Saturday's match against Mexico was the first of two send-off matches and the first real test of Hayes' strategy before the team travels to France. A 1-0 victory in front of a sellout crowd of 26,376 at Red Bull Arena ensured the team a passing grade, but showed the U.S. still has a lot to learn.
Sophia Smith, linking up with fellow forwards Trinity Rodman and Mallory Swanson, scored the winner in the 64th minute to break a scoreless draw on a muggy afternoon. Smith's goal was the only scoring opportunity on 17 shots and gave the U.S. team its third straight win under coach Hayes.
“I think we've already seen the fluidity of where we're headed and how we want to play,” goalie Alyssa Naher said. “It's just a matter of fine-tuning to get the team a little more in sync.”
Seventeen of the 22 available players played, including Washington Spirit rookie midfielder Cloix Bethune, who made his international debut in the 81st minute.
The U.S. dominated possession and limited Mexico to just one shot on goal, a stark contrast to the last time the two teams met at the Gold Cup on Feb. 26, when the U.S. was outplayed and only managed one shot on goal in a 2-0 loss.
When the teams meet again on Saturday, Hayes selected a lineup featuring nine players with World Cup or Olympic experience. It was the second time in the past two years that Swanson, Rodman and Smith started together up front. Midfielder Rose Lavelle made her second start of 2024. (Katarina Macario, the presumptive starter in attacking midfield, will miss the Olympics with a knee injury.)
The U.S. had three shots on goal in the first four minutes, but the weather slowed both teams' play in the second half. Mexico's pressure led to shaky ball movement from the back and multiple turnovers in the midfield, and the chances the U.S. had didn't translate into goals.
“I thought we rushed the play a little bit too much,” Hayes said. “The intentions were good so I can't blame or criticise the players for that, but it's going to teach the players when to move forward, when not to move forward and how to access the right space at the right time, in and outside the penalty box.”
The U.S. started the second half on the offensive, taking three shots in the first five minutes.
As Hayes prepared to make his first substitution, the U.S. forward trio broke the deadlock. Lavelle sent a through ball down the right wing to Rodman, who dribbled a few times before passing to Swanson at the top of the box. Swanson dropped the pass as Smith cut left, and the 23-year-old forward smashed the ball into the net on the opposite side of the goal for his 20th international goal.
Smith, the reigning NWSL Golden Boot award winner, scored the U.S.' first two goals at the 2023 World Cup but did not score in the remainder of the tournament. She has bounced back this year, taking five shots on goal on Saturday, the most of any player, and scoring five goals, the most for the U.S. national team in 2024.
“We know Torin can score goals, we know Mal can score goals, I can score goals. Those things will come, but we just need to be patient with ourselves,” Smith said. “Maybe we had too many touches, too many passes, we thought a little too much. … Sometimes it takes a few games to get in that flow, but we don't lose faith in each other.”
Rodman and Smith had chances to double the USA's lead, but the score remained stable as Hayes completed the rest of the rotation. Bethune wasted no time in his debut, taking his first-time shot with his left foot in the 82nd minute, but it went wide.
“I have no doubt that we'll be strong when the game starts. My goal is to be strong every single moment, so we still have a lot to learn as a team, as a collective,” Hayes said. “But [the Gold Cup] For reference, I think it's fair to say that this time around you were more cautious, more controlled and didn't limit your opponent much. So keep going in the right direction.”
The U.S. plays Costa Rica on Tuesday at Audi Field in Washington in a final tune-up before departing for France. They open Olympic play in Group B on July 25 against Zambia in Nice.
Note: Naher was honored for reaching 100 appearances for the U.S. national team.
The 1999 World Cup team was honoured before kick-off to mark the 25th anniversary of their victory. All 20 members Members of the team were in attendance, including Mia Hamm, Brandi Chastain and Briana Scully.
