SAN JOSE, Calif. — The U.S. Women’s National Team fell 2-1 to Brazil Tuesday night, the Americans’ second game against the Brazilians in three days. It won 2-0 in Los Angeles to kick the series off with a victory.
The USWNT that lost to Brazil looked very different than the USWNT that beat it; coach Emma Hayes made seven changes to the starting lineup and insisted that player development was her ultimate goal.
“We mustn’t always measure progress by outcomes,” Hayes said after the 2-1 loss. “That was the youngest-capped USWNT in 24 years. What a great experience for them to go into a game where you get to feel the pressure of playing a really good opponent.
“If I only prioritized short-term success, of course I wouldn’t make many changes. But I’m not making decisions for the short term. I’m prioritizing the progress from expanding the playing pool and getting to see what these players look like in a really difficult match.”
