The U.S. women's national team will have a chance to win their seventh SheBelieves Cup title on Tuesday when they square off against Canada. The long-time Concacaf rivals will battle for the trophy and bragging rights at Lower.com Field in Columbus, OH, while Brazil and Japan settle for a Third Place match.
Tuesday will mark the 66th all-time meeting between the North American teams, and it'll be their second matchup in just 35 days. The two programs met in the 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup semifinal just last month in a rainy affair with a waterlogged pitch in San Diego. The forecast for Ohio will provide a much drier setting for this showdown.
Here's what to know about the upcoming match:
Golazo Starting XI Newsletter
Get your Soccer Fix from Around the Globe
Your ultimate guide to the Beautiful Game as our experts take you beyond the pitch and around the globe with news that matters.
Thanks for signing up!
Keep an eye on your inbox.
Sorry!
There was an error processing your subscription.
Viewing info
- Date: Tuesday, April 9 | Time: 7 p.m. ET
- Place: Lower.com Field -- Columbus, Ohio
- TV: TBS
- Stream: MAX
Player to watch
Jaedyn Shaw: The 19-year-old forward has rapidly become a staple in the USWNT's attack after scoring five goals in her last five starts -- a first in senior national team history -- and is the 13th player to score in five consecutive matches. She's gotten consistent call-ins with the team post-World Cup elimination as the program steps into a new era and gets set to welcome incoming manager Emma Hayes in June.
Her ability to play along an attacking line has been an asset for the coaching staff to utilize in different scenarios. Shaw's recent performance as an attacking-mid against Japan offers just another layer to the offense as more players get integrated into the team's plans toward the Olympics.
What they're saying
Interim head coach Twila Kilgore on Shaw's emergence: "I think Jaedyn has always been a really good goal scorer. I think finding your niche in this team and being able to score consistently is quite a feat, especially as you're being integrated. I would actually say even though she's here, she's doing a great job, we're seeing great things from her ,and we're really pleased -- I'd say she's still in the onboarding process.
"She is still working on all phases of her game. Excellent in a lot of them, and being challenged in some others, and I continually praise her not only for her attacking efforts, but also her defending efforts ... But she's growing in all of those ways, and I would say, even though everyone's super pleased and happy and we all see who she is -- be patient. Because there's more and she wants that challenge to bring everything she has to the table."
Storylines
USWNT: The group had a strong response after conceding to Japan in the opening minute. They remained aggressive in their high press until Shaw got the breakthrough for the equalizer, and Sophia Smith won a penalty later in the second half. Lindsey Horan converted from the spot and she will likely see time on the pitch against Canada despite the coaching staff being unshy about making player rotations.
While Kilgore has been honest about load management, the coaching staff will still want to evaluate certain duos and trios on the pitch and how they navigate high-stakes games, so don't be surprised if we see a similar midfield with some tweaks in the backline and frontline.
Canada: The last time Canada participated in the SheBelieves Cup they played in protest, wearing purple as other teams supported them in an ongoing dispute with their federation. A year later, minor strides have been made in their fight for equity, and on the pitch legends Christine Sinclair and Sophie Schmidt have retired. Still, with all the change, they have a chance to lift the cup alongside head coach Bev Preistman on a new long-term contract.
Preistman's 23-player roster for SheBelieves includes 18 players who participated in the Gold Cup. Several players compete in the NWSL and fans will want to keep an eye on midfielder Jesse Fleming and goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan. Fleming recently signed with Portland Thorns FC and has pulled the strings for Canada in attacking sequences.
Sheridan had another massive performance in goal for Canada as they continue their quest for the SheBelieves trophy. She made five saves on Saturday against Brazil and made a stop on Marta during the penalty shootout.
Prediction
Will this finally be the era where actual tactics guide the teams toward a victory? Or will this just be another showcase of physicality? Let's hope we get some soccer in this one. Pick: USWNT 2, Canada 1
