Mallory Swanson scored twice and had an assist and Tierna Davidson added a pair of goals as the Emma Hayes era got off to a successful start for the U.S. women’s national team in a 4-0 rout of South Korea in Commerce City, Colo., on Saturday.
Hayes was hired Nov. 14 to replace Vlatko Andonovski, who was let go after the U.S. had its earliest exit in a Women’s World Cup, a round of 16 defeat to Sweden last summer.
Twila Kilgore acted as interim manager until Hayes fulfilled her duties with England’s Chelsea last month.
Hayes is on an accelerated schedule to form an 18-player roster for the Paris Olympics tournament, which begins with a Group B match against Zambia on July 25.
She needn’t worry about Swanson, who scored the first (34th minute) and fourth (74th) goals.
There was no question Davidson will be on the team as well and she reinforced her value with headed goals off corner kicks in the 38th and 48th minutes. The defender had one goal in 57 previous U.S. appearances.
The Colorado connection of Sophia Smith (Windsor) setting up Swanson (Highlands Ranch) gave the U.S. a 1-0 lead.
It was Swanson’s first goal in 485 days for the USWNT after coming back from an injury that kept her out nearly a year.
Davidson extended the lead to 2-0 off a right corner kick by Catarina Macario, who played her first match for the U.S. in 725 days following her recovery from ACL surgery. She made her first start since April 12, 2022.
Lax defending on a left corner 10 minutes later made it 3-0 when Swanson’s service went to an unmarked Davidson at the right post. She headed the ball toward the far post.
Swanson then scored her 34th goal from an assist by Rose Lavelle.
Jane Campbell made one save for the U.S.
The teams will play again Tuesday in Saint Paul, Minn., in what will be a critical match in Hayes’ brief tenure, as it will be the final one before the Olympic roster is named.
There will be two send-off matches — in Harrison, N.J., vs. Mexico on July 13 and against Costa Rica three days later in Washington, D.C.
–Field Level Media
