Following the U.S. Women’s National Team’s 2-1 defeat at the hands of Brazil on Saturday in São Paulo, and with their second matchup scheduled for Tuesday in the heat of Fortaleza, head coach Emma Hayes has warned her side to be prepared for a hostile environment.

Hayes’ side went 1-0 up in the second minute on Saturday at Neo Química Arena courtesy of Sophia Wilson. However, Brazil were quick to fire back, with Tainá Maranhão equalizing in the 11th minute as Bia Zaneratto put the hosts ahead just three minutes later in front of over 31,000 fans.

Previewing Tuesday’s game, Hayes kept her cards close to her chest, refusing to provide any updates on tactical or teamsheet tweaks she had up her sleeve, wanting to treat this as if it were a tournament scenario.

But while the former Chelsea boss wouldn’t reveal her lineup, she did have plenty to say about the tie, stating, “It doesn't matter how much you prepare for certain things. You just don't know until you're in it. And what I will say is, this is to the whole world, this is something else.

“The way football is played here, the way football is experienced here, the way the crowd leans in as a 12th player.

“I've been here a few times as a fan watching football. Experiencing that as a coach was an incredible experience and one that is going to intensify tomorrow because double the numbers are going to be in attendance.

“And that creates all the challenges that you want to replicate, that you don't ordinarily get when you play at home. The whole crowd is your own. You've got nice conditions, perfect conditions everywhere.

To listen to the latest episode of 'All Out Soccer' - CLICK HERE

“Here we've got to deal with these things. A culture that grapples and holds, fouls off the ball. A culture that 1v1 is just their identity. So with that, it can feel like many elements of that play is almost legal in the game.

“And my experience as a coach is like, accept everything that comes with the conditions. Accept the crowd. Accept the way the opponent play. Accept that we might not even have good officiating at times. Accept that maybe VAR won't go in our favor. Accept it and put it out the window.

“What have we got to do better? And so our work is tactically, how do we do that? And I don't want to talk about it because I'm competitive and I want to make sure our team's prepared tomorrow.”

With the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup having been Hayes’ primary objective since day one in the job, and with the tournament set to be held in Brazil, these games represent an invaluable learning experience for her, her staff, and her players, as they get a taste of what to expect next summer - assuming they qualify.

Tuesday’s game at Arena Castelão will mark the third time these teams have faced one another since the USWNT beat Brazil to win gold at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, with the head-to-head currently tied at 1-1.

Source: Alloutsoccer.com