Emma Hayes' tricky balancing act as USWNT strive for that 'secret sauce'

SEATTLE — A wholesale change to the U.S. women’s national team roster between its first and second matches against Japan exposed the significant gaps between each side’s bench depth.At Lumen Field, in front of a record-breaking crowd for a standalone women’s soccer game of 36,128 people, Japan claimed the second of its three matches against the U.S. with a 1-0 win. Despite the 63 per cent possession the USWNT enjoyed throughout the match, the champions of Asia earned their victory — and leveled the series at 1-1 — through punishing technical precision and speed of play.Advertisement