2024 SheBelieves Cup Final: Scouting Canada

The United States Women’s National Team took down Japan in the semifinal of the 2024 SheBelieves Cup in a nervy 2-1 win that required a late penalty conversion from Lindsey Horan. Unlike previous editions, there are only two rounds of this competition and a victory in the final would deliver a seventh trophy in nine attempts. Looking to play spoiler is Canada, as the two nations face off for the second time in as many months. Lower.com Field in Columbus, Ohio – a 20,139-seat stadium opened in July of 2021 with a natural Kentucky Blue Grass surface – is set to host.

This is the 66^th all-time meeting between the two nations, with the USWNT claiming the most recent match-up in the semifinals of last month’s CONCACAF W Gold Cup with a shootout victory, 2-2 (3-1). Currently ranked ninth internationally by FIFA, Canada has struggled to match the success of the gold-medal-winning run at the 2020 Olympics. The Canucks were bounced in the group stage of 2023 World Cup and appear to have fallen back into the rut of disappointing showings at tournaments. Advancement past Brazil in the semifinal round required penalites, 1-1 (4-2).

Despite falling in the semifinals of the Gold Cup, manager Bev Priestman is taking an optimistic view, noting strong individual performances. “We’ve lost some critical veteran players who’ve moved on,” said the 37-year-old Englishwoman who is employed on a contract that was extended through the 2027 World Cup. “And I’ve seen this group thrive and grow, some immense leadership on the pitch tonight in some testing moments. A younger team could have crumbled. This team feels like it’s taken a step forward. We’re on our way. We know where we need to get to.”

Priestman initially named a 23-player roster for the SheBelieves Cup, featuring much of the same group that competed at the Gold Cup. Various European clubs are home to 12 of the call-ups, while 9 are on the books in the National Women’s Soccer League and 2 compete in the American collegiate ranks. Sydney Collins, Nichelle Prince, and Jayde Riviere are absent due to injuries, while Janine Beckie and Desiree Scott are with the squad for the first time this year following “lengthy knee injury layoffs.” Lysianne Proulx, Quinn, and Olivia Smith were included but replaced by Anna Karpenko, Emma Regan, and Marie-Yasmine Alidou.

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GOALKEEPERS (3): Sabrina D’Angelo (Arsenal), Kailen Sheridan (San Diego Wave FC), Anna Karpenko (Harvard University)

DEFENDERS (8): Kadeisha Buchanan (Chelsea FC), Gabrielle Carle (Washington Spirit), Vanessa Gilles (Olympique Lyonnais), Ashley Lawrence (Chelsea), Jade Rose (Harvard University), Bianca St-Georges (North Carolina Courage), Shelina Zadorsky (West Ham United), Emma Regan (HB Køge)

MIDFIELDERS (5): Simi Awujo (University of Southern California), Jessie Fleming (Portland Thorns), Julia Grosso (Juventus FC), Desiree Scott (Kansas City Current), Marie-Yasmine Alidou (Benfica)

FORWARDS (7): Janine Beckie (Portland Thorns), Jordyn Huitema (Seattle Reign), Cloé Lacasse (Arsenal), Clarissa Larisey (BK Häcken), Adriana Leon (Aston Villa), Deanne Rose (Leicester City), Evelyne Viens (AS Roma)

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Priestman has been enjoying success with an energetic 3-4-3 formation that uses the roster’s strengths, notably at the outside positions. In the “post-Christine-Sinclair era,” the manager made the squad “defensively sturdy” and “unlocked some key players in attack.” The new, fluid system “received good reviews” from observers and brought “a bit of excitement” to proceedings. With three physical centre-backs, the attacking tactics are focused on “pushing numbers forward,” overloading the opponents on the wings, and forming quick passing combinations “around the field at a high tempo [in order to] try to create openings.”

In the 93^rd minute of the Gold Cup quarterfinal victory over Costa Rica, Kailen Sheridan demonstrated one of the more understated qualities of a top goalkeeper: blocking a single shot after long stretches of inactivity. She rose to the challenge, shuffling across net and stopping a close-range effort from Alexa Herrera with an outstretched leg, her first true action of the match. The 28-year-old San Diego Wave star is the best in the world at her position with a full set of skills, whether making reaction saves or controlling the box. Her distribution is stellar at all distances, with the dual abilities to choose the correct pass under pressure or spring the counter-attack up the field to a streaking forward.

Chelsea centre-back Kadeisha Buchanan was a massive presence at the Gold Cup, making an impact in both the defensive and attacking thirds. She wins possession and plays out of the back with palpable ease, displaying her high-level combination of physicality and technique. Serving as a ball-winner in the middle of the line is Vanessa Gilles of Lyon, a dominating presence who can claim the ball in the air and bring down opponents in one-on-one situations. Despite a rough outing in the previous USWNT match-up, the 28-year-old Quebecois is an accurate passer and driver of the game, willing to make ventures deep down the field. The trio is completed by all-around talent Jade Rose, a three-time All-Ivy and two-time Defensive Player of the Year selection for Harvard. Total Football Analysis praised her as an “effective ball progressor,” helping Canada to “control the game.”

Versatile wide player Gabrielle Carle received an extended run of matches during the Gold Cup, displaying her abilities as an aggressive tackler and deft disruptor of the opponent’s passes. While occupying more of a defensive role for club and country, she can be a true threat in the final third with excellent pace, an ambitious first touch, and the vision to find teammates. Characterized as “the epitome of the modern fullback,” Ashley Lawrence is a two-way force on the wing with effective dribbling and a physical strength that overwhelms opponents. Total Football Analysis notes that her delicate crosses “surpass the player’s direct marker” before reaching the intended target, providing a convertible opportunity. Another option is Janine Beckie, who was sidelined for the entirety of 2023 after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury in the preseason but has already scored twice this year for the Portland Thorns. The 29-year-old from Colorado thrives in the final third with pace, angled runs, and the power and composure to finish at all ranges.

The 3-4-3 formation requires a steady, connecting presence with the physical capabilities to cover the entire field for 90 minutes, both of which Jessie Fleming embodies with veteran ease. The 29-year-old Portland Thorns box-to-box midfielder “loves to float into the half-spaces to make underlapping runs across her wingers” and can also progress the ball into the final third at an intense speed. USC Trojan and former U.S. youth international Simi Awujo received the start in the Gold Cup semifinal, displaying her capacity to “read the game well and screen her defensive line.” Total Football Analysis praises her “strong passing ability” along with a “versatility and adaptability” that enables switching between different phases of the game and making an impact in every zone.

Aston Villa dynamo Adriana Leon rediscovered her scoring touch at the W Gold Cup, claiming the Golden Boot with six finishes in five matches. The 31-year-old from Mississauga is a physical presser of the opponent, creates space with intelligent runs, and cuts inside with darting ventures that create mismatches and overloads. While her role with the squad tends to wax and wane, the “direct and exciting” Deanne Rose has stepped into the lineup amid recent injuries. On her best days, she produces at a high rate, creates shots in a variety of areas, and operates in a “free role” that “provides a link” between different parts of the formation. While a prolific attacker at ÍBV in Iceland and Benfica, Cloé Lacasse has yet to replicate that searing form for Canada or Arsenal, although three assists in last month’s tournament justify further inclusion. Priestman is a firm supporter of the “dangerous” forward, with teammates likewise praising her as “lightning fast, super skilled, and [with] an eye for goals,” possessing the ability to unsettle opposing defenses with breakneck dribbling runs. There’s also the likelihood that Jordyn Huitema factors into proceedings, although the manager has used the lengthy, multi-faceted striker as a rotational starter. Whether serving as a target player with distribution and headers on frame or a mobile option on the wing, the still-in-development talent is a hardworking and industrious presence on both sides of the game.

At the Gold Cup, Canada pushed the USWNT to the brink but was unable to claim victory, with Priestman noting that penalty shootouts giveth and taketh. The rivals typically manage to put on a showcase of drama and quality, this time with a minor trophy on the line. However, the main focus is on preparation for the summer’s Olympic Games as both programs look to reclaim a place atop the mountain with a gold medal.

The match is scheduled for Tuesday, April 9^th at 7:00 p.m. Eastern, 4:00 p.m. Pacific. Viewing options include TBS, Universo, Max, Peacock, Telemundo Deportes, and FUBO TV (free trial).