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Welcome to Full Time, where we’re still recovering from the Megan Rapinoe-Sue Bird breakup news. Sigh. Coming up:
Two things became clear during the last international window: Emma Hayes loves a good food metaphor, and she might not lose when she’s wearing the Hello Kitty cap pictured above (more on that in a sec).
The United States women’s national soccer team put itself through a proper three-game test against fifth-ranked Japan over the last 10 days: a 2-1 win in San Jose, Calif., on April 11, a 1-0 loss in Seattle on April 14 and a 3-0 statement in Commerce City, Colo., on April 17. Takeaway: Still very much a work in progress, but the potential is obvious when it clicks.
Hayes, meanwhile, explained everything in relation to a kitchen. Not any kitchen, the kitchen of a Michelin-starred restaurant. The team, in her telling, is still learning the recipe, not just starters and a decent main, but the “dessert,” too. Our translation: She wants her players to be consistent and ruthless, but with a dash of surprising edge, all at once. The kind of performance that leaves nothing on the plate.
In her big test against another strong team, Hayes curated her squads for each game like a chef who refuses to serve the same dish twice:
She used a heavy rotation, different combinations and had center backs getting involved. Naomi Girma and Kennedy Wesley both found ways onto the scoresheet across the window.
Up front, two-thirds of the “Triple Espresso” (Sophia Wilson and Trinity Rodman) kept knocking, but could not score. Hayes called it what it looked like: more bad luck than bad form.
All of it aimed toward 2027. She’s still searching for the “secret sauce”: chemistry, structure, timing, the stuff that turns a good side into a champion.
A navy USWNT cap with a tiny Hello Kitty stitched on the front, and apparently, an undefeated charm. “I love Japan, I love Sanrio,” Hayes said, casually, as if she hadn’t just stumbled into a superstition.
We looked for the hat, but it’s not exactly easy to find from verified sellers. It’s seemingly not available to the public on the official U.S. Soccer site, but we found these options instead.
Might be for the best. Some things, you don’t mess with.
Is there a word in any language for “a rivalry that oozes mutual respect such that even though one side has won about three-quarters of their 40-plus meetings, their styles of play complement each other in ways that guarantee they’ll make everyone better when they compete and also provide lots of entertainment”? No?
Well, that’s the best way to describe the USWNT-Nadeshiko relationship after this month’s friendlies. Now that Japan has begun to incorporate more gritty physicality into its game, these matchups have taken on more of the appearance of a traditional rivalry. But ultimately, these are two sides that have known a lot about each other and continue to learn from each other each time they play. To me, that’s the best kind of rivalry.
What do you think: Is USWNT-Japan a true rivalry? Email us your thoughts at fulltime@theathletic.com.
We (Melanie and Tamerra) released the third edition of our USWNT World Cup roster predictions last week, and while there haven’t been many changes to the players we’ve selected or swapped, it’s worth digging in now. We are witnessing an intensifying battle for the No. 1 goalkeeper position in real time, and the returns of key players including Wilson, Michelle Cooper and Tierna Davidson have shifted the bench a bit for the defenders and forwards.
That’s partly why we both left Washington Spirit center back Tara Rudd off our rosters this time around. Cooper’s return to the national team also solidified her place above Emma Sears, but still behind Rodman on the wing, which is also reflected in our latest prediction. See our full predictions here.
Two members of Iran’s women’s soccer team are planning to continue their playing careers in Australia and said they’re starting “the process of rebuilding (their) lives.”
Fatemeh Pasandideh and Atefeh Ramezanisadeh were among seven players who sought and were granted humanitarian asylum in Australia after the Asian Cup in March. Five have since returned to Iran. These two stayed.
Pasandideh and Ramezanisadeh have trained with Brisbane Roar FC, a first step toward normalcy. Read our full report.