'We have to prepare ourselves for qualifying' - Five keys as USWNT face Japan again

Hayes has said a number of times that she is going to field two different teams across the three games against Japan. In the first meeting, the USWNT lined up an experienced roster, with the starting XI averaging 56.3 caps going into the match. Lindsey Heaps, with more than 100 caps, led the midfield and scored her 40th international goal. Heaps became the 16th player to score 40 goals or more in USWNT history. Rose Lavelle also brought experience to the starting lineup and earned her 100th career start for the team. She also scored in the match, marking her 28th career goal for the USWNT.

What we saw in the second half was midfielders entering the match who were not necessarily going to change anything but would keep the same tempo and maintain the level at hand. That is a sign of a well-operated team, when substitutes do not take anything away when they enter and, if anything, add a boost.

In this second game, we will likely see Claire Hutton, Lily Yohannes, Olivia Moultrie and Jaedyn Shaw possibly in the midfield. It will be interesting to see if Hayes goes with a double pivot or an eight and a six, because in the last game she went with the latter.

"I think I wanted to put a lot of experience in the first game. That was the first part," Hayes told the media after the match. "So I opted for that. I wanted to play a six and an eight, as opposed to a double six." It is important for Hayes to see players in certain spots and playing with certain teammates, especially as the window closes in on qualifying for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup. While Saturday's match was the right game to start Sophia Wilson alongside Trinity Rodman, the same will most likely not be true for Tuesday's game against Japan.

Claudia Dickey appears to be the No. 1 keeper at the moment for Hayes and, to her credit, she has deserved it. Dickey now has nine caps and nine starts for the USWNT and has earned seven shutouts across those nine appearances. Despite allowing a goal against Japan, she still managed to make two key saves and secure the victory. Before Saturday, she had five shutouts in her previous five appearances.

This second game will likely call on Phallon Tullis-Joyce, who appears to be the quiet No. 2 for the USWNT. Tullis-Joyce has six caps to date for the national team and is essential to Manchester United's consistent place among the top four teams in the Women's Super League standings.

Tullis-Joyce plays direct service, which is something Hayes has wanted to see her improve, especially as the USWNT play a possession-oriented style out of the back. There is also a scenario in which Jane Campbell could feature, but even with her 10 caps, this second match seems more suited to Tullis-Joyce.

To win games at the highest level, it often comes down to a free kick moment. For the USWNT, this is something they are working on, both executing free kicks offensively and defending them.

"It is something we have been working on. We have to improve our goal-scoring chances from dead balls," Hayes said after the first game against Japan. "I think there has been real progress made by the team this year, but we have to do the same in reverse."

Against a team like Japan, this dead-ball moment was the difference maker in building early confidence and taking the lead. Sam Coffey played a far-post service that was redirected to the center of the penalty area by Trinity Rodman. Lavelle perfectly executed a left-footed volley to put the USWNT on top 1-0 in the ninth minute.

Sophia Wilson had not played a game for the USWNT since the 2024 Paris Olympic final, and on Saturday the forward, seven months after giving birth to her first daughter, stepped onto the field in the USWNT's starting lineup. Wilson worked her way into the game, and Hayes reiterated after the match how proud she was of her.

"That is the first time [Soph] has had to play in a game at that level since the Olympic gold medal final, which is no small feat," Hayes said. "So I am proud of her for stepping into that, and it takes a bit of time to find that rhythm. I think she gave it everything she could. One of the things I said to her is that she has to build her way back to it, but I am really pleased with her. It is a great start for her."

Wilson played until the 67th minute and was substituted for Ally Sentnor. Wilson will likely not start on Tuesday and may see limited time. However, this was all strategic and something Hayes felt was important, and the right game to start her. For Hayes, especially right now, it is all about "getting those combinations right, and I felt that it was the right game to start [Soph]."

Emily Fox and Gisele Thompson were the starting outside backs for the USWNT and put together strong 90-minute performances. The team has a lot of depth out wide, though, so it will be interesting to see who Hayes goes with for this second game. There is Lilly Reale, U.S. Soccer's Young Female Player of the Year, who is an athletic outside back not afraid to attack the sideline. Then there is Avery Patterson, a smart defender who is also known for her long runs down the line and involvement in the attack. Hayes credited Thompson's performance specifically.

"I thought it was a fantastic performance from Gisele. I think she broke pressure well. I think technically, decision-making and execution, I do not think she turned the ball over," Hayes said. "I think she has to develop a couple of things defensively. In the second half, I felt she stepped out in situations where she had to stay in the back line."

Hayes continued: "When you play an opponent like Japan, if you watch the goal back, not getting pressure on the service is what is required at the highest level."