MIAMI, Florida – The United States kicked off their 2021 SheBelieves Cup campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Canada on Thursday night at Exploria Stadium in Orlando, Florida.
Rose Lavelle struck in the second half to deliver the winning goal for the reigning world champions and three-time SheBelieves Cup winners.
It was a tight, intense contest between the two sides until a flurry of chances closed the final 10 minutes of the first half.
It started with Canada GK Stephanie Labbe first tipping away a Carli Lloyd header, followed by a chance for Canada’s Janine Beckie, who pounced on a deflected shot but could not find a way past U.S. GK Alyssa Naeher.
Labbe was called on again to deny a stinging right-footed shot from Lynn Williams, and then moments before halftime the Canadian shot-stopper kept both Williams and Lloyd at bay after a loose ball scramble in front of goal.
An Alex Morgan header that flashed just wide in the 69’ and a Lindsey Horan shot that thumped the crossbar in the 77’ marked the first two good scoring chances of the second half, paving the way for Lavell’s decisive score in the 79’.
A U.S. free-kick was initially cleared by the Canadian defense, but Lavelle reacted first and fired in a right-footed shot that beat Labbe to give the U.S. a 1-0 triumph.
In Thursday’s other game, Brazil topped Argentina 4-1, with six-time FIFA World Player Of The Year Marta opening the scoring for the Brazilians in the 30’, followed by goals from Debinha (47’), Adriana (54’), and Geyse (84’), while Mariana Larroquette (60’) scored for Argentina.
All the teams will return to action on Sunday, with the U.S. taking on Brazil, while Canada will square off against Argentina.
