By Anonymous (not verified), March 9, 2026
BY Michael Saunders
Over the past few days, I have read two media outlets framing the USWNT’s win over Canada in the She Believes Cup as a preview of Hayes’ "core" group for the World Cup, but that couldn’t be further from reality.
Seriously, rationalizing the lack of finish or even shots on goal on the rust of some players, especially from the NWSL, is simply a poor excuse. Does that also absolve the poor passing from Coffey and Fox—both playing regularly in Europe—which was mentioned but downplayed by most analysts?
More importantly, will Thompson take over for Swanson (née Pugh)? Will Sentnor replace Wilson (née Smith)? Can Rodman regain her previous form after limited playing time for over a year, or is her back injury truly chronic? Where does Macario fit into the equation? Are the personnel choices for left wing-back equal to what the recently retired Crystal Dunn brought to the team?
I’ve always believed attackers score great goals, defenses and goalkeepers secure wins, but it’s the midfield that wins championships in major competitive tournaments like the World Cup. By 2027, Heaps will likely be more of a role player, coming on around the 60th to 75th minute. Yes, Yohannes is making great strides, but is she ready to start? Lavelle is in a class by herself, but without support there is little she can achieve on her own.... especially as opponents will be marking her heavily from the moment she steps onto the pitch. Coffey or Hutton are solid holding midfielders who like to push forward, but they’re not Julie Ertz, arguably the best single pivot of her era. IMO, it is probably the rationale behind Hayes opting for a double pivot against strong teams. Certainly, a good solution but changes the technical dynamic especially when attacking as the coordination as to who goes forward & who stays back needs to be synchronized almost automatically.
Also, why are the analysts downplaying those moments in the second half when Canada had opportunities to score? Would most other Top 10 ranked teams fail to do so?
These are all fair questions that need to be asked. Injured and on-leave players aren’t guaranteed starters, but they’ll need time to reintegrate. Beating Canada is never easy, but if you compare them to teams such as Japan, England, Brazil or Spain, you risk falling into the same trap the media & fans did in believing the USWNT had a real shot at winning the 2023 World Cup!
Trust me, I applaud Hayes' strategy to create a pool of younger players but based on the two performances thus far in the SBC, calling this lineup as the "core" for WC 2027 is premature.
Contributed by Michael Saunders