Uswnt Review: The Kids Are Alright But Concerns Over Chemistry And Aerial Ability Remain

More than 3 months aft their past match, nan US women’s nationalist squad returned to nan transportation successful October, playing 3 games pinch varied results. In nan first, an awesome Portugal broke down nan Americans successful a 2-1 triumph for nan visitors. Emma Hayes played an almost wholly different, overmuch younger lineup successful nan rematch, and nan Americans returned nan favor, 3-1. A someway moreover younger lineup successful nan 3rd crippled steamrolled a limp New Zealand, 6-0. The Portugal games offered galore lessons; nan Football Ferns were little scary than 11 jack-o’-lanterns would be, truthful that 3rd lucifer was much of a nosy romp than a existent test.

Here are immoderate takeaways from nan window:

The younker is fresh now

The USWNT that played nan first Portugal lucifer lacked nan qualities that person defined nan squad astatine its best: scrappy determination, beingness dominance, and ruthless shot progression. All of those were overmuch much evident successful nan 2nd match, wherever nan young starters played pinch a much accepted mentality than nan much knowledgeable players who played successful nan first.

This opposition was particularly evident successful nan midfield. In nan first match, nan operation of Sam Coffey, Lindsey Heaps, and Rose Lavelle was nary lucifer for Kika Nazareth and nan remainder of nan Portuguese side. Instead of playing pinch grit and dynamism, they were porous and uncreative (barring immoderate hopeful combinations betwixt Lavelle and attacking players Alyssa Thompson and Catarina Macario).

Lily Yohannes, Claire Hutton, and Jaedyn Shaw (18, 19, and 20 years old, respectively) were awesome successful nan 2nd match. The trio solved unit and moved nan shot quickly to accelerate nan attack. Each had memorable plays – Yohannes splitting 4 defenders pinch precision, Hutton calmly twirling distant from a defender to move fields, Shaw sending a back-heel to assistance Olivia Moultrie’s 2nd extremity – but nan astir notable facet of nan capacity was much mundane. Simple walk sequences routinely collapsed lines of Portuguese players, stemming counterattacks earlier they could start.

Against New Zealand, it was nan greenish attacking wingers, Michelle Cooper and Emma Sears, who made nan biggest impression. Cooper ate up abstraction and fed 2 assists to thief Sears connected her measurement to her hat-trick.

Former mainstays are invaluable for their acquisition and leadership, But it’s clear that sentimentality must not beryllium a obstruction to decentering them. If nan status celebrations for Alex Morgan and Alyssa Naeher earlier nan first crippled didn’t nail location nan connection enough, nan performances show it clearly: a caller procreation is fresh to push for spots connected this team.

Naomi Girma is missed

Naomi Girma has been a cardinal leader for nan US nether Emma Hayes. Photograph: Ray Bahner/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images

Portugal’s precocious property exposed disorganized protect units successful some matches, emphasizing nan absence of injured cardinal defender Naomi Girma. The Chelsea ace has only appeared for nan nationalist squad 4 times successful 2025, arsenic injuries person plagued her first twelvemonth successful nan WSL. Hayes said that erstwhile Girma builds up much nine playing clip she’ll beryllium called successful for nationalist squad duty, and that time can’t travel soon enough.

A beardown center-back pairing, and a beardown stopper successful beforehand of them, frees up nan full-backs to push up and supply width connected nan attack. We saw glimpses of this successful nan 2nd game, wherever a operation of Jordyn Bugg, Emily Sonnett, and Hutton was beardown capable to free up Avery Patterson (this time, connected her favored correct flank) and Lilly Reale to push heavy into Portugal’s protect third. Still, nan protect capacity near a batch to beryllium desired; nan US were fortunate to get distant pinch conceding only once. (Considering nan 3rd game’s ultra-inexperienced backmost statement would beryllium apples-and-oranges here; Bugg and Emily Sams, playing successful an different full-back position, were awesome successful nan progression, but they didn’t person overmuch to defend.) Girma’s return will bring a desperately needed steadiness and flowing connectivity to nan back.

The ongoing mobility successful extremity doesn’t thief matters. Phallon Tullis-Joyce, who is successful stunning shape for Manchester United, looked shaky successful nan first lucifer contempt making a fewer awesome saves. Claudia Dickey was good successful games 2 and 3 but was tested acold little than Tullis-Joyce. No keeper has cemented their sanction betwixt nan posts, and moreover erstwhile they do, they’ll request clip to build up nationalist squad acquisition earlier they tin genuinely bring activity to nan back.

Aerial expertise is simply a weakness

The US lacked aerial beingness crossed nan first 2 games. All 3 of Portugal’s goals came from precocious crosses – 2 from corners, and 1 from an arcing shot from Beatriz Fonseca. Going nan different way, crosses only resulted successful 1 of nan US’s goals against Portugal: a debased area from Ally Sentnor that bounced erstwhile earlier Coffey hammered it home. The US sewage 2 goals from group pieces successful nan New Zealand game, but neither of them were aerial: a short area played each nan measurement astir nan container resulted successful a extremity for Macario, and Coffey floated a free footwear into nan container that was headed disconnected nan station by a New Zealand defender into Sears, who sealed her hat-trick pinch nan tap-in. In each 3 games, excessively galore value balls done nan aerial went unanswered.

Hayes told reporters that aerial prowess has much to do pinch timing than height, truthful that whitethorn constituent to early efforts to amended nan squad’s expertise successful nan air. If they can’t fig retired really to beryllium effective targets connected offense, they’ll request to dial down nan measurement of crosses they nonstop successful and find replacement routes to goal. On defense, however, nonaccomplishment to fortify their aerial beingness will only make opponents look to utilization nan glaring weakness.

The squad needs time, but that’s nary excuse

After nan first disastrous match, Hayes emphasized that overmuch of nan team’s disconnection could beryllium blamed connected nan agelong play of clip since nan past camp. It’s a adjacent point, and it’s safe to presume that had she put guardant nan aforesaid lineup for nan 2nd crippled they would person improved. But nan 2nd lineup didn’t request to play a full crippled to build singular chemistry against a reliable opponent.

Everyone connected nan squad does request clip to mesh pinch each other, but that can’t and shouldn’t beryllium an excuse for mediocre playing for overmuch longer. There’s nary request for Hayes to support forcing combinations that don’t activity erstwhile location are amended options that person earthy chemistry.

After nan youngsters’ fantabulous showing successful nan 2nd game, Hayes told reporters that she sees them arsenic nan “present and nan early for nan program,” yet she is hesitant to propulsion uber-young players into elder world play without capable preparation. That information is respectable, but it shouldn’t barroom her from building her lineups to beryllium nan champion they tin be. The 2027 World Cup is looming ever closer, and it’s clip to statesman shaping nan roster that she’ll return to Brazil.