After a series of disappointments over the past several months, the United States Women’s National team was back on top this week, defeating Brazil to win the Concacaf W Gold Cup. Interim head coach Twila Kilgore is certainly happy about the victory.
“This is a group that’s moving forward together, that still wants more time together. It’s time to go back to club [seasons] for them and do those things, but we genuinely enjoy being together and feel like we’re just getting started,” Kilgore said after the game. “This is a group that’s just getting started.”
The Gold Cup win comes after a few disappointing performances from the United States after the team suffered its earliest elimination in the history of the World Cup over the summer and last to Mexico for just the second time in history last month.
Kilgore knows there are high expectations for the USWNT, but she wouldn’t have it any other way.
“This is a team and a program that will always have attention and expectations on it, and we say that pressure is a privilege,” Kilgore said. “We’ve regrouped, we’ve set new goals, we’ve set a new style of play. We’re working towards something together, and it’s a very public process, and that’s just not easy. I’m just so proud of them, and I’m just so happy.”
Kilgore will not be the team’s full-time head coach going forward as Chelsea women’s manager Emma Hayes will soon take over as permanent coach for the U.S. team after this club season. But it sounds like Kilgore is happy about the direction of the team.
[ESPN]
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