THE HAGUE – Alyssa Naeher's final game for the U.S. women's national team ended with a 2-1 win over the Netherlands on Tuesday night. With the win, Emma Hayes extended her unbeaten streak as USWNT coach as her team gave Naeher a victorious sendoff to her 115th and final international match. Lynn Williams scored the winning goal for the USWNT in the 71st minute, but the team had to work hard against the hosts.
The Dutch dominated the USWNT in the first half, having fun on the right wing and scoring the first goal after 15 minutes with a header from Veerle Buurman. Although the USWNT only had one shot on goal in the first half, they were lucky to equalize in the 44th minute with an own goal from Buurman. But Hayes' half-time substitutions tipped the balance back in the USWNT's favor as she brought on Emily Sonnett and Williams.
In Naeher's last match, we got another glimpse of Lily Yohannes' incredible potential. Yohannes, 17, got her chance in the 66th minute – after declaring her allegiance to the USWNT rather than the Netherlands last month – and played a role in Williams' winning goal just five minutes later.
For Hayes, that meant finishing her first year at the helm of the USWNT undefeated in 15 games, a streak that included 13 wins. That included an incredible gold medal at the Paris Olympics in August, and on that final two-game tour, in which the U.S. played England and the Netherlands, Hayes tested the team's mettle but still came through a 0-0 draw against the Lionesses and this 2-1 win against the Dutch on a bitterly cold night. –Tom Hamilton
Closer shows what USWNT will miss
When Naeher made her USWNT debut against Argentina in December 2014, she probably never imagined that her remarkable international career would come to an end on a freezing night of pouring rain in the Dutch capital. The Dutch team gave her a bouquet of flowers before the game, recognizing her amazing record of being part of two teams that won the USWNT World Cup, which was essential to the 2024 Olympic gold and also the 2021 bronze medal. She said goodbye with 69 shutouts and even reached 17th place in this year's Ballon D'Or election.
So it was hardly the case that she walked out the exit door – and she proved she will be sorely missed after a series of brilliant saves in the first half to keep her team in the game. The Dutch should have been three or four goals ahead at half-time, but Naeher's shot blocking and positioning were a big reason the teams remained tied at 1-1.
Naeher's best stops in both halves came from Daniëlle van de Donk, and when the Dutchwoman attacked the USWNT's left side, it was her commanding presence that helped keep her opponent at bay. We will miss her. Thoughts about her successor can wait; This was Naeher's night as the USWNT said goodbye to a legendary goalkeeper. –Hamilton
The USWNT celebrates a 2-1 comeback win over the Netherlands. (Photo by Brad Smith/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)
Hayes clears up the initial tactical confusion
As is often the case in this sport, Tuesday's victory was a tale of two halves.
In the first game, the USWNT was tactically overwhelmed in a formation that left only Sam Coffey and Korbin Albert to fend for themselves at the heart of the team. In a game that often looked like a 4-2-4 going forward, Hayes' formation was extremely vulnerable to the quick counterattacks that the Dutch threw with a supporting team.
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Thanks to Naeher's performance in net and an opponent's own goal, the USWNT was able to regroup with a stronger midfield presence in the second half. As evidenced by a total of five substitutions up to the 67th minute, Hayes was able to significantly change her tactics and occupy the center of the pitch while also switching to a back three.
This stifled the Netherlands, and suddenly Williams' winning goal followed with more momentum for the USA in a resurgent second half.
The blessing that Hayes has is his enormous talent for clearing up such situations, but if the Netherlands had been more composed in the first half or there had been no accidental own goal, Williams' single attempt would not have been enough on another evening. — Cesar Hernandez
Yohannes leaves his mark
It took Yohannes just 10 minutes to make her mark in the USWNT uniform when she scored on her debut against South Korea in June. But since then she has been at the center of a very public tug-of-war between the Netherlands and the US over her services.
The US remained respectful and gave her time and space, while the Dutch launched a slightly more public charm offensive to get her to choose the Leeuwinnen. Considered one of the best young midfielders in the world, she chose the USWNT to the delight of Hayes and her teammates.
The Dutch did little to hide their frustration – Dutch coach Andries Jonker said it would have saved them “a lot of work” if she had said from the start that she wanted to play for the USA, which she had on Tuesday night, as she wore the whites of the USA on a patch of grass just 34 miles from where she plays her club football with Ajax.
She got her chance in the 66th minute when she replaced Lindsay Horan – the future stepped into the shoes of the present and was generally well received by the partisan crowd. And she made a name for herself just five minutes later as it was her beautifully weighted header that sent Yazmeen Ryan into space to cross for Williams to score the team's second goal. She received a few boos later, but it was a safe performance. –Hamilton
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Alyssa Naeher is happy with the USWNT retirement decision
Alyssa Naeher thanks Emma Hayes for her understanding of the goalkeeper's decision to retire from USWNT international soccer.
The Netherlands feels Miedema's absence
The Netherlands are facing another international break without Vivianne Miedema. The Manchester City attacker is out with a knee injury, leaving Jonker with a crucial question: who will line up to score goals for the Oranje?
During the final European Championship qualifiers, Miedema scored in one of her two games. Lineth Beerensteyn was the only other player to score in qualifying, scoring three of just four goals in six games. Historically, the Dutch team has been productive in front of goal, but without Miedema the deficit is obvious. It is difficult to replace a striker who has scored 96 goals in 120 international appearances.
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In the last few games against the USWNT, the Netherlands created seven chances but only scored once. Despite firing seven shots in the first half, the Dutch were unable to capitalize on their chances to secure a lead.
Jill Roord is another player to keep an eye on for goals. After recovering from an ACL injury, Roord is gradually returning to form, but has not yet reached the scoring heights she once did. Despite several good chances against the USA, Roord failed to put the ball in the net.
The first goal for the Netherlands was scored by Buurman, who is on loan at PSV Eindhoven from Chelsea. The young attacker was given the opportunity to start against one of the toughest teams in the world. Jonker chose her over captain Sherida Spitse, and Buurman rose to the challenge. She showed her ability in set pieces and her performance showed potential. Perhaps Oranje have found their Virgil van Dijk in Buurman – another future star in the making. — Sjor's Grol
Who stood up for the Dutch without Yohannes?
The Dutch are in the process of rejuvenating their squad and Yohannes would certainly have added value to this transition. But the midfield is holding up well in their absence. The Dutch fans probably noticed the energy that Yohannes' arrival on the pitch brought with him, as both the Dutch and American fans cheered.
In a remarkable decision, Jonker picked Buurman in the starting XI over captain Spitse. But that wasn't the only change – 19-year-old Wieke Kaptein was given a chance in midfield. Both players justified Jonker's trust in them with strong performances against the world number 1.
The Dutch team is preparing for the 2025 UEFA Women's European Championship with a mix of experienced stars and emerging talent. Kaptein in particular impressed with her maturity on the ball and her defensive skills. She was often fouled by the Americans, a testament to her growing influence in the game. While playing for Chelsea in recent months, she has strengthened her defensive game and proven that she can handle the pressure of playing against some of the world's best players.
Despite scoring an unfortunate own goal, Buurman held her own against the Americans' best attackers. Dutch fans will be relieved to learn that Buurman does not have dual citizenship, ensuring her commitment to the national team. — Grol
18-year-old Veerle Buurman showed that the future of the Netherlands is in good hands after a promising performance against the USA (Photo by MAURICE VAN STEEN/ANP/AFP via Getty Images)
Defensive questions for the USWNT in full
Although most of the early criticism should be directed at Hayes' initial tactical approach, the players themselves should also be examined for the defensive weaknesses present.
In midfield, Albert was left isolated in the starting lineup at times, but that shouldn't excuse how often she found herself a step behind during a long list of counterattacks in the first half. Jenna Nighswonger, watching the backline, didn't cover herself in glory. As probably the team's weakest link, the left-back had difficulty stopping the Dutch's runs through the midfield.
Other defenders such as Emily Fox and Naomi Girma may have been unsettled by the current situation and did not perform badly, but appeared to be slightly off their game in the early stages.
The good news is that the USWNT was able to solve their problems by taking Nighswonger out and switching to a back three, but to survive that initial wave of pressure the team needed a huge performance from Naeher.
But with Naheher out of the picture and the question of who will be next between the posts, the US may not be able to afford to make the same defensive mistakes in the future. For Hayes, this also means additional work in fine-tuning the backline. — Hernandez
