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Jeff Kassouf
CHESTER, Pa. — U.S. women’s national team head coach Emma Hayes passionately expressed her frustration at Subaru Park on Thursday after witnessing her team lose 2-1 to Portugal.
“I felt like I was playing Whac-A-Mole,” she said, repeatedly slapping the table to emphasize her point. “Whenever I thought I had one issue under control, another would pop up. I’ve been at this for a long time, and I truly despise games like that.”
Portugal scored both of their goals from corner kicks. “No coach ever enjoys conceding from set pieces,” Hayes remarked with a smile, lightening the room’s mood as she exited the press conference. The U.S. fought to establish a rhythm against a well-organized Portuguese squad.
“It felt quite individualistic out there,” said midfielder Rose Lavelle, who netted a goal just 35 seconds into the match. “Everyone seemed to be trying to rectify issues on their own.” Captain Lindsey Heaps added, “At times, it felt like we were isolated on separate islands.”
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The lackluster performance drew comparisons to their experience at the 2023 World Cup, where the USWNT barely managed to escape with a draw against Portugal, relying on the goalpost in stoppage time to avoid a historic group-stage elimination. During that match, malfunctioning sprinklers created a chaotic scene in Auckland, foreshadowing their eventual worst World Cup finish against Sweden a few days later.
However, Hayes, who wasn’t the coach at the World Cup, acknowledged the disappointment of Thursday’s rushed performance but didn’t seem overly concerned.
“As Ben Northey, the [Australian] conductor would say, ‘Let it go,'” Hayes said, gesturing with her hand.
While that might sound simplistic, Thursday’s setback came 113 days after the U.S. last played — “it felt like a preseason team to me,” Hayes noted. More importantly, the upcoming 2027 World Cup is 609 days away.
This marks the third loss for the team in 2025, a rare occurrence as they have only lost three times in a calendar year on four previous occasions across the program’s 40-year history. They’ve never lost four matches in a single year.
Portugal’s midfield diamond formation allowed them to dominate possession, recording 60% in the first half while exploiting spaces between the U.S.’s three-player midfield. Although Portugal squandered chances during open play, they consistently created opportunities.
The challenges for the U.S. spanned all areas of the field. Hayes pointed out mistimed defensive tackles and lost duels as key issues. The goals came from set pieces, with Diana Gomes rising above three defenders to net Portugal’s equalizer right before halftime, and Fátima Pinto scoring the second goal after the Americans failed to clear a corner.
“We had issues all over the field,” midfielder Sam Coffey remarked.
“There are countless excuses we could use — but we won’t. Saying we lacked familiarity or that we’re a younger squad is a cop-out. This team holds a standard that requires us to acknowledge when we fall short and not perform to the crest’s expectations. Winning is the only acceptable standard.”
This loss is only the third in USWNT history against teams ranked outside FIFA’s top 20. It serves as a crucial lesson for a young American squad that Hayes cautioned not to overlook Portugal.
The most pressing concern was not just the defeat but the lackluster, disorganized performance, and the individualistic approaches players took to resolve issues as they arose. The absence of collective problem-solving and creativity was ultimately detrimental to the team, reminiscent of their earlier clash with Portugal in the 2023 World Cup.
“Please don’t remind me of that game,” Heaps said with a laugh on Thursday.
Yet, for the USWNT, there’s a silver lining: such underwhelming performances are rare during the Hayes era. Since taking over shortly before the 2024 Olympics, Hayes has led the team to a gold medal and has been dynamic in her approach, granting 24 players their first caps in her initial 24 matches.
Hayes’ tenure has begun strongly, which is partly why Heaps maintained a positive outlook on Thursday, asserting that the team should avoid excessive negativity. While Thursday’s match was not a World Cup event, it marked the opening match for this group as they embark on the journey to qualify next year.
It was not pretty. It was chaotic. But it was not entirely disheartening or alarming.
“It’s just football; no one got hurt,” Hayes said. “We must improve, and I assure you we will — we have to.”
Looking ahead, a rematch against Portugal on Sunday in East Hartford, Connecticut, offers a chance for redemption. Goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce expressed her sentiments for the upcoming match: “Definitely revenge is on my mind.”