It took under a minute after kick-off for the American supporters to break into a chant of “I believe that we will win”, in the stands in Marseille. That in itself is not too out of the ordinary – it’s one of the customary rallying cries from those who worship the US women’s national team – but there was a vigour to the chant on Wednesday evening that had a valid, renewed and performance-based justification.
A year ago on 1 August 2023, the US laboured to a goalless draw with unfancied Portugal, in their final group game at the World Cup, luckily scraping through to the knockout stages by the skin of their teeth, with five points from three matches. After three group games at these 2024 Olympics, in a group theoretically containing higher-calibre opposition than 12 months ago, the US have impressively won the group with a maximum nine points under new head coach Emma Hayes. More than that, though, they have topped that group with a style of play that seems unrecognisable from that fateful tournament in Australia and New Zealand.
During the turgid and ultimately nervy 0-0 draw with Portugal in 2023, it was the Portuguese who controlled the ball, with the US mustering just 43.8% of the possession. The contrast between that and Wednesday’s performance was as striking as the vast rows of disappointingly empty seats in the upper tiers of Marseille’s Stade Velodrome. Hayes’s fingerprints are already all over the team. The US had 71.7% of the possession in their 2-1 victory over Australia and displayed a fluidity on the ball that was totally absent in the World Cup.
That domination of the ball was partly down to Australia’s setup, of course, with the Matildas opting for a low defensive block, sitting in a 5-2-3 shape out-of-possession that was never going to be easy for the US to break down. But that’s something Hayes is accustomed to facing, with her former Chelsea team regularly playing against weaker sides in the English Women’s Super League. The cohesion between the American’s midfield and their front three will have encouraged the US staff that they have the quality to break through rigid defensive lines – and they frequently cut through the Aussies.
It was by no means perfect. Manchester City centre-back Alanna Kennedy – thrown forward by the Matildas as a make-shift striker for a last throw of the dice – could and probably should have levelled the game at 2-2 in second-half stoppage time. And there were moments when the US appeared to be stretched a little too easily. Equally, though, Hayes’s team could easily have won by a wider margin; Lindsey Horan saw a header touched on to the crossbar, before Sophia Smith was unlucky not to score when her deflected effort hit one post, bounced along the line and struck the other post.
Shortly after the final whistle, Eurosport’s television cameras, situated close to the Americans’ post-match huddle, managed to pick up some of what Hayes told her players. The 47-year-old praised her players for demonstrating “character” in seeing the win out in stoppage time under late pressure, but then added audibly: “There was a gulf between the two teams.” Quality wise, there certainly was.
In taking their tally of goals in this campaign to nine, the US have already scored more than twice as many as they managed in the entirety of 2023’s flawed World Cup campaign (four goals), having played fewer matches. The dynamic front three of Smith, Trinity Rodman and Mallory Swanson – with an average age of just 23.7 – will strike fear into opponents. Smith created five chances and had eight efforts at goal, symbolic of a reborn team.
Although historically the most successful women’s international side, there have often been reasons that went beyond tactical and technical qualities that explained the US’s past dominance on major honours, such as their formidable winning mentality, their larger crop of world-class players or their previously-superior facilities and funding, as well as what frequently felt like a physical advantage. US teams of old have often appeared faster, stronger, more athletic. Nowadays, the women’s game has moved on. In Spain, the sport has world champions who are truly technically gifted all across their squad, and a production-line of skilful youth talent waiting behind them who are winning every competition going. Beating Spain at these Olympics or at 2027’s World Cup would require something special.
Hayes’ new era will still need more hard work, but the early signs are that they’re on to something good. Before any medals will come a tough quarter-final against Japan, a side Hayes has long admired for their quality in possession. That match-up should offer an even finer examination of the changes the US are making.
