"This is what tournament football is. There are lessons for her young squad as it prepares for next year's World Cup. Hayes said after the match that she did not have any immediate update on Rodman, who has dealt with back injuries on and off for the past two years."
"Actually, it's important for us to know we choose if we're getting involved in situations -- we choose to come away from [those] things. I think Jaedyn and Olivia [Moultrie] handled those things well. Provocation's gonna happen. Provocation's gonna happen with different types of opponents. How you handle that, for me, is a testament."
"Why? Because imagine that is a World Cup and for a split second we lose it; boom, down to 10 players. So, we want these opportunities. If we were seeking perfection, then I might be approaching something differently, but I'm here to develop a whole squad to be ready for these situations."
The United States women's soccer team opened the 2026 SheBelieves Cup with a 2-0 victory over Argentina in Nashville. Captain Lindsey Heaps scored in the first half and assisted Jaedyn Shaw's second-half goal. Coach Emma Hayes praised her young squad's emotional control during the scrappy match, emphasizing the importance of handling provocation without losing composure—critical preparation for next year's World Cup. The match ended with concern as forward Trinity Rodman sustained an apparent back injury in stoppage time from a challenge by Argentina's Milagros Martín. Hayes highlighted that managing difficult situations and maintaining discipline are essential lessons for tournament football.
Read at ESPN.com
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