The four-time world champions crashed out of last summer’s Women’s World Cup via a penalty shoot-out loss against Sweden in the worst-ever finish for the team
The USWNT overcame any lingering penalty shoot-out demons from last summer with a dramatic victory over Canada in the SheBelieves Cup final on Tuesday.
It's the second time in less than a month that the four-time world champions have faced off against Canada in a penalty shoot out, first in the Gold Cup semi-final last month and then once again on Tuesday night.
Both shoot-outs have provided the USWNT the opportunity to firmly put any lingering conversations of their ignominious 2022 Women's World Cup penalty shoot-out defeat in the Round of 16 to Sweden to bed. The defeat marked the worst-ever run by the USWNT in the competition and ignited appraisals of the once untouchable program, leading to the hiring of current Chelsea boss Emma Hayes.
Last month, USWNT goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher was the hero as she made three saves to deny Canada's Adriana Leon, Jordyn Huitema and captain Jessie Fleming. In the middle of stopping shots, Naeher stepped up to taker her own as she'd done Down Under, converting as has become custom.
And once more on Tuesday, the USWNT were on the right side of the shoot-out margins. Of course, things looked to be heading down a fraught path after the USA's Trinity Rodman saw her spot-kick saved to begin the shoot-out.
But Naeher's unflappable resolve came to the fore as the 35-year-old not only made a save of her own, but then immediately stepped up to take the U.S.’s third shot, converted it and then subsequently making two more saves in a carbon copy display of her shoot-out heroics against Canada a month prior.
Naeher's exploits served as atonement in a way for Canada’s first goal in regular time, in which Naeher was burned for pace by Chelsea’s Ashley Lawrence, who took advantage of the keeper’s indecision, to help open the scoring.
Meanwhile Smith continued to relish her own redemption arc during Tuesday night's clash. The 23-year-old's brace gave USA the lead in the second-half following Leon's opener and the Portland Thorns FC forward once again stepped up and converted her penalty later on before Arsenal's Emily Fox clinched victory.
The USWNT's SheBelieves Cup triumph is the latest triumph since last summer's historic exit and the programs slumping to fourth in FIFA's world rankings, the team's lowest-ever ranking in its history. The USA also scooped up the Gold Cup title last month, overcoming Brazil in the final.
The big test, though, arrives this summer in the form of the Olympic Games in Paris. The major tournament is the first official outing for the new Hayes era and the recent resurgence of the USWNT means plenty of pressure will be on Hayes to deliver on the big stage.
With the arrival of exciting teenage talent Jaedyn Shaw and a playing style defined by more pace, verve and purpose, along with faith in the younger generation, the USWNT will want to make a big statement in France to eclipse last summer’s displays and reassert themselves as a dominant force on the world stage.
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