HARRISON, N.J. — Even though it was only three months ago, the U.S. women’s national team’s last game against Mexico might as well have been part of a different era.
Which, in a lot of ways, it was.
The USWNT got skunked by Mexico in the Gold Cup in February, a 2-0 loss that was only its second ever to its neighbors to the south and first on U.S. soil. It was a low point for the storied program, in some ways an even bigger disappointment than that round-of-16 loss last summer in Australia and New Zealand, its earliest exit ever at a World Cup or an Olympics.
The Mexico loss five months ago was a loss she was grateful for, Emma Hayes said Friday. Hired as the USWNT’s coach but not yet on the job then, the loss gave her, and the team, a chance to reset.
“We could interject and put the right things back into place,” Hayes said Friday. “There’s no losing, only learning, and I think there’s been a lot of that since then.”
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That was evident Saturday, when the USWNT beat Mexico 1-0 in a game it dominated.
Yes, the squad still struggled to finish. Gorgeous as the buildup was on Sophia Smith’s goal in the 64th minute — from the right side, Trinity Rodman crossed to Mallory Swanson, who then slid the ball over to Smith, who juked a Mexico defender before burying the ball far post — the trio could easily have had four or five more goals.
But a USWNT that looked as if it was playing with cement in its cleats and doubts in its minds is now playing with the authority that used to be its trademark.
“I think (Hayes) has really allowed us to go up another level, just tactically,” Crystal Dunn said.
This was the USWNT’s first game since Hayes named her 18-player roster for Paris, since she dropped Alex Morgan and put her faith in the talented next generation. It is by no means a finished product. Winning a medal at the Paris Olympics, let alone another gold, will be a significant challenge.
But there are signs of progress. And the certainty that it will only get better with more time under Hayes, who didn’t take over officially until Chelsea finished its season at the end of May.
“There’s no denying when the game opens up, we thrive. My goal is to thrive in all moments,” Hayes said. “We still have a lot of learning to do as a team, as a collective. But if we use March as a reference point, then I think it’s fair to say this game was much more measured, much more controlled.
“So, step in the right direction.”
No team is going to finish every chance it creates. But at last summer’s World Cup, and the Tokyo Olympics before that, the USWNT seemed to stop itself as much as its opponents did. It scored just four goals at the World Cup, and its only three in the run of play came in the opener against Vietnam.
Just getting the ball into the final third was a challenge, with passes often intercepted in the middle of the field. When they did get around the box, the Americans often seemed to be overthinking every step they took so, by the time they took a shot, the opportunity had passed.
There was still some of that Saturday against Mexico. In the 22nd minute, Rodman dished off to Smith when she probably should have taken the shot herself. In the 52nd, Smith had the goalkeeper beat but still couldn’t convert.
But it’s coming. There’s a dynamism to Rodman, Smith and Swanson, both individually and as a front line, and when they harness it, they’re going to be fearsome.
“I think we have that naturally, but we have been working on it for sure,” Smith said after the game. “I think we understand each other really well. I think that’s what separates us from maybe other front lines. I feel like I know what Mal’s going to do when she gets the ball, I feel like I know what Trin’s going to do. We can all work off of that.
“It’s easy to play with players that you know their tendencies,” Smith added. “We’ve learned each other really well and will continue to do so.”
This game against Mexico was a good measuring stick of how much progress the USWNT has made in these first two months with Hayes. That the last game against Mexico feels like a distant memory is a good sign.
Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.