The US Women’s national team had not beaten Brazil in Brazil since 1997. That changed on Tuesday night, though it wasn’t pretty. The international friendly match, which resulted in a 0-1 win for the US, included an own goal, eight red cards, and 28 total fouls. Reds were handed out to Brazilian players and coaches alike, and by the end of the game, security guards with riot shields could even be seen on the field protecting referees.
It was an unsettling game, to say the least. But what the US felt most proud of — more than the goal or the win — was their ability to stay composed under immense pressure and chaos.
“I loved the pressure, and my players loved the pressure,” USWNT head coach Emma Hayes said after the game. “Otherwise, why play? If you can’t take responsibility in these situations? … We are a team that is still coming together and we had a lot of players who never experienced this before.”
Michelle Cooper, who played all over the field on Tuesday night, echoed her coach’s sentiments. “We’ve really talked about… the importance of staying locked in and focusing on the end goal.”
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The game, like most played against Brazil, started out chippy, with more physicality than the average (the same playing style was on display on Saturday, when the Brazilians beat the US 2-1 in Sao Paulo). Though Tuesday’s first half was tense and both teams had some shots, neither side capitalized on a real chance.
The second half is when things started to devolve, physically and emotionally. An own-goal catalyzed by Sophia Wilson but technically credited to Isabela put the US up in the 63rd minute. A few moments later, after some cautionary warnings to US and Brazil players alike, Brazil’s head coach, Arthur Elias, was disciplined for teasing the referee who told him to put a pinnie over his blue shirt, which was too similar to the USWNT jersey.
Things would only get worse from there. The boiling tensions between players, coaches and referees led to ugly moments, like Brazilian defender Tarciane taking a swing at Sophia Wilson, and forward Bia Zanerrato getting sent off the field after a shove at Emily Sonnett.
By the end of the match — which lasted well over 100 minutes given the stoppage time in both halves — there was a genuine effort on the field from security to protect the refs, whom many of the Brazilian players blame for the game’s chaos.
To call that match an international friendly is deeply ironic, but the USWNT survived, and they feel stronger for it. Hayes described it as unbelievable progress. “To come and play Brazil within Brazil is extremely tough,” she said.
Wilson agreed, giving kudos to her teammates for their tough battle. “We knew what to expect coming into this game,” she said in the mixed zone after the game. “We knew it’s a lot more mental and physical than it really is what we’re doing on the ball.”
But not everyone felt quite as rewarded by the experience. Lindsey Heaps, longtime USWNT midfielder and captain, expressed blatant frustration about the way the game was played.
“I hope this is not what a World Cup final looks like,” Heaps said to reporters in the mixed zone. “I hope there’s more football being played, I hope it’s a beautiful game again… I think this is a really good team with a lot of quality, but I just don’t think the game should be played in that type of way.”
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But, no matter their individual frustrations, the USWNT certainly gained from this experience. Brazil, sitting at No. 6 in the FIFA rankings, will host the 2027 Women’s World Cup — there is no better way for the US to prepare.
And though the drama of the game showed that the US is made of mettle, it did somewhat cloud the other, more technical issues the team needs to work on. Wilson, Emma Sears and others up front were unable to capitalize on their best goal-scoring opportunities. Additionally, it might be time for Hayes to really settle in on her starting XI. But learning how to stay calm when all hell breaks loose is not something you can be taught in training; the value of this experience for the USWNT is unquestionable.
