Colorado’s Smith, Horan and Swanson Clinch SheBelieves Cup for USWNT 

COLUMBUS, Ohio – We here at Burgundy Wave have almost run out of descriptives to use to highlight the often stupendous play of Sophia Smith, Lindsey Horan, and Mallory Swanson. 

The dynamic do-gooders once again led the United States Women’s National Soccer Team (USWNT) to a come from behind outcome in regulation time, then stepped up to seal the team’s win over Canada in the SheBelieves Cup Final. They accomplished their coup during a climatic penalty kick shootout.

This was the USWNT’s second penalty shootout with Canada in 35 days. The two rivals tangled in the rain and on a drenched sod pitch during the inaugural Concacaf W Gold Cup tournament in San Diego. The U.S. won that anxiety provoking match, too.

This high tempo match concluded in a 2-2 tie behind Smith’s brace. Then, the U.S. sent the Canadians packing after coming up with five penalty goals to Canada’s four, with a goal coming again from Smith and another from Horan. 

Swanson exclaimed the loudest during the shootout, while Smith’s three tallies on the night earned her the tournament’s top honor as Most Valuable Player.

Smith’s start and two-way showcase was overdue. She had been coming off the bench this year, while in 2023, she was a locked-in starter for the Lady Yanks.

Sophia Smith’s goals marked her 17th and 18th career goals and her second and third of the year. All three of her goals in 2024 have come against Canada. To that end, this outing was Smith’s sixth career multi-goal game and it came two years to the day that she scored a hat trick at Lower.com Field, that hosted last night’s affair.

“The first goal was just class,” Kilgore added. “Sometimes individuals just do special things. It was a left-footed finish for Soph in a crowded box, just an exceptional moment, but also there’s a big team concept there.”

Kilgore will now relinquish her interium moniker and turnover the team to incoming head coach, Emma Hayes. Hayes is currently fulfilling her obligations as head coach of Chelsea in the Women’s Super League.

Hayes’ first match as the team’s full-time head coach will take place in metro-Denver, Colorado on June 1, when the U.S. hosts the Republic of Korea at DICK’S Sporting Goods Park.

Canada’s Adriana Leon put the Maple Leafs on the scoreboard in the 40th minute of play.

Canada played out of the back with a long ball down the right flank. Winger Ashley Lawrence brought down near the 18-yard-box just as Alyssa Naeher was galloping out. The two collided and the ball went loose. It found its way to Leon who finish by strike the ball past two U.S. defenders. 

Ten minutes later it was Sophia Smith’s turn shine. Jaedyn Shaw delivered a clean pass Smith, who dribbled towards the box and unleased a left-footed shot from 20 yards out. 

During the intermission, Kilgore decided to sub on Mallory Swanson in hopes off increasing the tempo of the match to overdrive. The midfield was also reconfigured. Horan moved into a deeper position, Smith slipped into the center and Swanson went wide and then on attack every time she was afforded the opportunity to do so. 

The realigned diamond generated results quickly, both by de-possessing the Canadians and taking more chances at scoring when they had the ball than they had in the first half.

At the 68th minute mark, Shaw played substitute Trinity Rodman the ball into Canada’s half of the midfield. The swift Rodman attracted several defenders which enabled her to dish-off a beautiful pass Smith who was in full stride. The Real Colorado alum then delivered a low shot from eight yards out.

The Canadians did not roll over and surrender. Instead they made multiple runs at the Yanks’ back line. In the 86th minute, Leon took on Crystal Dunn outside the in the box. She beat her, then was nudged sufficiently to fall and earn a penalty kick. Leon, a master of penalty kicks, unleashed a salvo from the spot to tie up the game. 

Despite all-out efforts at both ends of the field, the match remained knotted up after four minutes of stoppage time, and immediately went to PKs. 

The end result was a gut wrenching ordeal with the U.S. coming up on top. It was Emily Fox who converted the final penalty in the seventh and decisive round. 

Thereafter, the Stars and Stripes climbed up a mountain of stadium stairs and were recognizing with personalized medals and am unlimited supply of foil confetti.

“It just shows how much growth we’ve made since the World Cup,” Sophia Smith said during her press conference. “I think Twila has done a really good job of balancing a tough position in helping us move on from the World Cup, take the lessons that we needed, but at the same time, start a new chapter and start fresh. And I think we’re doing such a good job building off of that.”

Smith continued, “I think our chemistry on and off the field, you can see it in every game we play, we’re getting better and better and getting the results we want. We’ve had to fight back from being down two times now, and I think that shows a lot about the mentality of this group… Every game is not going to start exactly how we want, but it’s how we finish it. And we finished our games very well and with confidence and I think that’s a really exciting thing.”

A beaming Twila Kilgore, said, “being a special player in a special moment within our team concept,” is one of Smith’s hallmarks.

Photo Credit: John Babiak

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