USWNT player ratings: Hayes’ super-subs Horan, Sears inspire win

Goals from Lynn Williams, Lindsey Horan, and Emma Sears earned a 3-1 friendly victory and second consecutive win for the U.S. women’s national team over Iceland.

Held at Geodis Park in Nashville, Tennessee on Sunday, the game kicked off with plenty of the ball for the home side that maintained 64.2% possession during the first half. Nonetheless, it was Iceland that opened up the scoring thanks to a stunning 31st-minute goal directly off a corner from Karolina Vilhjalmsdottir.

Seeking to alter her approach by the midway point of the friendly, USWNT manager Emma Hayes responded by making a handful of impactful substitutions.

Following the half-time break, Alyssa Thompson, Emily Fox, and Horan entered the field. Shortly afterwards, Hayes then brought on Sophia Smith, Williams, and Sears. The tactical maneuvers paid off, leading to an equalizer from Williams in the 72nd minute and Horan’s goal in the 76th, as well as Sears’ goal in the 93rd.

With a win in hand and an undefeated streak under Hayes, the USWNT will play their third friendly this month when they face Argentina at Louisville, Kentucky’s Lynn Family Stadium on Oct. 30.

Manager rating (scale of 1-10)

Emma Hayes, 8 — Unafraid to throw numbers forward in the second half, Hayes was fearless with her attack-minded substitutions that earned the victory. The manager deserves credit for not only giving opportunities for young players, but for also being able to break down an Iceland XI that parked the bus throughout the 90+ minutes.

USWNT Player ratings (0-10; 10 = best; 5 = average)

GK Casey Murphy, 5 — Murphy made just one error, but it was still costly after her poor positioning allowed Vilhjalmsdottir to find the back of the net in the first half.

DF Jenna Nighswonger, 6 — Although she didn’t have too much trouble defensively, going forward, more was expected of the player who occasionally went quiet against Iceland.

DF Emily Sams, 8 — An impressive debut For the Orlando Pride player. Sams was confident and comfortable with her interventions that made her a reliable presence in the backline.

DF Emily Sonnett, 7 — Sonnet provided important tackles and showed leadership as she barked orders in defense.

DF Casey Krueger, 6 — A decent performance. Krueger helped win back possession and showcased her speed on both flanks but could have also been more accurate with her longer passes.

MF Mallory Swanson, 8 — Swanson celebrated her 100th cap as the most dangerous player in the first half. The 26-year-old was a dynamic figure in the attack that eventually switched to a more central position in the frontline.

MF Sam Coffey, 6 — Despite buzzing around the midfield, Coffey was at times caught off-guard when needing to shut down counters.

MF Korbin Albert, 6 — Connected well with the midfield, but also wasn’t able to create enough in the final third.

MF Yazmeen Ryan, 6 — Ryan wasn’t as dangerous as Swanson on the opposite flank and struggled with effectively breaking down the Iceland defense. That said, she did well to switch the field when needed and provided a couple of shots.

FW Olivia Moultrie, 7 — Not bad for a player that just turned 19. Moultrie had a great connection with attack and dropped to the left after Swanson eventually moved up. A high ceiling for the player that has more to give.

FW Jaedyn Shaw, 6 — Shaw showed off her attacking versatility up top but couldn’t influence the game at the level she typically does in the final third. Hayes will need to figure out the best position for the 20-year-old San Diego Wave star.

Substitutes (players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)

MF Alyssa Thompson, 8 — The teenager was brought on during the half-time break and thrived on the left flank. Some much-needed energy from the player that provided key passes and a shot that hit the woodwork.

DF Emily Fox, 7 — Credit to the full-back that had to step into a progressively chaotic formation that focused on the attack. Fox was an important distributor after being substituted in during the midway break.

MF Lindsey Horan, 8 — Horan was a catalyst moving forward and clinched the goal that gave the USWNT the lead. Difficult to think of a current best XI without the captain.

FW Lynn Williams, 9 — What more could you ask of the Gotham FC player that gifted her national team a goal and assist within 35 minutes of play.

MF Emma Sears, 9 — A dream USWNT debut. Like Williams, Sears was arguably the hero of the night with her goal and assist.

FW Sophia Smith, 7 — Excellent energy from the Portland Thorns marquee figure that took chances with her shots. Technically speaking, one of those shots could go down as a hockey assist for Williams’ goal.