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With dominant victory over Japan, USWNT wins 2020 SheBelieves Cup

The USWNT warmed up in protest, wearing their kits inside-out to hide the U.S. crest.

FRISCO, Texas — The U.S. women’s national team closed out the 2020 SheBelieves Cup with a convincing 3-1 win over Japan on Wednesday in front of an announced sold out Toyota Stadium crowd of 19,096 fans.

The USWNT scored early and often thanks to goals from Megan Rapinoe, Christen Press and Lindsey Horan. The U.S. finished the 2020 SheBelieves Cup with a 3-0-0 record and nine points.

Coach Vlatko Andonovski was pleased to see the U.S. finish the tournament with a plus five goal differential. 

“I think that we’re doing very good in our organized defending,” Andovovski said post game. “I think we’re doing well when we’re pressing teams in different areas of the field. The fact that we only got scored on once against three quality teams, tells us a lot about our defending. At the same time, we were able to score six goals. Attacking wise we were good. We found a way to score goals. I think that we can be a little more methodical and efficient when we have the ball. That will be our main focus up to the Olympics.”

In a show of protest, the USWNT all came out ahead of the pre-game photo opportunity with their warm-up shirts turned inside out. Instead of the U.S. Soccer crest being visible, it was covered up, with only the four stars above the crest showing.

The USWNT backed up their strong protest of the latest U.S. Soccer filing in the equal pay litigation with a dominant victory over Japan.

https://twitter.com/caitlinmurr/status/1237893567319695361

It didn’t take long for the U.S. to strike first. Horan was brought down outside the Japan the box, giving the Americans a free kick in the seventh minute. Rapinoe stepped up and fired a top-shelf rocket past Japanese keeper Ayaka Yamashita.

While the Portland Thorns product was down on the pitch with an ailing shoulder, Horan was able to stay in the match.

“I looked at the minute,” Horan told Pro Soccer USA post game. “I was like, ‘there’s no chance I’m coming out,’ and then I hear a lot of excitement and I’m more pissed because I missed Pinoe’s free kick, and I still have yet to see it, so I still need to go and watch it. I’m just happy we got a goal off of it.”

Christen Press continued her fantastic form in the 27th minute when she doubled the U.S. lead to make it 2-0. Rapinoe found Press at the top of the Japan box and Press sent a lovely chip over Yamashita. The scoop shot from Press was perfectly timed to sail over the keeper and into the Japanese net.

The 31-year-old continues to light up goalkeepers with her torrid pace of recent scores. Press has now netted nine goals and two assists in 10 matches with Vlatko Andonovski at the helm of the national team. Press has also been involved in 25 of the last 26 goals the USWNT have scored.

Despite holding a 56 percent possession advantage and a higher passing accuracy of 81 percent, Japan headed into halftime trailing by two goals. The U.S. looked determined and switched on from the opening whistle and, more importantly, the U.S. made the most of its opportunities.

In an effort to strengthen the USWNT back line, Becky Sauerbrunn came on to start the second half. The U.S. was tested early on as goalkeeper Adrianna Franch turned aside a long range shot and the forthcoming rebound follow-up from Japan.

Japan was not deterred as they continued to press forward in search of a goal. The U.S. lead was cut in half in the 58th minute, as Emi Nakajima found Mana Iwabuchi all alone inside the U.S. box. As defenders closed in, Iwabuchi sent a curling effort off the far post and past Franch. The USWNT’s streak of 789 minutes without conceding a goal was snapped. 

Japan continued to produce quality opportunities in the second half. They kept pushing and came close to squaring the match when Narumi Miura sent a shot across goal that struck the post late in the match.

The surge in pressure seemed to awaken the U.S. as they quickly looked to add to their goal tally and put Japan away. Off corner in the 83rd minute, Horan created separation from her defender and smashed home a header.

“Mal Pugh came into the game and gave me a wonderful ball,” Horan told Pro Soccer USA post game. “I got my noggin on it. I’m happy, I’m happy for Mal, she got an assist, and it kind of closed out the game as well.”

In the end, the USWNT proved to be too strong. The Americans are now a perfect 10-0-0 with Andonovski as coach.