The USWNT is going to crown itself another SheBelieves Cup. Sealing its dominance with a 2-1 victory against Australia, the team set up a do-or-die affair with Japan as the stage sets up for its sixth consecutive title battle. Lynn Biyendolo and Michelle Cooper scored to bring out the prowess of Emma Hayes' upstart generation and get the chance to fight for its sixth consecutive championship.
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The meeting with the Matildas involved moments of fire, flash beginning, and stifling defense during the later moments. Except for the result, what stood out was the behavior of the players and the hard-hitting call by the coaching staff, who tried an altogether new set of players from the previous match.
Unrelenting pressure and Biyendolo's flash goal
Everyone who arrived late at Snapdragon Stadium missed the first goal. It only took 41 seconds for the USWNT to score. The play began with a rapid midfield buildup, concluding in a pinpoint pass from Jaedyn Shaw to Emma Sears, who was hounded by three defenders for Australia and knew exactly what to do.
She played the ball across short to Shaw, who hit down the byline and laid a low cross into the six-yard box. Biyendolo arrived at the perfect moment and nodded it in, calmly scoring the opener. This was the USWNT's 50th SheBelieves Cup goal and ninth-fastest goal in team history.
Australia fires back but USWNT defense steadfast
After the frantic start, the USWNT controlled the match. Australia attempted to counter with short passing and the time-wasting tactics of patient construction, but the Americans' solid defensive press thwarted them.
At 25 minutes, Korbin Albert almost extended the lead after an Australian defense mistake, but Shaw's attempt sailed wide of the left post. With the Matildas getting better towards the latter part of the first half, they were unable to put any significant saves on goal from goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn.
Australia upped the ante in the second half and created a menacing moment when Holly McNamara pushed McGlynn into a loose pass. But captain Tierna Davidson acted swiftly to prevent the equalizing goal, making a crucial defensive stop.
The reply was on the offensive. Biyendolo nearly scored for the second time after intercepting an Australian loose pass in the 57th minute, but her shot ricocheted off the side netting.
Hayes' substitutions and Cooper's first international goal
In the 62nd minute, Emma Hayes made a substitution. She introduced Michelle Cooper, Ally Sentnor, Tara McKeown, and Yazmeen Ryan in place of the old to bring new energy into the attack. The impact was instant.
Just six minutes later, Cooper and Sentnor combined for the second goal. The move started with a rebound off the Australian defense, which fell to Gisele Thompson. She calmly played it to Claire Hutton, who then played it inside to Sentnor in the box.
The young forward was unflustered, retreating before playing a pass to Cooper, who had space to select where to shoot with a first-time effort inside the left post from 10 yards. It was an evening to remember for the 22-year-old forward, whose first international goal came in her second match.
Australia pulls back, but the USWNT gets the win
Against the score, though, Australia never surrendered. In the 80th minute, substitute Michelle Heyman gave Matildas a lifeline. A diagonal long ball into Australia's half found Hayley Raso out wide on the right, whose pinpoint cross met the rising head of Heyman, who beat two defenders before heading in front of McGlynn.
The Australians continued to pressure and nearly drew level in the last few minutes. At 88 minutes, Teagan Micah made a pivotal save off a Sentnor shot, stopping the USWNT from closing out the game with a third goal. Nonetheless, the US team remained in charge until the last whistle, claiming a closely fought 2-1 win and setting up a pivotal clash with Japan.
USWNT need to beat Japan to win the SheBelieves Cup
With this result, the USWNT now must defeat Japan to win the title. Japan, meanwhile, who won 4-1 against Colombia, has a superior goal difference and only needs to draw to win its first-ever SheBelieves Cup.
Beyond the trophy, the match will pose a huge test for Emma Hayes. The manager took a risk to drop all 11 players who started in the previous game against Colombia, and it is a move not attempted by the USWNT since 2000. It is a measure that could offer freshness to the team against an organized Japanese team.
Thus far, the transition has paid off. The team has been intense, in control, and resilient under Hayes' system. Players such as Sentnor, Cooper, and Biyendolo have risen to the occasion, earning much-needed experience for the final against Japan.
USWNT's dominant SheBelieves Cup campaign gains momentum for the final
The SheBelieves Cup so far has revealed the promise of the USWNT's next generation. With ascendant stars establishing themselves, strategic experiments are paying dividends, and the championship on offer, the ultimate clash with Japan appears to be an all-or-nothing contest.
The SheBelieves Cup isn't the World Cup, but it is an important stop nonetheless to test the depth of the USWNT and Hayes' strategy. And one last test remains. The solution is February 26 at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego.