“I expect it to be a very, very difficult match,” said Emma Hayes prior to yesterday’s clash against Japan in the SheBelieves Cup. Deep down, the English tactician was right—we all know how it turned out for the US Women’s National Team. A 1-2 defeat on home soil ended their five-year tournament streak. Though the moment couldn’t have been more disheartening for the whole nation, Hayes is trying to shift supporters’ focus by reminding them about an ‘exciting‘ prospect on the horizon.

Honestly, the American ladies couldn’t have gotten a better break than winning the SheBelieves Cup after last claiming gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Hayes’ personal unbeaten streak with the Stars and Stripes ended at 15 wins and two draws, as she suffered her first loss yesterday. Then again, consider it a temporary setback, as the former Chelsea boss knows what’s ahead for destiny.“It’s okay to be disappointed… but our future is exciting,” said the 48-year-old in the aftermath of the defeat, as compiled by Just Women’s Sports.

They say a setback is just a setup for a comeback, and clearly, Hayes embodies this mindset. The former WSL manager is feeling the blues together with ardent supporters and players. But she remains optimistic about what the future holds for the team. Can’t really argue with this and to recall, this was her aim after all. This got any bells ringing?

Weeks ago, Hayes had already cleared up that she wasn’t going to engage in title talk. To her, it was more about building a future. Calling up a different squad with big-name absentees like Naomi Girma or Triple Espresso (albeit they were injured) and giving young talents like Lily Yohannes, Gisele Thompson, or Ally Sentnor their much deserved chances—everything was in the plan all along.

“As I stated on the front end there won’t be perfection in performance but as long as we’re progressing then that’s what our aims are and our focus is to stay focused on that and not to just solely look at the results column that’s not our only indicator of future success,” Emma stated earlier in a press conference.

Yes, losing out the SheBelieves Cup or even against Japan wasn’t a deliberate cause. But Hayes mentioned earlier that the team isn’t here to only focus on the silverware; they rather consider it as a part of their journey to achieve greater things. No wonder she was able to find out both positive and negative takeaways from the team’s defeat!

Emma Hayes sheds light on USWNT’s ‘well done’ amidst defeat

Let’s face it—the US Women’s National Team was already in a tough spot, with no easy way forward or back. A win wasn’t guaranteed against Japan, but at the very least, a draw seemed likely. Even though a completely unforeseen outcome transpired, the good thing is that Hayes has taken the SheBelieves Cup failure constructively like every coach or team should.

“The pace of the game and our players being in preseason, I think that showed… we can track pressure well,” she said in the post-game. But with that also came some negative learnings that USWNT will focus on from now. “I don’t think we break the press well enough. That’s something I want to get right over time,” added Emma.

Notably, the SheBelieves Cup window was also a perfect chance for players to showcase themselves. Meanwhile, the coaching staff was able to identify which name they could trust for future camps. Ally Sentnor can confidently be one of those names who achieved a significant milestone in this tournament. Her goal contributions in all three matches placed the striker in an exclusive club alongside Alex Morgan, Christen Press, and more.

Other names that stood out included Lily Yohannes, Catarina Macario, Gisele Thompson, Yazmeen Ryan, and Claire Hutton. Are you also looking forward to see what the future holds for these fresh names and faces in the new era of USWNT? Because honestly, we’re buzzing!