Frisco, Texas Feb. 23 (BNA): Alex Morgan and Mallory Swanson scored as the United States defeated Brazil 2-1 on Wednesday night to win the SheBelieves Cup for the fourth year in a row.
Japan, who defeated Canada 3-0 in the previous match at Toyota Stadium, were runners-up in the four-team tournament. All four SheBelieves Cup teams will play at the Women’s World Cup this summer in Australia and New Zealand.
Morgan’s volley sailed out of reach of Brazilian goalkeeper Lorena. Morgan now has five goals all time in Shebelieves matches, the Associated Press reports.
It was Morgan’s 14th goal since the birth of her daughter in 2020, giving her the national team record for most goals as a mother.
“That was huge,” Swanson said. “I think we needed that, we needed the impetus to kind of turn in our favour. (He was) Alex doing Alex stuff. Simple, left footed, classic. She was getting beaten all through the first half and in the end I punished her.”
In the 63rd minute, Swanson scored her fourth goal of the tournament and seventh this year, equaling her goal total for the entirety of last year.
“I honestly think it was a good run. I just tried to focus and be there day in and day out, game after game,” Swanson said.
Ludmila scored in injury time for Brazil to avoid a shutout. This was the first goal the United States allowed this year. The United States has gone undefeated in five total matches.
“We need to be on the same page. But not only when it comes to reading the game, but also when it comes to the emotional game, we need to be on the same page. If we can do that, I think we’ll have the World Cup. If not We can, it will be very difficult, which is why I say we have a long way to go,”
Midfielder Rose Lavelle has started for the United States after missing the first two games of the tournament with a minor injury.
Japan snapped a four-game losing streak by defeating Canada. Japan had yet to score in four straight matches, including two from the SheBelieves, until Keiko Seki put her side ahead with a goal in the 26th minute.
The Canadian players, amid a labor dispute with their union, wore purple T-shirts that read “Enough is enough” for the anthems and wore purple bracelets during the game.
The United States players also wore purple wristbands in solidarity with Canada.
The SheBelieves Cup began in 2016. Six of the eight tournaments have been won by the United States.
“I don’t think we’ll talk a lot about the title. We’ll actually talk a lot about the play and the details, and we’ll use these matches to prepare for the World Cup,” said US coach Vlatko Andonovski.
“That’s the good thing about this, it’s not necessarily the title – obviously we enjoy winning, we enjoy winning the title – but the outcome of this match is what’s most important to us.”