Fast Starts & Shutouts: USWNT Building Sustainability Under Emma Hayes
The U.S. Women’s National Team defeated 12th ranked Italy on Nov. 28 at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando, Florida in the first of two meetings between the two sides
ORLANDO, Fla. – The U.S. Women’s National Team is turning fast starts into an art form.
In four consecutive games, the USWNT has scored a goal in the opening 10 minutes of action. Midfielder Rose Lavelle began the trend on Oct. 23 against Portugal, scoring 33 seconds into the match. The fourth and latest came Nov. 28 versus Italy at Inter&Co Stadium. Lavelle assisted midfielder Olivia Moultrie’s fearless finish merely 67 seconds after the opening kickoff.
It's an incredible feat, but to say the USWNT is relying on fast starts wouldn’t be telling the whole story. Yes, the team is starting matches on the front foot, and reaping those rewards with goals, but it is also aiming to build something more sustainable. Head coach Emma Hayes seeks more than a flash of lightning – she wants her team to light up the whole sky and shine for a long time to come.
“My goal is always to create successive, competitive teams,” Hayes said. “Not just one and then you have to rebuild again over another four-year period. This is how I know to build teams.”
To do so means not only starting aggressively but also keeping up a high, competitive level throughout 90 minutes. The U.S. accomplished this in its 3-0 win over Italy on Friday night by finding a balance between the offensive and defensive sides. The U.S. scored three goals and for the eighth time in nine matches recorded a clean sheet. The shutout was also the second in two straight starts for goalkeeper Claudia Dickey.
Whether it was midfielder Sam Coffey, who assisted forward Catarina Macario’s first goal of her brace, accelerating to intercept the ball in the midfield or fullback Emily Fox swiftly hustling to track back for a fleet-footed tackle or Dickey responding to make two saves on the night, the work rate on the defensive side of the ball was instrumental to Friday’s win.
“Starting fast is one thing, but we’ve often started fast and conceded just as quickly, so a clean sheet means as much to us this evening as the result and the performance,” Hayes said in her post-match press conference.
Because of that balance, shown against a high-quality opponent, the performance was impressive for a U.S. Women’s National Team that has spent 2025 rotating players and growing under Hayes. In the first of back-to-back meetings, the U.S. shut out a team that took eventual champion England to extra time in the semifinals of the UEFA Women’s Euro this past summer.
The USWNT’s 2025 campaign has seen breakout performances along with first caps and young or inexperienced lineups. A couple of standouts were the two goal scorers in the Nov. 28 win over Italy. Moultrie’s goal brought the 20-year-old’s international scoring total to five, which includes her energetic brace within the opening 10 minutes of the Oct. 26 victory over Portugal in Connecticut.
The other goal scorer against Italy was Macario who, after nearly finding the back of the net multiple times throughout the first half, scored twice in the second to record her fifth career international brace and second straight in as many matches.
While Moultrie is a young star on the rise, Macario is not so much breaking out – she’s been one of the most talented contributors since she debuted in 2021 and scored her first international goal days later – as she is finding consistency after a stint of starts and stops due to injury.
“I’m very proud and happy at the fact that this was the first year in nearly three years I’ve been available for nearly every game, every training,” Macario said. “For me, personally, that’s a big win.”
The performance included young and top-class stars showing out and was also a memorable night for two making their international debuts. Chicago Stars forward Jameese Joseph and Washington Spirit defender Kate Wiesner entered the match as substitutes to earn their first caps for the senior team.
The pair became the 26th and 27th players to debut under Hayes, adding to the depth and totality that the USWNT is striving for – from start to finish.
“I want to give opportunities to players that are not only deserving of it, but they develop the experiences that might be needed whenever we need them,” Hayes said.