Emma Hayes’ squad is out here making moves, but she’s keeping her eyes on the bigger picture. The USWNT kicked off the SheBelieves Cup with a solid 2-0 win over Colombia, with Catarina Macario finally breaking her nearly three-year international goal drought and Ally Sentnor adding her name to the scoresheet. The crowd at Shell Energy Stadium was electric, with over 15,000 fans watching the Olympic champs put on a show. And just when you thought the action couldn’t get any better, Lynn Biyendolo wasted zero time, scoring just 42 seconds into the game against Australia. The U.S. held strong and took a 2-1 victory, showing they meant business.
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 get ready to face Japan. While the squad keeps stacking wins, she’s making it clear that 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 is keeping it cool and locked in on what’s next for her squad.
Emma Hayes is keeping her cool while everyone else talks about titles. 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’s here for progress.
While the hype builds around winning it all, Hayes is keeping 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, making sure 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 the you know the results column…” So yeah, the scoreboard matters—but to Hayes, the journey is what really 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, but Japan holds the edge on goal difference.
That means a draw seals the deal for them, while the USWNT? They need nothing less than a win to reclaim their crown. And with Emma Hayes calling the shots fresh off that Paris 2024 triumph, you just know she’s got a game plan brewing. With stars like Ally Sentnor and Catarina Macario already lighting up the scoreboard, Team USA is locked in and ready to go!
But let’s not forget Japan’s powerhouse, Mina Tanaka, who’s been a goal-scoring machine with four strikes in the tournament. The USWNT defense will have their hands full trying to contain her, but fear not—Becky Sauerbrunn just might 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 sound 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 those very same teams that managed to keep the U.S. at just two apiece. So yeah, the math isn’t exactly in Team USA’s favor, and now, the ultimate test awaits—facing the table-toppers themselves. Winning isn’t enough; they need to 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 mastermind with some serious wisdom to drop. On The Women’s Game podcast, she broke down exactly what the USWNT needs 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 even 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’s the real puzzle—can the U.S. break through Japan’s relentless pressure? Becky doesn’t sugarcoat it: “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.
Composure is key, and as Becky put it, “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.
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