The U.S. women’s national soccer team (USWNT) have made it two wins from two at the 2026 SheBelieves Cup, beating rivals Canada 1-0 in Columbus on Wednesday (4 March).
The initial exchanges of this encounter were reminiscent of this age-old rivalry, with tackles flying in and tensions high. It was an end-to-end opening 10 minutes, with Canada having the first clear sight of goal through Simi Awujo, whose effort from the edge of the area was comfortably held by club teammate Phallon Tullis-Joyce.
Down the other end of the pitch just a few minutes later, Rose Lavelle unleashed an effort from range but could only watch on as it flew wide of the mark. In a game with chances few and far between, Lavelle turned creator as she dinked a pin-point cross into the box where Sam Coffey looked poised to meet it. The midfielder’s header lacked conviction, sailing over the bar of Kailen Sheridan’s goal.
U.S. players had a flurry of chances in the approach to the interval, Lavelle once more involved though unable to find the target with another shot on the edge of the 18-yard box. Alyssa Thompson followed suit with her own effort from distance, dribbling into space before a low-driven shot was tipped behind by the Canadian shot-stopper, but the resulting corner came to nothing.
Arguably the best chance of the half fell to the hosts and Ally Sentnor, who couldn’t quite capitalise on a clear sight of goal. The 22-year-old was tenacious in the opposing box, winning the ball inside the area and although she was able to guide it beyond an on-rushing Sheridan, it could only ruffle the side of the net.
It would eventually come 15 minutes after the break, falling to Sentnor who made up for the effort she missed at the end of the first half. Lavelle’s corner-kick travelled through a sea of bodies before finding her teammate who took a touch, steadied herself, then hit the ball on the half-volley to break the deadlock.
Thompson, sharing the pitch with sister Gisele, was involved once more as the U.S. went in search of a second. Picking the ball up from almost inside her own half, she drove towards goal with skill and precision. Despite drifting wide, forced by an onslaught of defenders, she was still able to get the shot off but it was saved comfortably.
Just over 10 minutes later, the 21-year-old had another chance to double their advantage. A handful of changes prompted some slick passing exchanges around the edge of Canada’s area before falling into the path of Thompson. Opening up her body for the shot, the curling effort was parried away by Sheridan and ultimately cleared by the opposing North Americans.
In the end, one goal was enough to seal all three points and send the United States to the top of the table. They are just one point from their eighth title in this tournament and will face Colombia in their final game on Saturday (7 March).
Elsewhere in the SheBelieves Cup, Colombia narrowly edged a close all-South American contest with Argentina courtesy of Linda Caicedo’s game-winning goal. Argentina will face Canada in their final game, as they look to avoid finishing the mini-tournament without a point.
