It serves as a significant lesson for a young American team that Hayes cautioned against underestimating Portugal.
The primary worry was not the outcome, but rather the uninspired, fractured performance, as well as the isolated strategies players employed to address these issues during the game. The deficiencies in problem-solving and creativity ultimately led to the team’s downfall. This scenario closely reflects the 2023 World Cup match between the U.S. and Portugal.
“Please don’t remind me of that match,” Heaps playfully remarked on Thursday.
However, the favorable news for the USWNT — at least presently — is that this poor showing is an exception during Hayes’ tenure. Hayes assumed the role of coach several months before the 2024 Olympics, guiding the team to a gold medal. She then initiated a comprehensive program overhaul, achieving victories while simultaneously implementing unprecedented experimentation, granting 24 players their initial caps within her first 24 matches.
Hayes’ tenure has enjoyed a successful start within the initial 18 months, which partially explains why a notably optimistic Heaps emphasized repeatedly on Thursday after the match that excessive negativity should be avoided within the team. Thursday’s event wasn’t the World Cup, but rather the initial match for this core group on their path toward qualifying next year.
Undeniably, the performance was unattractive and disjointed. However, it wasn’t entirely discouraging or alarming.
“It’s simply a football game; no one suffered any loss of life,” Hayes clarified. “We must improve, and I assure you that we will improve — it is imperative that we do so.”
The rematch on Sunday against Portugal in East Hartford, Connecticut, may partly explain this optimism. Goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce mentioned succinctly regarding her mindset for Sunday: “Revenge, undoubtedly.”
