February 20, (THEWILL) – In an intense match at the SheBelieves Cup late on Sunday, the United States Women’s National Team (USWNT) secured a 1-0 victory against Japan.
The game was tightly contested from start to finish, but the United States managed to find the breakthrough in the 45th minute through a goal from Mallory Swanson. The assist was provided by Alex Morgan, who picked out Swanson with a perfectly weighted pass to score.
Despite going behind, Japan continued to push for an equaliser. They came close on several occasions with Hina Sugita’s header going wide in the 61st minute and Fuka Nagano’s shot hitting the crossbar in the 79th minute. The Japanese team made several changes to try and find a way back into the game but were unable to break down the United States’ defence.
The United States also had chances to extend their lead, with Megan Rapinoe and Lynn Williams both coming close to scoring. However, it was the United States’ goalkeeper, Casey Murphy, who played a key role in securing the win. She made several important saves throughout the match, including a crucial stop in the 90th minute to deny Jun Endo’s shot.
With this win, the United States move to the top of the SheBelieves Cup standings with six points from two games.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
