USA coach Emma Hayes says Mallory Swanson a 'connector' - ESPN

COMMERCE CITY, Colorado — Forward Mallory Swanson scored for the United States for the first time in 15 months to lead her side to a 4-0 victory over South Korea on Saturday at Dick's Sporting in Emma Hayes' first match as head coach.

Afterward, Hayes spoke glowingly of Swanson, who she first interacted with briefly in 2017 when Swanson was a teenager and weighing whether to turn professional.

«I couldn't ask for any more,» Hayes said of Swanson's performance. «She's a player I've always admired, so to get the opportunity to coach and see first-hand the quality she possesses — she's a connector. She's really magnetic, as a human being, too, in the way she operates in the team.

»She can multitask; she can do what she's doing on the pitch and she can listen on the sidelines. I noticed that about her today. Our goal is to keep her fit, keep her healthy, because she's an important part of this team."

Swanson, who tore her patellar tendon in 2023 and missed last summer's World Cup, broke the deadlock in the 34th minute with a darting diagonal run behind South Korea's back five. USWNT forward Sophia Smith turned quickly and slotted the ball into the path of Swanson, who tucked her shot inside the near post.

«It's super special,» Swanson said of scoring for the team again. «You're never the same person as you were the last day so taking every learning opportunity that I can, growing, and trying to be an impact on whoever I can.»

Center-back Tierna Davidson scored twice — each time via a header on a corner kick — to round out the scoring for the USWNT.

Catarina Macario, like Swanson, also returned to the USWNT earlier this year following a long-term injury. Macario started in the No. 10 role for the USWNT on Saturday, marking