A week before the U.S. women's national team opened camp for this month's friendlies against Spain, Emma Hayes spoke about the team's DNA. The four-time world champions are historically one of the game's elite counter-attacking sides; no matter the team's composition on the pitch or in the dugout, the players near the opposition goal always pull focus. That will not change in their back-to-back games against Spain, either, but a more pressing question awaits.
How exactly will the USWNT's understaffed defense cope with Spain's attack-oriented DNA? Spain rank amongst the stiffest tests that await any team, such is the natural quality of a reigning World Cup-winning side, but also mark an outlier on the USWNT's schedule following the 2024 Olympics, when Hayes' work revamping the team truly began. Since winning Olympic gold in Paris weeks into Hayes' tenure, the U.S. team have conceded just 15 goals in 34 games and only average seven shots against per match, while their opponents have mustered up an average of just two shots on goal per game.
It is not just that they outscore the opposition, no matter the challenger – the USWNT's back line has only had so much to do over the last two years. Spain will reveal whether or not it comes down to the hosts' ability to smother the opposition's attack or whether or not they have even had a chance to prove their worth yet. Much as she has with her wide-ranging attacking options, Hayes has spent the last two years rotating through her defensive options with the specific intent of building the player pool.
Naomi Girma, who rightfully inherited Becky Sauerbrunn's spot at center back before the 2023 Women's World Cup, remains top choice and continues to live up to Hayes' billing as the best defender she's ever worked with. There's just one problem, though – Girma will be unavailable with the re-emergence of a calf injury, which has led Hayes to call on Chelsea to reevaluate their practices. "This has happened too often and if we want her to be in a position to play games on a regular basis for club and country, I think we have to change some things," Hayes said Tuesday.
"She's the last person who wants to be in this place, and she's worked really hard to get herself back to a good level. Obviously I'm not in control of that. But we are working closely with Chelsea to think differently about creating the right solutions because the player suffers.
And I know she's absolutely devastated." There's another issue, too – Gotham FC's Emily Sonnett has often slotted into the back line, the veteran always a solid presence when called upon. She ruptured her patellar tendon in her left knee in July, though, an injury that ruled her out of the remainder of the NWSL season and one that could ultimately jeopardize her chances of playing at a third World Cup. Hayes is down to four options: Sonnett's club and country teammate Tierna Davidson, who started alongside Girma at the Olympics and is the presumptive starter in Brazil; the Washington Spirit's Tara Rudd, one of the early beneficiaries of Hayes' post-Olympics experimentation; the San Diego Wave's Kennedy Wesley, who has just seven caps; and the Utah Royals' Kate Del Fava, a respected NWSL veteran who could earn her first cap at the age of 28.
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