USWNT Set For Clash With Canada in 2024 SheBelieves Cup Final

After defeating Japan 2-1 in front of a record crowd in Atlanta to open the 2024 SheBelieves Cup, presented by Visa, the U.S. Women’s National Team will now face Canada in the first-ever SheBelieves Cup Final at 7 p.m. ET at Lower.com Field in Columbus, Ohio. The match will be broadcast on TBS, Universo, Max and Peacock and will be preceded by the Third-Place Match between Japan and Brazil at 4 p.m. ET. (TBS, Universo, Max and Peacock).

 

Due to an adjustment in the FIFA calendar, which resulted in the Concacaf W Gold Cup taking place in February and March, the format for the SBC changed this year, shifting from the historical round-robin spread across three match days to just two match days, with a semifinal round and then championship and third-place matches.

The USA is looking to win its seventh SheBelieves Cup title overall and fifth in a row.

 

Instead of the usual six games over three match days, this tournament features only four games over two match days with the first serving as semifinal matches and the second featuring the Third-Place Match and the Championship Game, meaning while there have been many “de facto finals,” this is the first true final in tournament history

Fans can follow all the action from the W Gold Cup via X (formerly Twitter - @USWNT), Instagram (@USWNT), Facebook and the official U.S. Soccer App.

 

U.S. WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM ROSTER BY POSITION (CLUB)  - 2024 SHEBELIEVES CUP

 

GOALKEEPERS (3): Jane Campbell (Houston Dash), Casey Murphy (North Carolina Courage), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars)

 

DEFENDERS (8): Abby Dahlkemper (San Diego Wave FC), Crystal Dunn (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Tierna Davidson (NY/NJ Gotham FC), Emily Fox (Arsenal FC, ENG), Eva Gaetino (Paris Saint-Germain, FRA), Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave FC), Casey Krueger (Washington Spirit), Jenna Nighswonger (NY/NJ Gotham FC)

 

MIDFIELDERS (6): Korbin Albert (Paris Saint-Germain, FRA), Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC), Lindsey Horan (Olympique Lyon, FRA), Olivia Moultrie (Portland Thorns FC), Emily Sonnett (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Lily Yohannes (AFC Ajax, NED)

 

FORWARDS (6): Catarina Macario (Chelsea FC, ENG), Alex Morgan (San Diego Wave FC), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit), Jaedyn Shaw (San Diego Wave FC), Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns FC), Mallory Swanson (Chicago Red Stars)

Nineteen of the 23 players on this squad for the 2024 SheBelieves Cup were a part of the U.S. roster that won the Concacaf W Gold Cup, defeating Brazil 1-0 in the championship game on March 10. Headlining the group are the USA’s two individual award winners from the Gold Cup: goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, who took home the Golden Glove following three stellar performances in the knockout rounds, and forward Jaedyn Shaw, who at just 19 years of age was awarded the Golden Ball as the top player at the tournament and led the USA in scoring with four goals. Shaw continued her stellar start to the year – and her young career – by scoring the equalizing goal in the semifinal against Japan for her team-leading fifth goal of 2024.

Forwards Mallory Swanson and Catarina Macario both returned to the U.S. roster for their first games following long absences due to injury and both saw action in the USA’s win over Japan to open the tournament. Swanson, the 2023 Visa SheBelieves Cup MVP, started and put together a strong offensive performance in her first appearance for the USWNT in 364 days, last playing for the U.S. on April 8, 2023 before suffering a serious knee injury that kept her out of contention for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Macario, the 2022 Visa SheBelieves Cup MVP, came on as a second-half substitute to make her first appearance for the USWNT in 725 days, earning her first cap since tearing her ACL shortly after helping Olympique Lyon win the 2021-22 UEFA Women’s Champions League.

Rounding out the roster are two players currently plying their trades in Europe in 21-year-old Paris Saint-Germain defender Eva Gaetino and 16-year-old Ajax midfielder Lily Yohannes, both of whom get their first call-ups to the senior national team. Neither saw action in the semifinal against Japan.

COMEBACK IN ATLANTA

After giving up a goal 31 seconds into the 2024 SheBelieves Cup semifinal on April 6 against Japan, the USA roared back to earn a 2-1 victory and a place in the tournament final against Japan. Despite the early deficit, the U.S. was not flustered by the early goal and kept up the offensive pressure,  outshooting Japan 18-6 on the day while creating the vast majority of the dangerous chances. The USA pressured the Japanese defense all match, connecting well throughout the back line and the midfield with the front line of Alex Morgan, Trinity Rodman and Swanson – who impressed in her return to the USWNT after nearly a year out due to injury – all causing danger inside the penalty area.

 

The USA came close to equalizing in the 15th minute as Swanson put on a great dribbling display by cutting across the box from right to left and firing a low shot that was destined for the back of the net, but a heroic goal line clearance from defender Miyabi Moriya held the visitors’ lead. The Americans then got the equalizer in the 36th minute as midfielder Sam Coffey won the ball off the team press at the top of Japan’s defensive third. Coffey split two defenders with a pass to find Shaw at the top of the box and she fired a powerful strike from 20 yards out into the lower left corner, freezing Japanese goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita, to level the score.

As the energetic crowd spurred on the Americans, who were more dominant throughout the second half, the team continued to threaten in the attack while effectively limiting Japan’s. After several knocks at the door, the USA took the lead in the 77th minute when Horan buried a penalty kick following a foul on Sophia Smith inside the box.

Smith came off the bench in the 63rd minute to spark the U.S. attack and played a part in several scoring opportunities before splitting two defenders inside the penalty area near the right corner to earn the spot kick. With the conversion, Horan has now scored three goals in her last four games, each of which have been game-winners, including her tally that sealed the team’s title win in the inaugural Concacaf W Gold Cup Final.

RECORD CROWD IN THE ATL

The first doubleheader of this tournament was played in front of a record crowd for a SheBelieves Cup match as more than 54,644 turned out at Mercedes-Benz Stadium and made it the most attended non-World Cup and non-Olympic match on U.S. soil in USWNT history and largest crowd to watch the USWNT since the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

 

Prior to last Saturday, the top two attendances for friendlies in USWNT history were both the first games back in the USA after victorious runs at Women’s World Cups; 44,028 vs. Costa Rica on Aug. 16, 2015, in Pittsburg and 49,504 on Aug. 29, 2019, in Philadelphia.

 

Atlanta is the new home for the U.S. Soccer Federation, which will build a state-of-the-art National Training Center in Fayette County. Groundbreaking for facility took place on April 8.

 

SHEBELIEVES CUP IN YEAR NINE

The SheBelieves Cup, presented by Visa, is just one part of U.S. Soccer’s SheBelieves initiative to inspire and empower women and girls to achieve their goals in sport and beyond. The tournament, which features a slightly altered format for 2024, was first played in 2016. The USA won the inaugural edition, France took top honors in 2017, the USA won again in 2018, England finished first in 2019 and the USA returned to the top of the podium in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.

 

While a new format, Brazil, Canada and Japan are competing in the SheBelieves Cup for the second consecutive year and represent a formidable four-team field. All four participants in the 2024 SheBelieves Cup are ranked in the top 10 in the FIFA Women’s World Rankings, with the USA at #4, Japan at #7, Canada at #9 and Brazil ranked #10. All four teams have also qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics, meaning the SheBelieves Cup represents one-third of the Olympic Field.

 

INSIDE THE SERIES: USA vs. CANADA

Tuesday’s matchup in Columbus will be the 66th meeting all-time between the USA and Canada and their second meeting in the span of 35 days. The teams squared off in a wet, wild and epic semifinal clash on March 6 at the 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup in San Diego.

 

The teams battled through extreme conditions and a water-logged pitch before the USA prevailed 3-1 on penalty kicks following a 2-2 draw through regulation and extra time. Jaedyn Shaw gave the U.S. the lead in the 20th minute but Canada equalized in the 82nd off a header from Jordyn Huitema to send the match to overtime. The USA reclaimed the lead in the 99th minute with a goal from Sophia Smith but a VAR review in the waning minutes of extra time awarded Canada a penalty kick and Adriana Leon converted her attempt for the Canadians. In the penalty shootout, Alyssa Naeher made three big saves and converted her own penalty kick attempt to send the USA to the championship match, where the Americans defeated Brazil, 1-0 ,to win the inaugural Concacaf W Gold Cup crown.

 

The series between the USA and Canada dates back to 1986 when the USWNT was in its second year of existence. The most-common opponent in USWNT history, the USWNT has more wins (53) and more goals (186) against Canada than any other opponent in program history. The U.S. leads the all-time series 53W-8D-4L and has won six of the last eight meetings between the teams, including both previous meetings between the teams at the SheBelieves Cup. In 2021, the USA topped Canada 1-0 in Orlando, Fla. on a solo strike from Rose Lavelle. Two years later, the teams met again in Orlando and the USA was again victorious, this time powered by a brace from Mallory Swanson.

 

VISA SHEBELIEVES CUP MVP

For the fifth year in a row, Visa, the presenting sponsor of the SheBelieves Cup, will award the MVP trophy to the most outstanding player of the tournament. The award will be announced following the conclusion of the final match on April 9 and with the input of a selection committee comprised of representatives from all four competing nations.

 

For the fourth year in a row, fans will also get the opportunity to vote for the Visa SheBelieves Cup MVP award using an online ballot to select among a list of finalists chosen by the committee. The fan vote will be incorporated into the overall determination of the 2024 Visa SheBelieves Cup MVP.

 

In an exciting new enhancement this year, U.S. Soccer will award $25,000 to women-owned small businesses from the same country as the National Team represented by the Visa SheBelieves Cup MVP, thanks to Visa’s continuing commitment to supporting women on and off the field.

 

Spain attacker Alexia Putellas won the inaugural award in 2020 while the USA’s Rose Lavelle collected the honors in 2021. USWNT forward Catarina Macario took home top honors in 2022 followed by Mallory Swanson in 2023.

 

USWNT LEARNS OLYMPIC PATH

On March 20, the Final Draw for the 2024 Olympic Women’s Soccer tournament was held in Paris as all 12 participants learned their groups and path to gold. The 2024 Olympic Women’s Soccer Tournament is taking place from July 25-Aug. 10 in seven cities and at seven venues throughout France.

 

The U.S. will open Group B play on July 25 – one day before the Olympic Opening Ceremonies – against the winner of the CAF Olympic Qualifying playoff between Morocco or Zambia (9 p.m. local / 3 p.m. ET) at Stade de Nice in Nice. Morocco won the opening leg of the two-leg playoff 2-1 on April 5 and the teams will play against on Tuesday, April 9 at 4 p.m. ET.

 

The Americans will then travel to Marseille to their second match at Stade de Marseille and will face Germany on July 28 (9 p.m. local / 3 p.m. ET). The USA will finish group play against Australia on July 31 (7 p.m. local / 1 p.m. ET) at Stade de Marseille. Located in the south for France, Nice is nearly 600 miles from Paris near France’s border with Monaco and Italy. Marseille, located 125 miles west of Nice, is the second-largest city in France.

Canada was drawn into Group A, where it will face host France, Colombia and New Zealand. Japan and Brazil were both drawn into Group C, along with the winner of the Nigeria-South Africa playoff and Spain.

HAYES TO THE HELM IN MAY

After a worldwide search process led U.S. Soccer Sporting Director Matt Crocker, Emma Hayes was officially announced as the 10^th head coach in U.S. Women’s National Team history on November 14, 2023. The long-time head coach for English powerhouse Chelsea FC, Hayes started her coaching career in the United States in the early 2000s and more than two decades later will take the helm of the USWNT. Due to her contact with Chelsea, Hayes will finish the 2023-24 Women’s Super League season in England and then join the U.S. team officially two months prior to the start of the Olympics. U.S. Soccer has put a comprehensive plan and process in place to maximize the productivity in all aspects of moving the USWNT forward leading into the Olympics, a key part of which is interim head coach Twila Kilgore continuing in her role and then joining Hayes’ staff full-time as an assistant coach in late May.

The SheBelieves Cup will be Kilgore’s last matches as interim head coach as Hayes will coach her first two matches in early June will be against the Korea Republic. The USA will take on the Taegeuk Ladies in Commerce City, Colorado on June 1 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park (3 p.m. MT / 5 p.m. ET on TNT, Universo, Max and Peacock) before moving on to St. Paul, Minnesota for a June 4 match at Allianz Field, which will be presented by Allstate (7 p.m. CT / 8 p.m. ET on truTV, Universo, Max and Peacock). Both matches will take place at the home stadiums of Major League Soccer clubs, the Colorado Rapids and Minnesota United FC, respectively. The USA’s most recent match against Korea Republic was also at Allianz Field, in October of 2021, a 6-0 win for the USA.

SHEBELIEVES MOVEMENT CONTINUES TO GROW

Inspired by the U.S. WNT players, SheBelieves is an initiative led by U.S. Soccer to inspire and encourage women and girls. The campaign launched in the run-up to the 2015 Women’s World Cup and has since grown into a powerful message of empowerment and believing in oneself. The SheBelieves Cup represents a showcase event for the campaign, which also features efforts such as the SheBelieves Summit Presented by Deloitte.

The 2024 SheBelieves Summit, presented by Deloitte, will take place on April 27 and 28 at Venue SIX10 in Chicago, Illinois. With the goal of inspiring the next generation, U.S. Soccer and Deloitte will provide college students and young professionals with the opportunity to learn from and network with industry professionals. Participants will hear from a diverse range of women in leadership who are driving progress in sports, business, and entertainment, headlined by two-time Olympic gold medalist gymnast and advocate Aly Raisman.

The theme of the Summit this year is HER Future, which seeks to equip attendees with the skills to confidently define and pave their unique paths forward. In addition to panels, breakout sessions led by Deloitte and other U.S. Soccer partners will focus on professional skills, financial literacy, and mental health and wellbeing. Registration for the event is now open.

USA TEAM & ROSTER NOTES

• This will be the USWNT’s 24^th match all-time in the state of Ohio and 12^th in Columbus. The USA last played in Columbus on April 9, 2022, defeating Uzbekistan 9-1 behind a hat trick from Sophia Smith.

• The U.S. has won each of its last six matches in SheBelieves Cup play and is unbeaten in its last 19 matches in the competition, with its last SheBelieves Cup defeat coming to France in 2017.

• Eight players on this roster have more than 50 caps, including four – Alex Morgan (222), Lindsey Horan (145), Crystal Dunn (144) and Alyssa Naeher (103) – with more 100+ international appearances.

• Seven players on this roster have 10 caps or fewer, including two uncapped players in 21-year-old defender Eva Gaetino and 16-year-old midfielder Lily Yohannes.

• Yohannes is one of three teenagers on this roster along with 18-year-old Olivia Moultrie and 19-year-old Jaedyn Shaw. Moultrie and Shaw played at the 2022 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica along with now 20-year-old Korbin Albert.

• Fourteen players on this roster were born after the 1996 Summer Olympics, which was the first Olympics to feature women’s soccer and marked the first gold medal won by the USWNT. The 1996 Summer Games were hosted in Atlanta.

• Morgan is the top scorer on this roster with 123 career international goals, followed by Horan with 35 goals, Mallory Swanson with 32, Dunn with 24 and Sophia Smith with 16.

• Seven different players have scored so far for the USWNT in 2024 – led by five goals from Shaw, four goals each from Horan, two goals each from Morgan, Moultrie and Jenna Nighswonger and one each from Smith and Lynn Williams.

• Midge Purce and Rose Lavelle lead the U.S. with two assists each in 2024 while Smith, Horan, Morgan, Trinity Rodman, Sam Coffey, Emily Fox and Casey Krueger all have one assist.

• Overall, 13 different players have been directly involved in a goal for the USA in 2024, led by five goal involvements each from Shaw (5 goals) and Horan (4 goals, 1 assist).

• Naeher leads the USWNT with 570 total minutes played so far in 2024, followed by Horan (563 minutes) and Fox (507).

• Seven players – Albert, Coffey, Gaetino, Moultrie, Nighswonger, Shaw and Yohannes – were named to their first SheBelieves Cup roster while 10 players on this roster were on the USWNT roster for the 2023 SheBelieves Cup. The remaining six players on this roster have previous SheBelieves Cup experience.

• Naeher and Emily Sonnett have won the SheBelieves Cup six times, the only players in USWNT history to do so.

• Ten players called up for this camp were on the USA’s roster at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and eight – Dahlkemper, Davidson, Dunn, Horan, Morgan, Naeher, Sonnett and Swanson – were on the roster for the 2019 Women’s World Cup champions.

• Twelve clubs – including seven different NWSL clubs – are represented on this roster. NWSL champions NJ/NY Gotham FC and San Diego Wave FC lead the way with four players each while Portland Thorns FC have three. Paris Saint-Germain, the Washington Spirit and Chicago Red Stars also have multiple players on this SheBelieves Cup roster.

 

IN FOCUS: CANADA | FIVE THINGS TO KNOW

Current FIFA World Ranking: 9

CONCACAF Ranking: 2

Olympic Appearances: 6^th (1996, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2020, 2024)

Best Olympic Finish: Gold Medal (2020)

Record vs. USA: 4W-53L-8D

Coach: Bev Priestman (ENG)

 

CANADA WOMEN’S NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM ROSTER BY POSITION (CLUB)

 

Goalkeepers (3): 1-Kailen Sheridan (San Diego Wave FC, USA), 18-Sabrina D'Angelo (Arsenal FC, ENG), 22-Anna Karpenko (Harvard University, USA)

 

Defenders (6): 3-Kadeisha Buchanan (Chelsea FC, ENG), 4-Shelina Zadorsky (West Ham FC, ENG), 10-Ashley Lawrence (Chelsea FC, ENG), 12-Jade Rose (Harvard University, USA), 14-Vanessa Gilles (Olympique Lyon, FRA), 21-Gabby Carle (Washington Spirit, USA)

 

Midfielders (5): 5-Emma Regan (HB Køge, DEN), 7-Julia Grosso (Juventus FC, ITA), 11-Desiree Scott (Kansas City Current, USA), 13-Simi Awujo (University of Southern California, USA), 17-Jessie Fleming (Portland Thorns FC, USA)

 

Forwards (9): 2-Clarissa Larisey (BK Häcken, SWE), 6-Deanne Rose (Leicester City WFC, ENG), 8-Marie-Yasmine Alidou (SL Benfica, POR), 9-Jordyn Huitema (Seattle Reign FC, USA), 15-Evelyne Viens (AS Roma, ITA), 16-Janine Beckie (Portland Thorns FC, USA), 19-Adriana Leon (Aston Villa FC, ENG), 20-Cloe Laccase (Arsenal FC, ENG), 23-Bianca St. Georges (North Carolina Courage, USA)

CANADA TEAM NOTES

• Canada has 18 players on its roster from the Concacaf W Gold Cup, adding two players coming back from injuries – midfielder Desiree Scott and forward Janine Beckie, Harvard goalkeeper Anna Karpenko and two players who are playing in Scandinavia, Emma Regan from HB Køge in Denmark and Clarissa Larisey from BK Haken in Sweden.

• Canada advanced Tuesday’s final after defeating Brazil 4-2 in a penalty kick shootout in the second semifinal on Saturday in Atlanta. The teams played to a 1-1 draw in regulation before the match went straight to penalties.

• Brazil was on the front foot for much of the afternoon and took the lead on a penalty kick from defender Tarcine in the 22nd minute, but Canada battled back and equalized on a set piece header from center back Vanessa Gilles in the 77th to send the match to the decisive shootout.

• In the penalty kick shootout, defender Ashley Lawrence missed her opening attempt for Canada but goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan denied the ensuing attempt by Brazilian legend Marta to keep the teams level. Canada converted its next four attempts and Antonia, the third penalty taker for Brazil, put her attempt wide left and Julia Grosso converted to lift Canada to victory.

• After finishing fourth at the 2023 SheBelieves Cup and third in 2021, Canada has already secured its best finish ever at the SheBelieves Cup.

• While the USA and Canada are longtime rivals on the field, many players from both teams are current or former club teammates. International competition aside, there is a very high degree of familiarity between the two sides as nearly every player on Canada’s roster has played in the United States at one point either professionally or collegiately.

• Seven players on this Canada roster currently play in the NWSL, highlighted by Sheridan, who helped lead San Diego Wave FC to the 2023 NWSL Shield along with the USA’s Abby Dahlkemper, Naomi Girma, Alex Morgan and Jaedyn Shaw. Defender Gabby Carle plays for the Washington Spirit with the USA’s Trinity Rodman and Casey Krueger and played collegiately at Florida State with Jenna Nighswonger. Bianca St. Georges recently signed with the North Carolina Courage, where she will plays in front of U.S. ‘keeper Casey Murphy. Jessie Fleming joined Portland Thorns FC earlier this year from Chelsea FC, joining forces with Sam Coffey, Olivia Moultrie, Becky Sauerbrunn and Sophia Smith. Forward Janine Beckie has recovered from an ACL injury and is looking in fine form with the Thorns as well.

• In Europe, Sabrina D’Angelo and Chloe Lacasse now play with Fox at Arsenal and defender Vanessa Gilles plays with Lindsey Horan at Olympique Lyon. 

• Canada has two players on its roster from Harvard University in defender Jade Rose and back-up goalkeeper Anna Karpenko. Defender Simi Awujo plays at Southern California.