Hayes: USA win over Mexico a sign of progress before Olympics - ESPN

HARRISON, N.J. — United States women's national team head coach Emma Hayes said her team still needs to improve its decision-making in the final third, but she saw signs of progress in the 1-0 win over Mexico at Red Bull Arena on Saturday.

Hayes' third game in charge of the U.S. was the Americans' penultimate match before the Olympics and its first with the roster that leaves for France next week in search of the program's first Olympic gold medal since 2012.

«If we use [the Concacaf Gold Cup] as a reference point, I think it's fair to say this game was much more measured, much more controlled,» Hayes told reporters. "[We] limited them to very little, so [it's] a step in the right direction."

The victory comes less than five months after Mexico's historic 2-0 victory over the USWNT in the group stage of the Concacaf W Gold Cup, the Americans' first loss to Mexico on home soil.

Saturday was a more measured game that saw the USWNT retain 70% of the possession and keep Mexico from finding the counterattacking opportunities that allowed the visitors to thrive at the Gold Cup.

USWNT forward Sophia Smith broke the deadlock in the 64th minute. Rose Lavelle played a ball behind Mexico's defense and sprung Trinity Rodman free down the USWNT's right side before Rodman found Mallory Swanson at the top of the box.

Swanson opened up to continue switching the ball to Smith, who squared up her defender and buried a shot with her right foot.

Until the goal, the USWNT was largely in control of the match but wasteful in front of the net. The USWNT ended the game with 17 shots and 1.94 expected goals — while limiting Mexico to .07 xG — per TruMedia. Smith admitted it was frustrating up until her tally, but said she isn't concerned.

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