Alyssa Thompson’s 82nd-minute goal was enough for the U.S. women’s national team in a 1-0 victory over Colombia in Harrison, N.J., on Saturday to win the SheBelieves Cup for the eighth time.
Thompson received a pass from Jaedyn Shaw at the top of the box. With no one closing, she calmly drilled a shot to the upper left corner, skimming the bottom of the cross bar on the way to the back of the net to wrap up the 11th edition of the tournament.
Thompson has four goals in 29 career matches.
The U.S. entered the day with six points while Canada and Colombia were tied for second with 3. Canada got a penalty kick shootout win (3-2) over Argentina earlier Saturday after a scoreless match for two points and was eliminated from title contention.
Colombia (minus-2) knew it would have to win by three goals because the U.S. (plus-5) had the goal difference tiebreaker.
Yet the Colombians couldn’t find a pathway against a defense that was set on recording an eighth straight shutout.
Phallon Tullis-Joyce made one save for the U.S., which had its five-year run titles ended last season by Japan. France won in 2017 and England was the champ in 2019.
The U.S. couldn’t find a breakthrough either and had just one shot on target in the opening 45 minutes and just two more in the second half but Thomspon got the one that mattered.
Emily Sonnett, the only player to appear in all 11 SheBelieves Cup tournament won her eighth title to set the record she held with retired goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher.
The USWNT opened the tournament with a 2-0 win over Argentina in Nashville, Tenn., on March 1 on goals by Lindsey Heaps and Shaw and followed four days later to down Canada 1-0 in Columbus, Ohio, thanks to an Ally Sentnor score.
Colombia is 0-13-2 with two goals scored all-time vs. the Americans, who continue to be stingy under coach Emma Hayes. They have 25 shutouts in her 35 matches.
–Field Level Media
