USWNT vs. Canada score: USA win SheBelieves Cup in dramatic penalty shootout

The Americans came back from a goal down but conceded a penalty late, sending the game to penalties

horan-1.jpg
Getty Images

The U.S. women's national team lifted their seventh SheBelieves Cup title on Tuesday beating Canada in a penalty shootout in the squad's final match before the arrival of incoming head coach Emma Hayes. Regulation ended 2-2 while the U.S. won the shootout 5-4, needing extra spot kicks to settle the game. 

Canada's Adrianna Leon opened the scoring in the 40th minute, capitalizing on a miscommunication in the back to give the visitors the lead. The USWNT's attack, though, livened up in the second half and Sophia Smith scored in the 50th and 66th minutes to give the hosts the advantage.

A few minutes before the final whistle, though, Crystal Dunn was called for a foul on Leon and conceded a penalty, which Leon swiftly converted in the 86th minute. The match then went to a penalty shootout, which went to sudden death but was eventually won by the USWNT as defender Emily Fox converted the tournament-winning strike.

Takeaways from the game:

Key halftime shift

The USWNT dominated the first half but struggled to convert their possession into meaningful scoring opportunities. They responded strongly when they conceded just minutes before halftime. That includes not just the players through their immediate response but interim head coach Twila Kilgore, who made an aggressive halftime sub in which Mallory Swanson came on for Sam Coffey, shifting Jaedyn Shaw to the 10 in the process.

The results spoke for themselves. The USWNT were not just more urgent in their search for goal but more effective with the team taking eight of their 12 shots after the break and putting four of their five shots on target in the process. Smith's brace was the highlight of the half, but the performance was also another vote of confidence in Swanson's long-term prospects and perhaps an argument that Shaw's best role might be in midfield.

Smith's time to shine

The USWNT's period of experimentation has seen several attackers have their moments as players compete for roster spots at the Olympics, and Tuesday was finally Smith's opportunity to make her case. She started as a wide forward and was fairly active during the first half but really came to life as the USWNT picked up the intensity in the second half.

The personnel changes also helped but Smith seemed to fall down the pecking order as the Gold Cup progressed, making Tuesday's performance a big one for the young forward. She's no doubt the team's future but the halftime tinkers coupled with her two-goal showing means that she bolstered her case as the USWNT's present.

Don't miss CBS Sports Golazo Network's Morning Footy, now in podcast form! Our crew brings you all the news, views, highlights and laughs you need to follow the Beautiful Game in every corner of the globe, every Monday-Friday all year long.

Interim no more

This marks the end of Kilgore's spell as the interim head coach, which may have only lasted seven months but was a very transformative period. She successfully updated the player pool, injected new tactical ideas into the team and rediscovered the team's attacking identity in the process.

There is still plenty of room for improvement, as the defensive mistakes and the attacking problems on Tuesday will demonstrate. It's hard not to say this seven-month period was not a success, though -- Jaedyn Shaw got enough game time to prove that she's undroppable, while a handful of other positions seem locked down by young players like Naomi Girma and Tierna Davidson. The team feels like it has moved on from the disappointment of last year's Women's World Cup, which is a perfect position to be in just in time for Hayes' arrival.

Updates
(52)
See New Posts
 
Pinned
Link copied

USA 5, CAN 4

Fox lines up for the spotkick and converts, giving the USWNT their seventh SheBelieves Cup in the process.

 
Pinned
Link copied

USA 4, CAN 4

Viens goes next for Canada but Naeher makes the save, meaning the USWNT can win if they convert their next one.

 
Pinned
Link copied

USA 4, CAN 4

Dahlkemper is next for the USWNT and converts, keeping the hosts alive in this shootout.

 
Pinned
Link copied

USA 3, CAN 4

Lawrence steps up for Canada and converts, meaning the USWNT need to score to stay in it.

 
Pinned
Link copied

USA 3, CAN 3

Sonnett is up for the USWNT and sends it over, sending this shootout to sudden death.

 
Pinned
Link copied

USA 3, CAN 3

Grosso has to convert to keep Canada in this and she does. The USWNT can win if they convert the next one.

 
Pinned
Link copied

USA 3, CAN 2

Horan steps up converts, giving the USWNT the lead in the shootout for the first time.

 
Pinned
Link copied

USA 2, CAN 2

Lacasse steps up and Naeher makes the stop, potentially tilting the shootout in the USWNT's favor in the process.

 
Pinned
Link copied

USA 2, CAN 2

Naeher swaps her place in goal for one at the penalty spot and converts once again, making things level in the shootout.

 
Pinned
Link copied

USA 1, CAN 2

Jade Rose is next for Canada and Naeher makes the stop, giving the USWNT an opening in this shootout.

 
Pinned
Link copied

USA 1, CAN 2

After her brace, Smith lines up at the penalty spot and notches the USWNT's first penalty of the shootout.

 
Pinned
Link copied

USA 0, CAN 2

Leon takes her second penalty of the day and converts again, though Naeher dives the right way for a second time.

 
Pinned
Link copied

USA 0, CAN 1

Rodman steps up for the USWNT but her soft attempt is easily stopped by Sheridan. Canada have a true lead to start this shootout.

 
Pinned
Link copied

USA 0, CAN 1

Fleming goes first and sends it just past Naeher, giving Canada an early lead.

 
Pinned
Link copied

Off to a penalty shootout

A month after the USWNT and Canada went to a shootout in the Gold Cup semifinals, the teams are back at it to decide the SheBelieves Cup. It also isn't the first shootout of the day - Brazil won their shootout over Japan to claim third place.

 
Pinned
Link copied

Horan close from a freekick

90'+2 Horan has a freekick near the penalty area and almost scores, but the ball takes a deflection and goes out. The referee doesn't call it, though, and so a goal kick comes rather than a corner.

 
Pinned
Link copied

Swanson receiving treatment

87' Swanson goes down after a collision with Jade Rose and received treatment, but is up and walking and might return to play soon.

 
Pinned
Link copied

USA 2, CAN 2

86' Leon converts with relative ease and the teams are now just a couple of minutes away from a penalty shootout to decide the winner of the SheBelieves Cup. Dunn, who conceded the penalty, comes off for Krueger shortly afterwards.

 
Pinned
Link copied

Penalty to Canada

83' Dunn is called for a foul on Leon and the referee points to the spot. Leon will take.

 
Pinned
Link copied

A change for the USWNT

74' Shaw comes off and Albert comes on in her place - to some boos at Lower.com Field -  as the team looks to close things out.

 
Pinned
Link copied

USA 2, CAN 1

66' Smith grabs a brace to give the USWNT the lead! The play starts at the back with Dahlkemper, who sends it over to Horan before playing it off to Shaw. The phenom then plays a stellar ball to Rodman, who sends a quick pass to a dashing Smith, who shoots from distance and scores.

 
Pinned
Link copied

Another sub for the USWNT

63' Rodman is coming on for Morgan, who takes off Rodman's pinny for her as she comes off.

 
Pinned
Link copied

Smith close

62' Swanson plays a stunning pass to Smith as she makes her way into the box, but Smith hesitates and cannot get the shot off.

 
Pinned
Link copied

USA 1, CAN 1

50' The USWNT possess around the box and if at first they didn't succeed, they tried, tried again and got their goal. The ball eventually falls to Davidson outside the box and she gets it to Shaw, who assists Smith before her finish from just outside the penalty area.

 
Pinned
Link copied

A shot for Swanson

46' Barely a minute into the second half and the USWNT are, unsurprisingly, eyeing goal. Swanson's already got a shot on the board, too, forcing Sheridan to make a save and showing she's picking up right from where she left off the other day.

 
Pinned
Link copied

Second half underway

Swanson is coming on for Coffey in this second half, a clear signal that the USWNT is eyeing goals. Swanson's off to a strong start in NWSL play and was a strength in the USWNT's 2-1 win over Japan on Saturday, so hopes are high she can make a difference today.

 
Pinned
Link copied

International update

While the USWNT goes through their halftime routine, Morocco and Zambia are duking it out for the final spot in the U.S.' group for the Olympics. Morocco and Zambia are tied 2-2 on aggregate after Barbra Banda scored for Zambia today, meaning they're off to extra time. Reminder: Germany and Australia also await in Group B.

 
Pinned
Link copied

HT: USA 0, CAN 1

The USWNT got off to a strong start but Canada handled their attacking prowess with a strong defensive outing, and then took advantage of their best opportunity and took the lead. It sets up for a fascinating second half in which the USWNT will once again be tasked with responding to adversity, and potentially find an answer to their occasional inability to turn possession into meaningful shots -- and goals.

 
Pinned
Link copied

Shaw sends it over

44' The USWNT are spending the last few minutes of this half looking for an equalizer, with virtually the entire team going forward in that mission. Shaw gets on the end of one of the opportunities but sent the ball over the goal.

 
Pinned
Link copied

USA 0-1 CAN

40' The USWNT might be in charge of this one, but Canada are the ones with the lead! Gilles wins the ball and sends it over to Rose, who makes a dash down the right. Naeher and Davidson go for the same ball, which means it's loose for Rose to pass the ball off to Leon, who takes advantage and scores the game's opening goal.

See More