COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — Head coach Emma Hayes made a successful debut with the U.S. women’s national team, watching Mallory Swanson and Tierna Davidson each score twice in a 4-0 win over South Korea on Saturday in a friendly match.
The U.S. squad steadily found its rhythm, with Davidson and the Chicago Red Stars’ Swanson breaking through in the first half and again in the second.
The international goals were Swanson’s first since returning from a knee injury that kept her out of the 2023 World Cup.
At times, Hayes paced along the coaching box as she looked on. She clapped on goals and near-misses. Sometimes, she retreated over to the bench to chat with assistant coach Twila Kilgore.
The 47-year-old Hayes was brought on board in November but joined the team this week in Colorado after finishing out the Women’s Super League season with Chelsea. She’s trying to quickly learn the roster before picking a team for the Paris Games this summer.
Hayes’ mission is simple: Restore the dominance of a U.S. team that’s coming off a disappointing finish in last year’s Women’s World Cup. The early exit led to coach Vlatko Andonovski resigning from the U.S. team.
A capacity crowd showed up at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park to cheer on a lineup with an average age of 25.5 years, the youngest Starting XI for the USWNT in more than two years. One fan brought a sign that read, “In Emma We Trust.”
MALLORY
SWANSON
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) June 1, 2024
The win improved the U.S. women’s national team to 12-0-4 in games against South Korea. The teams will meet again Tuesday in a friendly in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Captain Lindsey Horan nearly got the U.S. on the scoreboard midway through the first half. But the flag went up for offsides just before her shot went in.
It was a sign, though, that the team was getting on the same page.
Swanson scored in the 34th minute courtesy of a give-and-go with fellow Coloradan Sophia Smith. In the 38th minute, Davidson made it 2-0. The defender scored early in the second half and Swanson added another in the 74th minute.
South Korean goalkeeper Kim Jung-mi was kept busy all afternoon.
Earlier in the day at the stadium, the U.S. women’s deaf national team beat Australia 11-0 behind a six-goal performance from Emily Spreeman. It marked the first U.S. extended national team doubleheader with the senior national squad.
Hayes and the team are gradually getting to know one another. She’s meeting with all her players in 15-minute segments and hopes to have the chats finished up soon.
There’s not a lot of time before Hayes has to pick an 18-player roster for the Paris Games. She could select the team before a pair of friendlies leading into the Olympics, one against Mexico at Red Bull Arena in New Jersey on July 13, and another versus Costa Rica at Audi Field in Washington, D.C., on July 16.
