When Emma Hayes first signed on to become the USWNT manager, expectations could not be higher for any manager in the sport of women’s soccer. There’s only one goal for Hayes and the United States: win Olympic Gold this summer and follow it up with a World Cup win in 2027.
The USWNT took on South Korea in a pair of friendlies in Hayes’ debut. After outsourcing the Koreans 7-0 over the two games, it’s safe to say that Hayes’ performance as manager went as perfect as it could go. Here’s why.
The Midfield is Coming Together
Emma Hayes has already shown that she’s willing to experiment tactically to figure out the best combination of players. The first match saw the USWNT come out in their usual 4-2-3-1 formation. The midfield duo of Lindsey Horan and Sam Coffey is starting to become incredibly strong together. The ability to distribute the ball while still playing physically and putting tough challenges in is what makes them both reliable in that position.
Less is More
One thing that was evident was how freely the USWNT played. Hayes seems to have told the team to keep things simple. Watch all four goals they scored against South Korea; they all were relatively routine finishes for players of this caliber. Tierna Davidson scored two goals from set pieces,…
