Emma Hayes expresses optimism regarding the future of the USWNT, describing it as 'exciting' despite the team's initial defeat against Japan.

United States women's national team coach Emma Hayes downplayed the importance of the team's first defeat since her appointment last year, following a 2-1 loss to Japan in the SheBelieves Cup on Wednesday. She remarked, "Development isn't linear. We secured the gold medal last summer and aim to compete for the World Cup, which necessitates ongoing development that does not follow a straightforward path. It is essential to have experiences that help gauge our progress along this journey," Hayes stated after the match at Snapdragon Stadium. "I find the situation exciting, and I believe our future holds promise, irrespective of the outcome. Today, we faced one of the world's top teams, whose core players have been together for an extended period, and that was evident. Therefore, our focus must be on cultivating the team and the broader player pool that will advance us toward the World Cup."

United States women's national team coach Emma Hayes downplayed the importance of the team's first defeat since her appointment last year, remarking after the 2-1 loss to Japan in the SheBelieves Cup that "development isn't linear. This outcome placed Hayes and her team in second place in the tournament, with Japan claiming the SheBelieves title for the first time after achieving three consecutive victories. The USWNT concluded the tournament with a record of 2 wins, 0 draws, and 1 loss. Despite this being Hayes' first loss following an impressive record of 15 wins, 2 draws, and no losses in all competitions, the coach maintained an optimistic outlook, having the opportunity to field an experimental and youthful squad during the SheBelieves Cup. "I always return to our initial objectives, which were to expand our player pool by providing opportunities in high-pressure situations against top-tier opponents, and that was particularly the focus tonight," Hayes stated.

"We assess our players through the lens of our goals, and we can confidently say that we have gained valuable insights into their development... identifying which players are prepared for immediate challenges, which ones are suited for future opportunities, and those who will join the U23s or continue to grow with us. From that standpoint, it was a successful mission." The group-stage finale proved challenging for the USWNT, as they fell behind 1-0 just two minutes in due to a goal from Japan's Yuka Momiki. Although Ally Sentnor equalized in the 14th minute, Japan ultimately secured the victory with a second-half goal from Toko Koga, finalizing the score at 2-1 and clinching the tournament trophy. A player of note, Cat Macario, has participated in the majority of two matches for the national team over the past 24 months, displaying moments of exceptional skill, yet she is still in the process of regaining her full fitness. Most of our players are currently in their preseason, making it essential for us to acknowledge our current position in the development stage. 

The USWNT is set to resume play with a series of friendly matches in California against Brazil, scheduled for April 5 at Inglewood's SoFi Stadium and April 8 at San Jose's PayPal Park.  In other news from the SheBelieves Cup, Colombia secured third place in the tournament with a 2-1 victory over Australia, who finished at the bottom of the standings on Wednesday.