The early days of Emma Hayes’ tenure as the United States women’s national team head coach have been improbably successful, and at the moment she’s making a complicated home renovation look like it just needed a fresh coat of paint.
Zambia’s elite, electric attackers? Shut down.
Germany’s group stage plan to control possession? Out-possessed.
Australia’s desperate survival move? Survived.
Japan’s bunkered-down defense? Sorted out.
Germany’s knockout round knockout punches? Sustained.
The games themselves have not (all) been easy, and there were big German challenges aside from the pushing, poking and mostly-unguarded roughhousing of a physical side, as the world’s No. 4 side was able to sustain possession and pressure for decent lengths of time, especially at the start of the second half.
And the Yanks also found a much more in-form version of star German keeper Ann-Katrin Berger, who had seven saves in the first 90 minutes and finished with nine. Unfortunately for Berger, the USWNT saw Sophia Smith get her Trinity Rodman knockout hero moment, and both Naomi Girma and Alyssa Naeher continued to show up big at the back in the best moments.
Now Team Nevertrailed — still yet to play a moment down a goal under coach Hayes — has out-everything everyone and there’s one huge, multi-pronged task left.
SEE MORE: Emma Hayes: Meet the coach
SEE MORE: USWNT to play for gold medal after 1-0 extra time win vs. Germany
Hayes’ USWNT passing with flying colors
The gold medal match, regardless of opponent, is a huge opportunity for this mostly new generation of USWNT stars to supercharge the renewal of the program. It’ll either be the World Cup champions or a Marta-led Brazil team playing the final game of the world’s most celebrated player’s career.
But if it’s Spain, wow. The chance is to take the supercharger, shove it inside of a bigger supercharger and use it to go into the future to find the next-gen supercharger and bring it back to 2024.
From 2003 into 2023, the USWNT held a total of two rankings on FIFA’s top women’s teams link: 1 and 2.
The Yanks entered this tournament at a program-low fifth, behind Spain, France, England and Germany. They’ve beaten Germany twice and France has exited early, and No. 1 Spain would be a special moment.
The USWNT won’t be massive underdogs but it is not going to be favorites against Spain, who will have a very good chance to hold possession as its advantage is in the midfield.
Since losing to Japan in the final game of the 2023 World Cup group stage, a game the Spaniards would’ve liked but did not need, Spain has 20 wins and two losses. Spain also technically drew against Colombia in the Olympic quarterfinals, advancing in penalties, but let’s be real.
The U.S. beating Spain in any manner is a victory. Reaching the gold medal final is a victory. Looking as good as they’ve looked and getting standout moments from every player on the field. More victories.
Yet winning against Spain or Brazil to win a gold medal by being the better side, especially if it’s against perhaps the only better technical and tactical opponent in the world right now? That’s completely restorative, and instantly makes the Hayes hire a grand slam.
SEE MORE: Trinity Rodman takes her moment in new era of USWNT
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