The clock is ticking, preparations are getting tough and the atmosphere is tense than ever for the USWNT vs Japan. Both sides are squaring off today for the final Matchday 3 of the SheBelieves Cup. It’s a do-or-die situation for the American ladies, as they must secure a decisive victory to deny Japan the silverware. As if the pressure wasn’t already high, Emma Hayes couldn’t have picked a more crucial moment to make a bold statement about her upcoming opponents.
To break the ice, things won’t be easy for the 4X World Champions. The English tactician is aware of what her team can expect against Nadeshiko Japan. The admission came during the pre-match interview, where Emma Hayes drew parallels between her rivals’ style of play and that of her own team.
“It’s fair to say Japan, as a team, are more played in together than we are,” said Hayes, courtesy of JER-Sports Journalist. “Their connections and the application of their way of playing will probably be more pronounced than ours. But that’s not to say we can’t have success.”
What would seem a better question to ask is how Hayes would like to line up her side. Given the experience that Japan possesses, one might think that she may end up going with a solid experience-only starting XI. However, this is the least of what the 48-year-old is thinking. The former Chelsea boss is rather keen to focus more on the tactical nuances of the game.
“It doesn’t matter if you have 150 plus caps or your third cap; it’s about us playing our way and our style with our principles to execute that at another level, which is what this game will be. So I expect it to be a very, very difficult match for; difficult in a different way from the Olympics because Japan have shifted from playing five at the back to four,” emphasized Hayes.
The USWNT boss noted that Japan will commit more of its numbers to go forward just beyond the transition situations. Hence, she urged her side to be “extremely disciplined,” not just when they have possession but especially when they don’t have the ball. “We have to make the impact in the way that we know best,” concluded Hayes.
Honestly, we aren’t surprised with Hayes’ pre-match tactical analysis. This entire SheBelieves Cup campaign serves as proof of how challenging Japan will make things for the hosts.
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