(Reuters) – U.S. Soccer announced that Emma Hayes will be making her coaching debut with the U.S. women’s teams in two friendlies against South Korea in June. Hayes, currently the coach of Women’s Super League leaders Chelsea, will be leaving the team when the season ends in May.
“It will be exciting for everyone to have Emma on board for the June games,” said interim U.S. head coach Twila Kilgore, who will be joining Hayes’ staff as an assistant coach.
The U.S. women’s team will face South Korea in Commerce City, Colorado on June 1 and in St. Paul, Minnesota three days later. These friendlies are part of their preparations for the upcoming Paris Olympics, with two more matches scheduled for July.
“We need as many quality games as we can get heading into the Olympics and Korea will provide good tests,” Kilgore added. “The matches in Colorado and Minnesota are the final international matches before the Olympic team is chosen, so they will carry that extra edge.”
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
