USWNT Embraces Lessons Learned Against Brazil Ahead of Fortaleza Rematch
The U.S. Women’s National Team faces Brazil again on June 9 following 2-1 loss in São Paulo
According to U.S. Women’s National Team head coach Emma Hayes, the squad must get comfortable with the uncomfortable. That philosophy is one of the reasons the team traveled to Brazil for two matches against the host nation of the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The first test came Saturday night when the U.S. fell 2-1 to Brazil in Neo Química Arena. Many of those “uncomfortables” came into play in São Paulo — from a slippery pitch to Brazil’s physicality, to a crowd of 31,000 loudly rallying behind the hosts. Add in some VAR decisions that did not go the USA’s way, and you had the making of some great lessons for the U.S. team.
Now, with a quick turnaround before Tuesday’s rematch in Fortaleza, the priority becomes building on the experiences from game one and continuing to develop in the type of environment Hayes believes the team needs most. Hayes’ message to her team afterward was not to fight against those harsh elements, but to embrace them.
“Accept the crowd,” Hayes told media on Monday. “Accept the way the opponent plays. Accept that we might not even have good officiating at times. Accept that maybe VAR won’t go in our favor. Accept it and put it out the window. What do we have to do better?”
One answer was execution in the final third, an area the team has continued to emphasize since its April series against Japan. The U.S. outshot Brazil 11-9, did not convert a breakaway in the first half, and generated several promising opportunities in the second half – particularly through halftime substitutes Michelle Cooper and Avery Patterson – but none found the back of the net.
“We created enough chances in the second half to get an equalizer, but you still have to have the quality in the last part of the pitch,” Hayes said. “You have to make the right decisions at the right time, and the difference between the two teams is Brazil took their chances and we didn't take ours.”
Multiple players pointed to the opening stretch when they struggled to settle into the game. After forward Sophia Wilson scored just 96 seconds in, Brazil responded with two goals within the next 12 minutes. The USWNT had played its last 12 games without allowing more than one goal.
It was the first time the backline of Tierna Davidson, Emily Sonnett, Emily Fox and Gisele Thompson started together with goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn behind them. Davidson said continuing to develop their connections along with getting experience in that environment will only help the team in the future.
“It was a very chaotic first 15 minutes,” Davidson said. “I think we definitely could have, as a team, weathered that storm a little bit better in order to find ourselves in the game and establish a different control.
"Going into hopefully a World Cup next summer,” she added, “we need to have those moments of chaos, where we can't hear each other and we need to figure out how to communicate. Not every test that we set ourselves up for is going to be successful, but I think there's a lot to learn from this game.”
Hayes agreed, calling the first game a “mock for the big exam,” – for the rematch on Tuesday and for the real thing next year should the U.S. qualify for the World Cup this fall.
The lessons the team learned from Saturday would not have been the same had it been played in the United States, and Hayes is challenging her side to accept all that comes with competing against a team like Brazil in their home.
"It doesn’t matter how much you prepare for certain things; you just don't know until you’re in it,” she said. “This is something else. The way that football is played here, the way football is experienced here, the way the crowd leans in as a 12th player... it’s an incredible experience, and one that is going to intensify tomorrow.”
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— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) June 8, 2026