Emma Hayes has voiced her frustrations with the USWNT after they suffered a shock 2-1 defeat to Portugal on Thursday night.
The USWNT got off to a brilliant start with Rose Lavelle scoring inside the first minute and nearly adding a second shortly after.
Portugal who had won just one of their previous 10 matches, were not expected to beat the USA in Chester, Pennsylvania.
However, the nation which crashed out of the group stage at Euro 2025, mounted a shock comeback.
An unmarked Diana Gomes headed in from a corner shortly before half-time, before Fatima Pinto’s deflected shot beat Manchester United goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce on the 71st minute.
Portugal’s victory came after the United States celebrated the career of Alex Morgan before the game.
What did Emma Hayes say after the USWNT’s shock loss to Portugal?
Emma Hayes said she felt like she ‘aged 113 years on the touchline’ as Portugal came from behind to beat the USWNT.
After the game, she told TNT Sports what went wrong for her side on the night. She said that the United States ‘stopped playing’ after Lavelle’s goal inside the first minute.
She said: “Sometimes, as a coach in this position, it feels like whack-a-mole. I aged 113 years on the touchline.
“It’s frustrating… What am I telling them for the next game? Let’s get our fundamentals right. We can’t score at the start of the game and be on back foot afterwards.
“We scored a goal, and we stopped playing. If the Under-23s were watching, we’ve worked on our principles and plays and if they’ve watched that tonight, they’d wonder what ours were?”
Hayes added that the USA ‘didn’t look like a team the whole evening,’ as she ripped into her team’s performance which was the third defeat for the USWNT since she became their head coach.
U.S. Soccer honored legend Alex Morgan ahead of the USWNT's match vs. Portugal 👏🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/aV9eLfUVc5
— B/R Football (@brfootball) October 23, 2025
The stats behind USA’s defeat to Portugal
Very few would have given Portugal a chance of beating the USA on Thursday night in Pennsylvania.
Portugal failed to win a game at Euro 2025 and have only won one game in the whole calendar year so far – against Belgium back in February.
It is not the first time that Portugal have frustrated the USA, after holding out for a goalless draw at the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
The USA’s defeat came despite having 16 shots to Portugal’s seven, with five shots on target for the home side.
USA also had 41 touches of the ball inside the opposition box compared to Portugal’s 13, showing that the hosts lacked a clinical edge in attack.
To many people’s surprise, Portugal had the better of the possession (51.4 per cent) and played 391 passes compared to the USA’s 357.
What is next for the USWNT?
Emma Hayes’ side will have an immediate chance to exact revenge against Portugal.
The USA will again host Portugal on October 26th in East Hartford, Connecticut.
