The U.S. Women’s National Team gave head coach Emma Hayes a win in her first match, shutting out South Korea 4-0 in front of 19,010 fans at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Colorado.
Mallory Swanson opened the scoring in the 34th minute after a good build-up. Sophia Smith slipped a ball through the South Korean defense and Swanson cut through the penalty area before beating goalkeeper Kim Jung-Mi to make it 1–0.
Four minutes later it was Tierna Davidson who doubled the Americans’ lead, winning a header from a Catarina Macario corner.
The USWNT didn’t wait long in the second half before making it 3-0. Davidson, who remained unmarked in the penalty area, headed in her second goal of the match after a Swanson corner in the 48th minute.
Swanson scored her second of the match after another methodical slow build-up from the back by the USWNT. Rose Lavelle picked up a loose ball in the South Korean third and passed a pass to Swanson, who brought the ball home in the 74th minute.
Hayes was hired in November and her first step was to revamp a USWNT roster that needed it. Only 11 players on this roster made the 2023 World Cup squad and only 10 of the 23 have participated in a previous national team camp.
Saturday’s victory was an impressive achievement and provided valuable experience for a number of players as the team continues its preparations for next summer’s Olympic Games in Paris.
The USWNT has three more friendlies – another meeting with South Korea on June 4, Mexico on July 13 and Costa Rica on July 16 – before Olympic competition begins on July 25.
