The US National Team of the USA is undefeated in the 2025 Shebelieves Cup, but sits in second place behind Japan with a final game between the two parties on Wednesday. The USWNT will face what could be said that this most difficult opponent is this tournament against Japan and a trophy is at stake for the last day of the Shebelieves Cup. Japan leads the competition with six points and a goal differential to 7.
Even with the high bets, coach Emma Hayes presented clear goals before the tournament. The Shebelieves Cup games are the first competitive games for the program in 2025. After two games, the team is marking the verification list with two victories to start the year.
This is what has been working for the team so far
Player rotation
While there is always the possibility that too much change is at the same time an interruption instead of a benefit, that is not at all when it comes to Hayes expanding the group of players. The chief coach played a completely different initial alignment in the two two play against the eleven players who opened the tournament against Colombia.
“Well, the objectives for the camp, for us, were to deepen the game group providing opportunities to less experienced players in high pressure situations. So I think we have achieved it playing all in our team in these first two games” Hayes He said after the USWNT victory against Australia.
“The second was to develop a better understanding and application of our plan, our way of playing, and that we could close the gap of the players who are the most experienced to less experienced, developing the technical and tactical application of those things, and see where This missing gap is. “
All players in the list of 23 players of the Shebelieves Cup have been used in two games so that the final game can be a showcase of who has impressed until the beginning of the tournament.
New players who take advantage of opportunities
With so much rotation, more players debuted, obtained their first openings and even scored their first goals from the national higher level team. The striker Michelle Cooper appeared from the bank in two games and scored the winner of the game against Australia on Sunday.
It was the fourth goal that the USWNT scored this tournament and the second scored as a first goal of the national team. Ally Sentnor scored his first goal from the national team in the victory against Colombia. Hayes messaging for less limited players has been consistent and one that places the responsibility of the players to take the opportunity in front of them.
“It is completely simple. This crest is an honor for each and every one of us to rent for a while. Then, enjoy every minute and I know that we all belong. We are all good enough to be here. We all deserve to be here and Express yourself in a way that only you know how much you have put to get to this position, “said Hayes.
Depth development
In the days that led to the tournament, Hayes specifically pointed out the outer position as an area that needs a focused development, and that midfielders and strikers must be versatile to stretch through the lines. While Lily Yohannes, 17, had a star in the game against Colombia, the depth of the pool was once again flexed with a debut for Claire Hutton, 19, in game two against Australia, and Gisele, 18 years. Thompson also made a turn to the right, which you have praised.
“I think that when you face one of the best wide players in the world in Caitlin Ford, that is not an easy task because Caitlin is very intelligent to play on the last player’s shoulder and prepare for diagonal balls in those areas. Hayes said.
Whatever happens on Sunday, expanding the group of players is already an objective, and the development of depth will come over time and more repetitions. Even so, it is difficult to ignore the success that some players have found in their moments during the first games of the year, but Hayes is still advocating patience.
“I have already said, in some cases, it could mean that some players are ready for now and others are ready for later, but we will not know until we try it. And finally, I think, because it is a configuration tournament, we can emulate everything That comes with that and helping to develop players in their application of everything you do at 22 hours out of the field.
“So, I think we are doing that. And we play a high quality team, a very experienced team, so for our players to produce such a result (2-1), I think it is a really healthy indicator of our program and the group of talents that we have available for us. “
