The U.S. women’s national team opened the 2023 SheBelieves Cup with a solid 2-0 victory over reigning Olympic champions Canada. Mallory Swanson scored twice in the first half, the first with a sharp finish and the second via a giveaway deep inside Canada’s defensive third.
The rest of the match was played out on more level terms, but U.S. was able to comfortably see the game out. Combined with Brazil’s 1-0 triumph over Japan earlier in the day, the win puts the U.S. atop the SheBelieves Cup standings on goal differential. The SheBelieves Cup is the second-last window of international games for the U.S. before the 2023 Women’s World Cup begins in July, hosted in Australia and New Zealand.
Off the field, the match started with a show of solidarity between the U.S. and Canadian players on two fronts. Canada players have entered a very public dispute with their federation over financial resources and pay, which the American players have expressed support for, and both teams wore wristbands showing support for transgender students due to recent legislation in Florida, where the game was played.
Rapid reaction
1. The USWNT starts fast, and gives Canada a hard time
It’s tempting to think that the upheaval in Canada’s camp over the past few days — first they weren’t playing over a lack of federation support, then they were — played a part in how the opening minutes played out. The purple warmup shirts with “Enough Is Enough” emblazoned on them pretty much said it all in terms of how Canada’s players feel about their federation at present. But the fact remains that the U.S. pressed the bejesus out of their northern neighbors from the opening whistle, and didn’t really let Canada breathe until about 20 minutes into the match.
By then the U.S. was already 1-0 up and it could have been more. Swanson’s first attempt at goal came just 12 seconds into the match, though Canada goalkeeper Kaelin Sheridan was well-positioned to stop her tight-angled shot. Sheridan did well to save Ashely Sanchez’s effort a minute later, and there was thought, however brief, that this might be one of those nights for the U.S. in front of goal.
But Swanson soon banished such thoughts in the seventh minute, blasting home from 16 yards after Alex Morgan — honored for her 200th camp prior to the match — touched Trinity Rodman’s cross back to the top of the box.
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Eventually, the U.S. had to take its foot off the gas, and finally did so midway through the first half, allowing the visitors its first long spell of possession around the 22nd minute. But Canada still looked a bit shellshocked, and Swanson then doubled the home side’s advantage in the 34th minute. Morgan pressured Vanessa Gilles into a weak back pass, and with Sheridan attempting to provide a better passing angle, Swanson pounced and fired into a wide open net.
About the only times the U.S. was under pressure was when it was sloppy with the ball in its own half. One such incident took place in first half stoppage time when Alana Cook gave the ball away to Janine Beckie, but Alyssa Naeher was on hand to stop the ensuing shot with a fine save.
The high-pressing tactic is one that the U.S. can’t trot out in every game. Brazil and Japan, the other opponents in this tournament certainly have the skill to play through such an approach. But Thursday’s match showed that if it can used at the right time, it can be mighty effective.
2. Swanson does her best to earn a guaranteed World Cup spot
Is Swanson in the best form of her career? At least at international level, a strong case can be made. Granted, she didn’t have a bad 2022, scoring 11 goals in 17 regular-season matches for the Chicago Red Stars, and scoring seven more times for the USWNT, including one in the semifinal of the Concacaf W Championship against Costa Rica.
But now Swanson is taking her game to another level.
