The USWNT begin Women's History Month with a W

The US Women’s National team kicked off their SheBelieves Cup tournament with a 2-0 victory over Argentina. The Emma Hayes era for the US has been fruitful despite her unorthodox lineup rotations. The newly acquired manager in late 2023 has given “32 players their first cap in 32 games as manager. No other full-time USWNT manager named more than 36 different starters in their first 30 games as head coach.” This change in lineup philosophy has not changed the winning philosophy as this squad has only two losses since Hayes has been in charge. Hayes however for the first time since 2025 called up a squad with zero uncapped players. One constant this team has seen is Captain Lindsey Heaps who was involved in both goals for the U.S. in Nashville on Sunday.

After a run down the right wing from forward Emma Sears, she plays a dangerous pass into the penalty area and whizzes its way to the edge of the box and finds the captain who has all the space and time and fires it into the top corner for the goal in the 20th minute. Heaps earned her first goal since May of last year and is her 12th consecutive calendar year marked with a goal. History she shares with Mia Hamm, Abby Wambach, Carli Lloyd and a lot more elite company. Argentina provided a formidable opponent as this tournament always brings competition at top-level intensity. 21 total fouls committed by the Argentinians two of which caused Star Trinity Rodman and NWSL rookie of the year Lilly Reale to leave the pitch. Forward Jaedyn Shaw even had her hair pulled in the first half leading to a yellow card to Sofia Dominguez of Argentina. “That was a first of my career, and I wasn’t messin’ with it,” Shaw said. “But I think for me, like, something that I am working on is just my emotional control in games, so I think coming down from that, I needed to, you know, bounce back quickly.” Bounced back strongly she did in the 56th minute as a cleared corner lands to midfielder Olivia Moultrie who finds Heaps who places a cheeky back-heel right to Shaw who powers it past the Argentina keeper Solana Pereyra. Shaw continues to earn favor with the team as she picks up her 2nd goal in her last two appearances. 

The victory gives the home team three hard-fought points over Argentina as they head north to face Canada who is a familiar foe for the US and in this competition. ​​Last time the two North American rivals met in this tournament was in 2024 and the US won in a tight penalty shootout which notched the USA their 7th SheBelieves Cup. With Canada coming off a 4-1 win over Colombia both teams will look to take control of the tournament in this game as the winner will likely win the tournament or at least control their destiny in the final third game. The US will face Canada Wednesday at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field in Columbus.