Emma Hayes’ squad is out here making moves, but she’s keeping her eyes on the bigger picture. The USWNT started the SheBelieves Cup match against Colombia with a 2-0 victory. Catarina Macario scored her first international goal in nearly three years. Likewise, Ally Sentnor added her name to the scoresheet continuing her form. And just when you thought the action couldn’t get any better, Lynn Biyendolo wasted zero time. She scored just 42 seconds into the game against Australia. The U.S. held strong and took a 2-1 victory, showing they meant business. They are the team to beat!

It was a good turnout as over 15,000 fans of the Shell Energy Stadium witnessed the Olympic champs in action. But if you think Emma Hayes is getting caught up in title talk, think again. The USWNT boss isn’t here for the hype—she’s here to build a future as they prepare to face Japan. While the squad keeps stacking wins, she clearly mentions this is just a stepping stone. The real goal? Sharpening this team for the long run. So, while the SheBelieves Cup buzz is loud, Hayes keeps it cool as ice and locked in on what’s next for her squad.

In a chat with JER – Sports Journalist, she made it clear that for her, this tournament isn’t just about lifting a trophy—it’s about building a future. “I think for us I’m focused on the process. And right now in our journey, it’s important that we provide the opportunities to less experienced players and to do it in a tournament setting…” Hayes knows there won’t be “perfection in performance,” but she’s not here for perfection—she wants to conquer the progress ladder.

While the hype builds around winning it all, Hayes keeps her priorities straight. “…and 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.”

She’s playing the long game, ensuring her team doesn’t just chase victories but also builds a solid foundation.

“Our focus is to stay focused on that and not to just solely look at you know the results column…” So yeah, the scoreboard matters—but to Hayes, the journey is what counts. Now, the grand showdown is here. USA vs Japan in the SheBelieves Cup 2025, and oh boy, it’s a battle of the heavyweights! The two top-ranked teams are neck and neck, both undefeated. Yet, Japan holds the edge on goal difference.

Which means that a draw is enough for them while the USWNT? They require nothing short of victory to regain the title. And with Emma Hayes on the bench after that Paris 2024 triumph, you can bet she’s scribbling ideas in her tactical notebook.

But it would be unfair not to mention Japan’s Mina Tanaka. The star scores goals for fun with four goals in the tournament. She will surely pose a great challenge to the USWNT defense. But hope is not lost. In fact, Becky Sauerbrunn might just have the perfect blueprint to shut her down. It’s all coming down to this final clash, and with everything on the line, expect nothing less than fireworks on February 26!

Emma Hayes and her team’s final clash!

Sure, USWNT has back-to-back wins over Colombia and Australia and it sounds great. But they’re still trailing Japan, who sits pretty at the top with a four-goal advantage. And guess what? Japan’s goals came at the expense of the same teams that managed to keep the U.S. at just two apiece.

Well, the odds are somewhat against Team USA, and now comes the final challenge—facing the table-toppers themselves. Winning isn’t enough; they must rack up goals and keep things airtight at the back. And with Japan’s goal-scoring machine, Mina Tanaka, on a rampage, that’s easier said than done.

Enter Becky Sauerbrunn, the defensive strategist and a woman of many words of wisdom. In the episode of The Women’s Game podcast, she explained what the USWNT has to do: “Japan defends with a lot of numbers around the ball. When we win the ball as Americans, we need to connect that first pass and get the ball to these open spaces because that’s where we thrive and where Japan struggles a little bit more.”

Translation? Move fast, play smart, and expose the cracks in Japan’s defense before they see it coming.

Becky pointed to the Matildas match, where both teams battled fiercely in midfield, urging Emma Hayes’ squad to use a similar strategy—force Japan into one-on-one situations and disrupt their rhythm. But here is the real question—can the U.S. get through the Japanese pressure?

Becky doesn’t mince her words: “How do we break that first line of pressure? Because you best believe that there’s going to be a lot of Japanese players around the ball when possession turns over.” Japan’s press is suffocating, relentless, and absolutely unforgiving. You need composure to turn it around and that’s what Becky said.

The game is all about patience as Becky stated, “It’s really about who can put their foot on the ball. Where’s the composure? Where’s the space and how do we get there?” Those are the questions Hayes and her squad need to answer—and fast.

One thing’s for sure, Becky’s advice is golden, but it’s up to the USWNT to turn it into magic on the field.