The U.S. women’s national soccer team (USWNT) have won their eighth SheBelieves Cup title with three wins from three, beating Colombia 1-0 in their final game in New Jersey on Saturday (7 March).
Fresh from their 1-0 win against Argentina just days ago, Colombia brought the game to the U.S. with rhythm-disrupting play causing Emma Hayes’s side to look disjointed in key areas of the pitch. As a result, the first chance of the half would fall to the South Americans, courtesy of Manuela Vanegas’s looping volley that nestled on the roof of the net.
Colombia persisted and, where their opponents failed to mount any threat on goal, they peppered the net of Phallon Tullis Joyce. This time it was midfielder Marcela Restrepo, though the 30-year-old’s strike from distance lacked any real conviction and was comfortably gathered by the opposing goalkeeper.
A testament to how their opponents set up, the first sign of promise from the U.S. came in the lead up to the interval when Lily Yohannes dinked a pass in behind to Trinity Rodman. The forward looked to guide a dangerous ball into the box, only for it to be turned behind for a corner. Yohannes went on to meet Rose Lavelle’s delivery from the subsequent set-piece, but her header was wide of the mark.
The first clear-cut chance for the hosts came minutes from the end of the half when Avery Patterson drove towards the byline before delivering a teasing cross into the box. It was met by Lavelle, running onto it uncontested, though the 30-year-old could only place it straight into the gloves of Katherine Tapia.
