After the U.S. women’s national team’s Olympic semifinal victory over Germany on Tuesday, head coach Emma Hayes said that she wanted the team to “suffer”.
“I don't want them to be better. Truthfully. I want them to suffer,” Hayes said, seeing the pain and tiredness of two straight extra time wins as part and parcel of developing a winning team. And in the end, that’s exactly what the USWNT became, securing gold with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Brazil in the final on Saturday.
More than just a hard-fought battle, however, the gold medal match was the ultimate clash of styles.
There was the United States’ attacking game, an approach filled with off-ball movement that tried to outnumber their opponents and progress with the ball on the ground. Then there was Brazil’s defensive game, an approach filled with man-marking all over the field and constant pressure. Two teams with two completely different approaches made for a good contest.
In the end, the United States prevailed. But that final whistle has never sounded sweeter – Brazil made them suffer unlike any other opponent had at this Olympics.
It wasn’t easy, but here’s how the USWNT triumphed in a truly great tactical battle.
Brazil took hammers to chess boards
From 10,000 feet, the United States’ principles of play don’t look drastically different under Hayes than they did in the previous tournament cycle, one that was fruitless under the direction of Vlatko Andonovksi.
