Category: USWNT

USWNT vs. Canada: How to watch SheBelieves Cup, TV channel, live stream

Better conditions are expected this time around after a waterlogged pitch marred the teams’ last meeting.

The U.S. women’s national team is set for another big match against Canada and this time, it won’t be played in a swimming pool.

The two sides met just one month ago in the W Gold Cup semifinal, a game that was marred by unplayable conditions after a downpour in San Diego.

The USWNT defeated Canada in a penalty shootout after a 2-2 draw through 120 minutes, going on to win the Gold Cup with a 1-0 victory over Brazil in the final.

This time around, we should get a better idea of where these teams stand against one another as they meet for the second time in 35 days.

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The USWNT reached the final by defeating Japan 2-1 in the semifinal on Saturday, as Jaedyn Shaw and Lindsey Horan found the net. Canada, meanwhile, advanced past Brazil in a shootout after a 1-1 draw over 90 minutes.

USWNT defender Naomi Girma is a doubt for this match after picking up a thigh injury against Japan, but midfielder Sam Coffey is recovered following her removal from the game with a possible head injury.

This will be the 66th all-time meeting between the USWNT and Canada, with the U.S. holding a 53W-8D-4L record against its rival to the north.

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the match.

USWNT vs. Canada (SheBelieves Cup)

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Kilgore on USWNT record-breaker Shaw: Be patient, there’s more to come

This would be ominous news for any opposition defense in the future

Jaedyn Shaw has made an explosive start to life with the U.S. women’s national team, but interim head coach Twila Kilgore has said the 19-year-old is still only scratching the surface of her potential.

Shaw found the net against Japan in the SheBelieves Cup on Saturday, becoming the first USWNT player to ever score in her first five career starts.

The San Diego Wave star has stood out even amid a deep pool of attacking talent on the USWNT, and is growing closer to becoming a lock for a highly competitive 18-player Olympic roster.

Ahead of the SheBelieves Cup final on Tuesday against Canada, Kilgore offered a warning to any future defenses who will have to deal with Shaw.

“I think Jaedyn has always been a really good goalscorer,” Kilgore said at a press conference. “I think finding your niche in this team and being able to score consistently is quite a feat, especially as you’re being integrated. And 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.”

Kigore added: “She’s open to challenges, she’s very humble, she’s hardworking, she wants to be better. And while the world is saying, ‘Yeah, she’s here and she’s arrived,’ and I agree she’s doing a great job, be patient because there’s more lot more for her.”

Kilgore also spoke about how Shaw has become such a potent goalscorer at an early stage of her national team career.

“It’s her focus, it’s her calmness, and I believe that she’s looking at beating the goalkeeper and not necessarily the person that’s right in front of her,” Kilgore said. “I think that’s almost a given at this point. And it’s more about beating the goalkeeper.

“She’s willing to take the risk and hit a first-time ball or even take a risk and make a well-timed run and assume the ball is going to get there as opposed to waiting for the ball. And that sets her apart from a lot of people.”

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USWNT coach Kilgore offers positive Girma injury update

It appears Girma has avoided the worst-case scenarios when it comes to her thigh injury

It appears U.S. women’s national team defender Naomi Girma has avoided the worst-case scenarios when it comes to her thigh injury.

Girma was removed from Saturday’s SheBelieves Cup win over Japan in the first half, as she pulled up while running and was unable to continue after receiving treatment on the pitch.

Speaking to the media ahead of the SheBelieves Cup final against Canada on Tuesday, interim head coach Twila Kilgore indicated that the 23-year-old hadn’t suffered a serious injury.

“Naomi had a thigh strain and is day to day right now,” Kilgore said, without offering an indication whether Girma would be available for the Canada game.

Even if she is unavailable for the match against the Reds in Columbus, it appears that Girma won’t miss an extended period — a major relief for club and country.

The San Diego Wave star has become one of the first names on the team sheet for the USWNT, winning the 2023 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year after a standout year for the national team.

Girma has also been named the NWSL Defender of the Year in both of her pro seasons thus far, helping the Wave win the NWSL Shield last season.

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USWNT breaks attendance record at SheBelieves Cup match in Atlanta

The USWNT’s match vs. Japan drew a bigger crowd than any friendly the team has ever held

Atlanta probably won’t have to wait another eight years to see the U.S. women’s national team play a match.

The USWNT broke its attendance record for a standalone friendly on Saturday, as Mercedez-Benz Stadium welcomed 50,644 to watch a SheBelieves Cup semifinal against Japan.

That crowd exceeded a crowd of 49,504 that turned up for a 4-0 win over Portugal at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field in August 2019.

The USWNT’s last visit to Atlanta had been in 2016, when it claimed a 3-1 win at the Georgia Dome before a crowd of 15,652.

However, since then Atlanta has established itself as one of the country’s major soccer cities. Atlanta United is one of MLS’s most well-supported sides, and U.S. Soccer has begun work on a headquarters and training center in the city’s suburbs.

“The energy in the stadium was unbelievable,” said USWNT coach Twila Kilgore after the match. “I think the fans had a huge part in the game today. You can feel them the entire time… I think the players deserve this sort of energy around them.”

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USWNT star Girma taken off with injury in SheBelieves Cup game vs. Japan

The USWNT and San Diego Wave could have a real concern on their hands

The U.S. women’s national team and San Diego Wave could have a serious injury concern on their hands.

Naomi Girma was forced off in the first half of the USWNT’s SheBelieves Cup match against Japan on Saturday, as the team’s standout defender suffered a reported thigh injury.

In the 16th minute, Girma was chasing a long ball in behind and pulled up with what appeared to be a muscle injury. The center back immediately signaled to the bench that she required treatment.

Girma was treated on the pitch, but was unable to continue and was replaced in the 18th minute by Abby Dahlkemper, her teammate for club and country.

On the TNT broadcast, sideline reporter Melissa Ortiz said Girma was being evaluated for a right thigh injury.

Following the match, U.S. coach Twila Kilgore confirmed that, telling reporters that Girma was “being evaluated for a right thigh injury, and we’ll know more shortly.”

Should Girma be forced to miss a significant amount of time, it would be a major blow for club and country. The 23-year-old was named the 2023 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year after establishing herself as the USWNT’s most important defender. At the club level, Girma was named NWSL Defender of the Year for the second straight season.

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USWNT boss Kilgore won’t discuss if Albert roster removal was an option

The USWNT midfielder has been in a firestorm over anti-LGBTQ+ social media activity

U.S. women’s national team interim head coach Twila Kilgore reiterated the team’s disappointment over Korbin Albert’s social media activity, but would not answer whether her removal from the SheBelieves Cup roster was ever an option.

Albert has found herself in a firestorm over her anti-LGBTQ+ activity on social media, with several USWNT players past and present calling the 20-year-old out for her actions.

The PSG midfielder apologized after fans uncovered a series of offensive posts, which transpired just days after the USWNT had named her to its roster for the SheBelieves Cup.

Kilgore spoke to the press on Friday, a day ahead of the tournament opener against Japan. She began her remarks with a prepared statement that echoed the words of Alex Morgan and Lindsey Horan two days prior.

“I just wanted to quickly address Korbin’s social media interactions,” Kilgore began. “It is disappointing when somebody falls short of the very high standards that we set within this team. This team has always been a beacon of respect, inclusion, and demonstrated great allyship through actions for underrepresented and marginalized groups including the LGBTQ+ community. And we will continue to do so.

“As Lindsey and Alex mentioned, this team has never shied away from hard conversations. And today we’re here continuing to work on getting better, continuing to work on preparing ourselves to make ourselves proud, make our fans proud and put ourselves in the best position to continue to look towards success as we start this tournament.”

Kilgore would later be asked if removing Albert from the SheBelieves Cup was ever an option, or if her playing time could be affected due to the controversy.

“There’s been several internal conversations about this that will remain internal,” she responded to the first question.

“In terms of talking about lineup and playing time and things like that, I think as you’ve probably gathered watching from my interim time here, I don’t typically talk at all about who will be playing and who won’t be playing. And Korbin is available for this tournament.”

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USWNT vs. Japan: How to watch SheBelieves Cup, TV channel, live stream

The U.S. will get a major test in front of a huge crowd in Atlanta

The U.S. women’s national team will face two big tests in its final two matches before the Emma Hayes era begins.

Twila Kilgore will coach her final two games as an interim in the SheBelieves Cup, before returning to her previous assistant coach role under Hayes.

The USWNT will first face off against Japan in front of a huge crowd in Atlanta on Saturday, and will then face either Brazil or Canada on Tuesday in Columbus.

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Coming off a W Gold Cup title run that didn’t always see them at their best, the USWNT will look for an improved performance against seventh-ranked Japan on Saturday.

The USWNT will be able to welcome back two vital attackers, with Mallory Swanson and Catarina Macario set to make their first national team appearances in one year and two years, respectively, following knee injuries.

Like the USWNT, Japan has qualified for the 2024 Olympics. The Nadeshiko have been drawn into a tough Group C alongside Spain, Brazil and Nigeria or South Africa.

The USWNT and Japan have met 39 times before, with the U.S. holding a 30W-1L-8D record. Most recently, the U.S. defeated Japan 1-0 in the 2023 SheBelieves Cup.

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the match.

USWNT vs. Japan (SheBelieves Cup)

  • When: Saturday, April 6
  • Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta, GA)
  • Time: 12:30 p.m. ET
  • Channel/streaming: TNT, truTV, Max, Telemundo, Universo and Peacock (WATCH NOW)

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Royals goalkeeper Nelson slams U.S. Soccer for keeping Albert on USWNT roster

The Utah goalkeeper had some harsh words for the federation over Albert’s inclusion

Utah Royals goalkeeper Carly Nelson has hit out at U.S. Soccer for keeping Korbin Albert on the U.S. women’s national team roster after her anti-LGBTQ+ activity on social media was discovered.

Albert has found herself in a firestorm over the past week, with several USWNT players past and present calling the PSG midfielder out for her actions.

Albert had already been named to the SheBelieves Cup roster prior to her social media activity being discovered, and she remained on the squad after a controversy that forced her into a swift apology.

USWNT pair Alex Morgan and Lindsey Horan addressed the situation with a statement to media on Wednesday, saying that they were “extremely sad” to see Albert not uphold the USWNT’s standards of inclusivity. They added that internal discussions among the team had taken place, which would stay private.

In a thread on X, Nelson said that U.S. Soccer allowing Albert to stay on the roster is sending a troubling message to the LGBTQ+ community.

As a queer player playing a sport – how are we not talking more about Korbin Albert being called into camp after demonstrating homophobic and transphobic actions? Her actions are creating an unsafe space for LGBTQIA+ players. A thread:

Korbin epitomizes what the LGBTQIA+ community continuously has to fight against. The US Soccer Federation continuing to give her a platform, diminishes the safety and comfort of queer players.

Her and her family have demonstrated a clear disregard for respect and well-being of queer individuals across the globe.

Korbin’s actions are not just a controversy or a one-time mistake; they are hateful and they reflect and perpetuate the systemic oppression of queer people in our society.

It’s sending a message that the Federation does not prioritize the creation of safe spaces for trans and gender-diverse players. This lack of prioritization to protect trans and gender diverse players – undermines efforts to promote inclusivity and respect.

By openly making fun of pronouns, liking and posting transphobic and homophobic things – sheds a direct light on the harmful and hateful ideas keeping trans and queer people unsafe in this sport.

Nelson spoke to Out Sports in 2019 about her experiences being raised Mormon while also being a lesbian. The 26-year-old said she finally felt accepted after coming out to her teammates at the University of Utah.

The goalkeeper has spent time with OL Reign, Kansas City Current, FC Nordsjælland, and Orlando Pride before joining the Royals in December prior to their inaugural season.

Nelson started the Royals’ first match of the season, before backing up Mandy Haught in the team’s next two games.

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Macario talks ’emotional’ USWNT return alongside Swanson

The pair have returned to the national team after lengthy absences

U.S. women’s national team fans will get a taste of what could have been — and what still could be — during the 2024 SheBelieves Cup.

Catarina Macario and Mallory Swanson were both named to a USWNT roster for the first time since serious knee injuries. For Swanson, it’s been almost exactly a year since her last USWNT appearance. For Macario, almost exactly two years.

Those absences knocked the forwards out of the 2023 World Cup, a tournament in which an anemic offense helped doom the USWNT to a round-of-16 exit — easily the program’s worst finish at a World Cup.

It’s hard not to wonder how things could have been different with Macario and Swanson on the roster. Swanson, in particular, was in scintillating form prior to her injury, as she managed to lead the USWNT in goals in 2023 despite not playing after April.

But the duo has now returned simultaneously, a milestone that wasn’t lost on Macario when she spoke to the media on Wednesday.

“There are no words to describe how good Mal is, honestly,” Macario said.
“She makes us so much better. She’s the type of player that you always want to play with.

“Though I got injured a little bit before her, I was just absolutely gutted for her because she was really in the form of her life leading up to the World Cup. And I have no doubt that she’ll get there again.

“I’m just super happy to see her back. She’s a a great person too. It’s emotional for us to be both back together after so long.”

Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Both players have returned to their club sides in strong form. Macario has hit the ground running at Chelsea despite being sidelined for the better part of two years, while Swanson has started all three NWSL games for the Chicago Red Stars this season, scoring her first goal in year last weekend.

For Swanson, the time away from the game gave her a new perspective on the game, and life in general.

“You can’t ever take life for granted, you can’t take your health for granted,” she said. “And so ever since then, I’ve kind of had a new perspective on that. When something’s taken away from you, you always have a new perspective on it. So I’m just grateful to be back in this environment, back with this team and wearing the crest because it means so much.”

The USWNT may have been able to have a more successful World Cup with Swanson and Macario in the fold, but the team’s future outlook is looking much rosier now with both returning to the picture.

“Both Mal and I wish that we could have been there,” Macario said. “I think sometimes you kind of need to take things into perspective. And I feel like everything works out for a reason.”

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Shaq battles USWNT stars Rodman, Shaw in studio penalty shootout

This was a battle for the ages

It was a battle for the ages in the TNT studio, as U.S. women’s national team duo Trinity Rodman and Jaedyn Shaw took on Shaquille O’Neal in a penalty shootout.

The basketball legend went in goal during the network’s NBA post-game show, as he looked to compensate for his lack of goalkeeper ability with his obvious size advantages.

Rodman stepped up first against “Uncle Shaq” — a figure she knows through her father, former Chicago Bulls star Dennis Rodman. The USWNT winger attempted to go down the middle, a strategy that is perhaps more advantageous when the goalkeeper is likely to dive.

Point, Shaq.

Shaw took a more traditional approach, and her low penalty to the side of the massive figure in net was too tough to save.

The USWNT pair’s appearance was part of some good old-fashioned cross-promotion, as TNT is set to broadcast the USA’s SheBelieves Cup opener against Japan on Saturday. The USWNT’s second and final SheBelieves game on Tuesday, against either Brazil or Canada, will be on TBS.

Watch Rodman, Shaw face Shaq

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