The final friendly before the International break brought together two soccer heavyweights, and it didn’t disappoint. After an intense 90 minutes plus added time, Emma Hayes’ USWNT managed to scrape a 2-1 win over the Netherlands. The match was decided by a 71st-minute winner from Lynn Williams, who admitted post-match that the Stars and Stripes were far from being the best on the pitch. 

Without key players, particularly the absence of the ‘triple espresso,’ attacking responsibilities fell on Jaedyn Shaw, Rose Lavelle, Lindsey Horan, and Yazmeen Ryan, all of whom failed to deliver. It was the substitutions made by Hayes that ultimately changed the course of the game, especially the introduction of Lynn Williams. 

“I’m gonna say this was not our prettiest game of soccer ever. And sometimes that’s how games go.” said the 31-year-old. “Obviously we’re gonna look back on the game and say what things broke down, but that has to be a starting point, is just the intensity,” said Williams who scored her 22nd goal in national colors. 

Emma Hayes continues her perfect record with 13 wins and 2 draws since taking over as the head coach in June 2024. The visitors were mostly outclassed by the Dutch but it’s their own mistakes that cost them the game. 18-year-old Veerle Tooske Janna Roos Buurman found herself scoring on both sides of the pitch. 

Special mention goes to Alyssa Naeher who in her 115th and final match for the USWNT, made crucial saves to keep her team in the game. The scoreline may favor the Americans but the Dutch had 22 shots on goal compared to 5 from Hayes’ side. However, the much talking point was a young sensation with a dutch link. 

A ‘Dutch’ assist for Lynn Williams

Lily Yohannes, the 17-year-old midfielder, played her second match for the USWNT after choosing to represent them over the Netherlands. The final nail in the coffin for Dutch head coach Andries Jonker came when she assisted Lynn Williams in the match-winner. Jonker and Co. had previously pursued the Ajax midfielder publicly to join their camp. 

The substitutions were vital for Hayes’ side who acknowledged that her team could have been down by 2 or more goals after their abysmal first-half performance. “Of course, I was disappointed with the way we played in the first half because, listen, if we’re not going to be at our best with the ball, we better be at our best without it and I thought we got bullied and harassed and that frustrated me a little bit,” Hayes said in the post-match conference. 

Without key players like Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith, and Mallory Swanson driving the attack, the USWNT’s performance in their recent match was given. Moving forward, they will be vital in the upcoming tournaments like the SheBelieves Cup and the World Cup, where Hayes’ side will be favorites to win. Hopefully, we get to see rising talents like Lily Yohannes and others linking up with the famous front three.