Should the USWNT prioritize development over results?
Full Time: A show about women's soccer
The Athletic
4.8 • 807 Ratings
🗓️ 15 April 2026
⏱️ 43 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
After a 1-0 defeat to Japan, U.S. women’s national team head coach Emma Hayes confessed that she is prioritizing development over results right now. So, is that the right move for the team 14 months out from the next World Cup?
On this episode of Full Time, host Jillian Sakovits is joined by The Athletic’s Tamerra Griffin to unpack the lessons learned from a soggy night in Seattle, Wash., at Lumen Field, where Hayes made 11 changes to her starting XI. What did we learn about the USWNT’s depth and second-string lineup? How much pressure is on the third and final friendly against Japan?
PLUS: Producer Theo checks in from a momentous night at Wembley Stadium and England’s World Cup qualifier against Spain, as well as the latest on which teams have already qualified for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil.
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HOSTS: Jillian Sakovits, Tamerra Griffin
PRODUCER: Theo Lloyd-Hughes
VIDEO PRODUCER: Lia Griffin
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Emily Olsen
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Referenced on the show:
Emma Hayes’ tricky balancing act as USWNT strive for that ‘secret sauce’
England’s win over Spain proves small details, like set pieces, make all the difference
Spain need to be more Spanish to beat England
USWNT 2, Japan 1: Rose Lavelle scores in 100th start, Sophia Wilson returns
USWNT’s next test: Japan, champions of Asia, with a roster of international stars in the making
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | What she did on Tuesday night is only the kind of thing you do in an international friendly at a time like this when you're preparing for a World Cup. |
| 0:10.2 | It's not something that you actually do when you're competing in a World Cup. |
| 0:14.1 | So, yeah. |
| 0:28.1 | Hello, hello, everybody. Welcome back to full time. It's presented by Amazon Prime. |
| 0:36.9 | Julian Sackavits here with you fresh off Japan, defeating U.S. Women's National Team 1-0 on Tuesday night at a very soggy loomid field in Seattle. And as many predicted, we saw quite a different lineup from Emma Hayes making 11 changes |
| 0:42.2 | to the starting 11 that had beaten Japan to one just three days earlier. |
| 0:47.0 | So on today's episode of full-time, we wonder, is Hayes right to be prioritizing development |
| 0:51.7 | over results in this three-game set against Japan here in the middle game. |
| 0:56.3 | What do we make of a second defeat to Japan in 14 months and just how much pressure is now on this final and third game as the series goes to Colorado on Friday night? |
| 1:07.6 | As it comes here, here to the box Hamano with space on that right side. |
| 1:13.0 | Hamano turning its side, |
| 1:14.3 | looks for the finish. |
| 1:17.2 | A moment of quality. |
| 1:20.8 | From Micah, Hamano, |
| 1:22.9 | to give Japan the lead in Seattle. |
| 1:25.7 | And it's Emma Hayes' former player that does the damage. |
| 1:30.6 | And to get into all that with me live from Seattle, Washington, is Tamara Griffin. |
| 1:35.4 | Hi, Tamara. |
| 1:36.2 | Hey, Jill. |
| 1:37.3 | How's it going? |
| 1:38.7 | Very good. |
| 1:39.5 | So we got you before you get back on your flight home. |
... |
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