USWNT Takes on Canada in Concacaf W Gold Cup Semifinals

The U.S. heads into the semifinal on the heels of a fiery 3-0 win over fifth-seeded Colombia on Sunday evening in Los Angeles. In a match that featured high emotion and physicality from both sides – with a combined six yellow cards handed out – a united team effort on both ends of the pitch carried the U.S. past Colombia and into the semifinal. Horan, Shaw and defender Jenna Nighswonger all scored for the Americans in the win, while Morgan and Rodman tallied assists and did well to unsettle the Colombian defense. Led by an impressive outing from Naeher in her 100^th cap, the U.S. backline contained Colombia’s attack and recorded its third clean sheet of the tournament. 

Canada went to extra-time in its quarterfinal matchup against Costa Rica on Saturday evening, ultimately prevailing 1-0 off a set-piece goal in the 104^th minute to make it four wins in four games at the W Gold Cup.

Brazil put away South American rivals Argentina with a comprehensive 5-1 victory on Saturday night while Mexico topped Paraguay 3-2 on Sunday afternoon in an entertaining end-to-end affair.

NAEHER JOINS CENTURY CLUB

A two-time FIFA Women's World Cup champion, goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher etched her name into the record books again as she earned her historic 100^th cap on March 3 in the USA’s 3-0 victory over Colombia. She became just the third goalkeeper in U.S. history to achieve that milestone, joining legends and Hall of Famers Hope Solo and Briana Scurry. The U.S. is now the first country in history to have three female goalkeepers with 100+ caps.

The 42^nd player overall in USWNT history to reach the century mark, Naeher is, and has been for a while, the goalkeeper with the third-most caps (100), wins (81) and shutouts (61) in U.S. history. Naeher debuted for the USWNT in December of 2014 and became a consistent starter following the 2016 Olympics. She matched her calendar-year high with nine shutouts for the USWNT in 2023, three of which came at the World Cup as the U.S. allowed just one goal the entire tournament.

SHAW CONTINUES FAST START

Just over four months after making her USWNT debut, 19-year-old Jaedyn Shaw leads the U.S. in scoring with three goals in four appearances at the Concacaf W Gold Cup.

Shaw made her USWNT debut as a late second-half substitute on October 26, 2023, and three days later, scored her first international goal, tallying in the 83^rd minute of the USA’s 3-0 win over Colombia at San Diego’s Snapdragon Stadium. She made her first start on Dec. 5, 2023 and pulled together a special moment, scoring a late game-winning goal against China PR in her hometown of Frisco, Texas, just a few hundred yards from her childhood apartment.

Making her second career start in the USA’s Feb. 23 match against Argentina at the W Gold Cup, Shaw netted a brace in the span of eight minutes, becoming just the seventh teenager in USWNT history to score multiple goals in a game. After making a substitute appearance against Mexico, Shaw returned to the lineup for the quarterfinal against Colombia and scored her third goal of the tournament in first half stoppage time to become the youngest player ever to score for the USWNT in the knockout rounds of a competitive tournament. She also joins Shannon Boxx as the only players in USWNT history to score in each of their first three career starts.

BIG STAGE, BIG RIVALRY

The W Gold Cup semifinal will be the 14^th time the USA and Canada have squared off in the knockout rounds of a competitive tournament. Canada is by far the most common opponent the USA has ever played in knockout round matches, with Brazil the next most frequent foe with seven such meetings. The U.S. has won 11 of the 13 previous meetings between the teams in knockout round play and also won on penalties – which is officially recorded as a draw – in the final of 2008 Concacaf Olympic Qualifying. Canada’s lone win over the U.S. in a knockout round match was a 1-0 win in the semifinals of the delayed Tokyo Olympics.

The most recent knockout round meeting between the teams came in the final of the 2022 Concacaf W Championship. Squaring off on July 18, 2022, in Monterrey, Mexico, the USA prevailed 1-0 on a penalty kick goal from Alex Morgan in the 78^th minute to seal the regional title and earn a spot in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. The USA outshot Canada 17-11 on the night and became just the second nation to qualify for the Olympics, joining hosts France.

Canada clinched Concacaf’s second and final berth to the 2024 Summer Games by defeating Jamaica 4-1 on aggregate in a two-legged playoff during the September 2023 International Window. Bouncing back from a disappointing showing at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, Canada beat Jamaica 2-0 in the opening leg in Kingston and then officially punched its ticket with a 2-1 win in Toronto.

INSIDE THE SERIES: USA vs. CANADA

Wednesday’s semifinal will be the 65^th meeting all-time between the USA and Canada in a series that dates to 1986 when the USWNT was in its second year of existence. The most-common opponent in USWNT history, the USWNT has more wins (53) and more goals (184) against Canada than any other opponent in program history. The U.S. leads the all-time series 53W-7D-4L and has won six of the last seven meetings between the teams, including a 2-0 victory in the most recent matchup at the 2023 SheBelieves Cup. Mallory Swanson scored twice for the USA in that matchup in Orlando, with the first goal assisted by Morgan.

While the Americans have had a long history of success in this series, the 18 meetings since 2011 have featured three ties, six one-goal wins for the USA and one one-goal win for Canada.

Four players on the USA’s roster have scored against Canada in their careers, led by Morgan’s 10 goals. Rose Lavelle and Lindsey Horan each have two goals vs. Canada while Lynn Williams has one.

PATHWAY TO PARIS

With less than five months until the start of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, the USWNT is deep in preparation for its pursuit of a fifth Olympic gold medal. The Olympic Football Tournament features 12 teams and will be contested in seven different venues across France from July 25 to August 10: Parc des Princes in Paris, Stade de Lyon, Stade Geoffroy-Guichard in Saint-Etienne, Stade de Marseille, Stade de Nice, Stade de Bordeaux and Stade de la Beaujoire in Nantes.

All but two of the teams in the Olympic field have now been determined, with only the representatives from Africa remaining to be decided. The 2024 CAF Olympic Qualifying Tournament will conclude in early April to produce two qualifiers from Africa as Morocco takes on Zambia and South Africa faces Nigeria.

The ten teams that will be in the Olympic Women’s Soccer competition are hosts France, South American qualifiers Brazil and Colombia, New Zealand from Oceania, Spain and Germany, which defeated the Netherlands in the UEFA Women’s Nations League Third-Place match, from UEFA and from Concacaf, the USA and Canada, which secured Concacaf’s second berth to the Olympics berth by beating Jamaica in a two-game playoff during the September international window.

The USA qualified for Paris by virtue of winning the 2022 Concacaf W Championship in Monterrey, Mexico, which served as the region’s qualification for the Olympics as well as the 2023 World Cup.

The Final Draw to set the tournament schedule and groups will be held on March 20 at 2 p.m. ET and will be streamed on FIFA.com.

SHEBELIEVES CUP ON THE HORIZON

Following the completion of the Concacaf W Gold Cup, the U.S. will turn its attention to the 2024 SheBelieves Cup, presented by Visa. The USA will host Brazil, Canada and Japan in the ninth edition of the four-team tournament, which is comprised of one-third of the field for the Paris Olympics. All four participants are ranked in the top 11 in the world, have qualified for the Olympics and competed in last year’s tournament, where the U.S. took first, followed by Japan in second, Brazil in third and Canada in fourth. In the Semifinals on April 6 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, the USA (#2) will face Japan (#8) at 12:30 p.m. ET (TNT, Telemundo, Max & Peacock) and Brazil (#11) will take on Canada (#10) at 3:30 p.m. ET (Universo, Max & Peacock).

The four nations will then travel to Columbus, Ohio with Lower.com Field hosting the final two games of the tournament at 4 p.m. ET and 7 p.m. ET on April 9 as the Semifinal winners play in the Championship and the losers play in the Third-Place Match. The USA will play in the 7 p.m. ET time slot (TBS, Universo, Max & Peacock) whether it is playing in Championship or Third-Place Match, and the other game will be at 4 p.m. ET (TBS, Universo, Max & Peacock).

Tickets are available for purchase now at ussoccer.com/tickets.

HAYES TO THE HELM IN MAY

After a worldwide search process led U.S. Soccer Sporting Director Matt Crocker, Emma Hayes was officially announced as the 10^th head coach in U.S. Women’s National Team history on November 14, 2023. The long-time head coach for English powerhouse Chelsea FC, Hayes started her coaching career in the United States in the early 2000s and more than two decades later will take the helm of the USWNT. Due to her contact with Chelsea, Hayes will finish the 2023-24 Women’s Super League season in England and then join the U.S. team officially two months prior to the start of the Olympics. U.S. Soccer has put a comprehensive plan and process in place to maximize the productivity in all aspects of moving the USWNT forward leading into the Olympics, a key part of which is interim head coach Twila Kilgore continuing in her role and then joining Hayes’ staff full-time as an assistant coach in late May. Hayes’ first two matches will be against the Korea Republic. The USA will take on the Taegeuk Ladies in Commerce City, Colorado on June 1 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park (3 p.m. MT / 5 p.m. ET on TNT, Universo, Max and Peacock) before moving on to St. Paul, Minnesota for a June 4 match at Allianz Field, which will be presented by Allstate (7 p.m. CT / 8 p.m. ET on truTV, Universo, Max and Peacock). Both matches will take place at the home stadiums of Major League Soccer clubs, the Colorado Rapids and Minnesota United FC, respectively. The USA’s most recent match against Korea Republic was also at Allianz Field, in October of 2021, a 6-0 win for the USA.

USA TEAM & ROSTER NOTES

• The USWNT has played more matches in California (57) than any other state in the country and has won 52 of its 57 matches all-time in the Golden State.
• The has played once previously at Snapdragon Stadium, a 3-0 win over Colombia on Oct. 29. Lindsey Horan, Jaedyn Shaw and Mia Fishel scored for the USA in that victory.  
• Becky Sauerbrunn (219), Alex Morgan (219), Crystal Dunn (142 caps), Lindsey Horan (142 caps) and Alyssa Naeher (100 caps) are the only players on this roster with 100+ international appearances.
• Five players on this roster have fewer than 10 caps, four of whom debuted in 2023: 23-year-old Jenna Nighswonger (5 caps), 20-year-old midfielder Korbin Albert (5 caps), 19-year-old Jaedyn Shaw (8 caps) and 18-year-old Olivia Moultrie (4 caps).
• Seven players on this roster – Naomi Girma, Sophia Smith, Nighswonger, Trinity Rodman, Albert, Shaw and Moultrie – were born after the historic 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup, which will celebrate its 25^th anniversary this summer. Smith became the first player born after the ’99 World Cup to earn a USWNT cap when she debuted for the U.S. on November 27, 2020, against the Netherlands.
• Morgan is the top scorer on this roster with 123 career international goals, followed by Horan with 33 goals, Lavelle and Dunn with 24 each, Williams with 18 and Smith with 15. 
• Six different players have scored so far for the USWNT in 2024 – led by three goals from Shaw, two goals each from Horan, Morgan, Moultrie and Nighswonger and one from Williams.
• Midge Purce leads the U.S. with two assists in 2024 while Smith, Horan, Morgan, Trinity Rodman, Rose Lavelle and Casey Krueger all have one assist.
• Overall, 11 different players have been directly involved in a goal for the USA in 2024, led by three goal involvements each from Shaw (3 goals), Morgan (2 goals, 1 assist) and Horan (2 goals, 1 assist).
• Twelve players called up for this camp were on the USA’s roster at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and nine – Dahlkemper, Davidson, Dunn, Horan, Lavelle, Morgan, Naeher, Sauerbrunn and Sonnett – were on the roster for the 2019 Women’s World Cup Champions.
• Eight of the 14 NWSL clubs are represented on this roster, led by seven players from NJ/NY Gotham FC. Portland Thorns FC and San Diego Wave FC have four players each.
• Three players on this roster play for clubs in Europe – two in France (Lindsey Horan at Olympique Lyon and Korbin Albert at Paris Saint-Germain) and one in England (Emily Fox at Arsenal FC).

IN FOCUS: CANADA | FIVE THINGS TO KNOW

FIFA World Ranking: 10
Concacaf Ranking: 2
Olympic Appearances: 4 (2008, 2012, 2016, 2020)
Best Olympic Result: Champions (2020)
Record vs. USA: 4W-7D-53L (GF:40, GA: 184)
Last Meeting vs. USA: Feb. 16, 2023 (2-0 win for USA in Orlando, Fla.)
Head Coach: Bev Priestman (ENG)

CANADA WOMEN’S NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM ROSTER BY POSITION (CLUB)

GOALKEEPERS (3): 1-Kailen Sheridan (San Diego Wave FC, USA), 18-Sabrina D’Angelo (Arsenal FC, ENG), 22-Lysianne Proulx (Bay FC, USA)  

DEFENDERS (7): 2-Bianca St. Georges (North Carolina Courage, USA), 3-Kadeisha Buchanan (Chelsea FC, ENG), 4-Shelina Zadorsky (West Ham United FC, ENG), 10-Ashley Lawrence (Chelsea FC, ENG), 12-Jade Rose (Harvard University, USA), 14-Vanessa Gilles (Olympique Lyon, FRA), 16-Gabby Carle (Washington Spirit, USA)

MIDFIELDERS (5): 5-Quinn (Seattle Reign FC, USA), 7-Julia Grosso (Juventus FC, ITA), 8-Marie-Yasmine Alidou (SL Benfica, POR), 13-Simi Awujo (University of Southern California, USA), 17-Jessie Fleming (Portland Thorns FC, USA)

FORWARDS (7): 6-Deanne Rose (Leicester City FC, ENG), 9-Jordyn Huitema (Seattle Reign FC, USA), 11-Evelyne Viens (AS Roma, ITA), 19-Adriana Leon (Aston Villa FC, ENG), 20-Cloe Lacasse (Arsenal FC, ENG), 21-Clarissa Larisey (BK Hacken, SWE), 23-Olivia Smith (Sporting CP, POR)

CANADA TEAM NOTES

• Twenty-two of the 23 players on Canada’s roster for the Concacaf W Gold Cup have seen action so far this tournament, led by center back Kadeisha Buchanan, who has played every minute for Canada this Gold Cup and leads the tournament with 390 minutes played. Of the four semifinalists, Canada is the only team yet to concede a goal this tournament.
• On the attack, forward Adriana Leon leads Canada and is tied with Mexico’s Lizbeth Ovalle atop the W Gold Cup scoring charts with five goals. Leon, who spent time with several NWSL clubs and now plays for Aston Villa in England’s Women’s Super League, scored twice in the opening win over El Salvador and netted a hat trick in the second group stage match against Paraguay. Defender Shelina Zadorsky and forwards Jordyn Huitema and Olivia Smith have two goals each. Forward Cloe Lacasse, who plays for Arsenal FC, leads her team and is tied for first at the W Gold Cup with three assists. 
• Like the USA, Canada’s roster has undergone a few changes since first announced. Defender Sydney Collins was originally named to the roster but was replaced by Bianca St. Georges after Collins fractured her ankle prior to the start of the tournament. Canada will also be without forward Nichelle Prince, who suffered a calf injury in the opening match against El Salvador.
• While the USA and Canada are longtime rivals on the field, many players from both teams are current or former club teammates. International competition aside, there is a very high degree of familiarity between the two sides as nearly every player on Canada’s roster has played in the United States at one point either professionally or collegiately.
• Seven players on this Canada roster currently play in the NWSL, highlighted by Sheridan, who helped lead San Diego Wave FC to the 2023 NWSL Shield along with the USA’s Abby Dahlkemper, Naomi Girma, Alex Morgan and Jaedyn Shaw. Defender Gabby Carle plays for the Washington Spirit with the USA’s Trinity Rodman and Casey Krueger and played collegiately at Florida State with Jenna Nighswonger. St. Georges recently signed with the North Carolina Courage, where she will now play in front of U.S. ‘keeper Casey Murphy. Jessie Fleming joined Portland Thorns FC earlier this year from Chelsea FC, joining forces with Sam Coffey, Olivia Moultrie, Becky Sauerbrunn and Sophia Smith.
• In Europe, Sabrina D’Angelo and Lacasse now play with Fox at Arsenal and defender Vanessa Gilles plays with Lindsey Horan at Olympique Lyon.