The United States women's national team will get one more chance to prove they're among the world's best on Tuesday night at Subaru Park. The group will try to bounce back against Spain and close out the international window after Saturday's 2-0 loss, in which Spain took the lead just 14 minutes in. Despite a flurry of shot creation and attempts on goal, the squad couldn't escape the early hole it dug itself into.
The questions facing the team and head coach Emma Hayes are as much about adjustments as they are about finishing in the final third. Here are three keys to the upcoming game: Date: Tuesday, Oct. 13 | Time: 7 p.m. ETLocation: Subaru Park -- Chester, Pa.TV: TNT | Live stream: HBO MaxOdds: USWNT +165; Draw +230; Spain +140 The biggest stat Hayes has emphasized following the loss is the team's high totals in shot creation and attempts on target, with nothing to show for it.
She's been clear in press conferences that "you can't give them a head start" when discussing the two goals conceded in the first friendly, but the group's response was the highlight despite the lack of goals. "We have to tighten up on those things because actually, they didn't create a lot of chances, and I think if we defend those moments better, it at least puts us into a stronger position. But I think once you go two nil down against them, then you are faced with chasing the game.
And I think probably the first 30 minutes did fine; 30 to 45 minutes, I think we lost our structure. I think the second half it was all about us, but you also have to score to win games," Hayes said in pregame comments. Despite going down 2-0 early, the squad rallied in attack and finished with 13 shots, 10 on target, and 2.26 expected goals to Spain's 0.43.
Hayes sees those numbers as a positive for now. "But I'm not worried about it. I think this is part of the process.
As I said, if I'm here to merely protect a wins record, then I'll pick a lesser opponent. But I'm not here to do that. I'm here to see, well, how much does that gap close with them?
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