Despite a Catarina Macario goal in the first minute of the game, a United States team full of young players fell to a determined Brazil side after a second-half stoppage-time goal, 2-1.
But according to UWSNT Head Coach Emma Hayes, it’s all part of her master plan to build a team for the 2027 Women’s World Cup, not just to win an international friendly in front of a sold-out crowd at PayPal Park on Tuesday evening.
“We mustn’t always measure progress by an outcome,” said Hayes after the game. “That was the youngest capped U.S. Women’s National Team in 24 years. What a great experience for them to go into a game where you feel the pressure of playing a really difficult opponent.”
Hayes started 17-year-old Lily Yohannes, 19-year-olds Claire Hutton and Gisele Thompson, and 22-year-olds Avery Patterson and forward Michelle Coope.
31-year-old center back Emily Sonnett, the oldest player in the starting lineup, earned her 107th cap, easily outnumbering the rest of the starters (81) combined. Macrario, the second-oldest player to start the game, is only 26.
The USA scored their first goal thirty-four seconds into the game when Alyssa Thompson got the ball at midfield and ran all the way into Brazil’s penalty box before her shot was deflected. Fortunately for the home side, the ball fell to Macario, who slotted it into the goal for the early 1-0 lead.
“It gives me a little bit of extra confidence,” acknowledged Macario about the significance of the goal, since she is still regaining her previous world-class form before her ACL injury.
The USA wasted several other opportunities to score in the first half, which allowed Brazil’s Kerolin to equalize the game in the 24th minute.
In the second half, the game’s flow was interrupted several times by injuries to players from both sides. However, when the action continued, Brazil constantly looked like the side more likely to score and hungrier to claim a victory over the USA, which had defeated them in last summer’s Olympics and the previous weekend in Los Angeles.
“I felt we started the second half so flat and never recovered,” noted Hayes.
Finally, in the 95th minute of the game, Brazil’s Luany sprang teammate Amanda Gutierres free, and she scored the game-winner past the outstretched USA goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn.
Despite the disappointing result, Hayes reminded the media after the game that she could’ve picked a side full of veterans to claim the victory. In defeat, she learned much more about how the USA’s young talent performs on the field under the pressure of one of the world’s best national teams.
“I think it’s becoming clear to me which players are really ready for us and which players are not,” noted Hayes.
This all leads to the USA head coach’s primary goal of expanding the team’s talent pool and ensuring they are completely ready to win the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2027.
“I’m playing the long game with this and I think in the end we are much better off for it,” Hayes added.