HARRISON, N.J. — In her brief time officially in charge of the U.S. women’s national soccer team, Coach Emma Hayes has shown her eagerness to hand the keys to the next generation. To craft her roster for the Paris Olympics, she prioritized potential and player development over veterans and named the Americans’ youngest Olympic squad in 16 years.
Saturday’s match against Mexico, the first of two send-off games, was the first real test of Hayes’s strategy before her team heads to France. The result — a 1-0 win before a sellout crowd of 26,376 at Red Bull Arena — ensured a passing grade but showed the Americans still have plenty to learn.