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Jeff Kassouf
CHESTER, Pa. – United States women’s national team coach Emma Hayes expressed her disappointment after her squad’s 2-1 defeat to Portugal at Subaru Park, stating her team was unrecognizable.
“I didn’t recognize our team,” Hayes remarked. “We were rushing everything and played too direct. This isn’t the team we’ve been building, but that’s what happens after being apart for 113 days.”
This defeat marks the USWNT’s third loss of the year, a rare occurrence in the program’s four-decade history, with previous losses coming against top-tier teams Japan and Brazil while Hayes navigated the integration of younger players into the lineup.
Hayes characterized Thursday’s match as the most frustrating of her tenure, primarily due to her team’s lackluster performance against Portugal, a team they have historically dominated.
“I felt like a game of whack-a-mole,” she articulated, emphasizing her frustrations by repeatedly striking her hand on the table during the press conference.
“Every time I tried to address an issue, another one would arise. That’s how it felt to me during the game, and as someone who’s been coaching for a long time, I find those games incredibly frustrating.”
Hayes noted that the team struggled with defensive timing “from front to back” and failed to win crucial duels, conceding both goals from corner kicks, a reality she attributed to the lengthy break since their last international match.
Midfielder Sam Coffey was reluctant to use rustiness as a justification for the defeat.
“There are countless excuses we could make, but we won’t,” Coffey asserted. “Claiming we are young or haven’t played together enough is a cop-out. This team has a standard that demands we own up to our shortcomings and play up to the crest’s expectations. Winning is our benchmark, and we must rise above those excuses.”
The Americans initially took the lead when midfielder Rose Lavelle, in an offside position, scored just 35 seconds into the match. However, Hayes pointed out that her team failed to sustain pressure or build any rhythm from that point on.
“To me, it felt like a preseason match, so we need to move forward,” Hayes concluded. “But as I consistently stress, we must not fall into a pattern of this type of performance. How we respond tomorrow is crucial.”
Her players shared similar sentiments. Both Lavelle and Coffey mentioned a tendency towards individual play, while captain Lindsey Heaps remarked that “at times, it felt like we were isolated.”
Hayes credited Portugal for their performance, cautioning her team against underestimating European teams that are more seasoned with competitive play and adept at managing games. Nonetheless, she expressed disappointment in her squad’s overall display.
“The truth is, the performance wasn’t good enough, not a single player stood out,” Hayes articulated. “The entire team was lacking tonight, and I communicated that to the players. Everyone may want to find a solution when the team is struggling, but the reality is that team effort is what secures victories.”
The USWNT will have a chance to rectify their mistakes in a rematch against Portugal on Sunday in East Hartford, Conn. Despite the lackluster showing, Heaps emphasized the need to stay positive.
“We haven’t been together for four months; we must bear that in mind,” Heaps noted. “We’ve only had two days of training, so we shouldn’t dwell on the negatives too much; doing so would only be counterproductive.”