Alex Morgan and Mallory Swanson scored, and the United States beat Brazil 2-1 on Wednesday night to win the Shebelieves Cup for the fourth year in a row.
Earlier, Japan defeated Canada 3-0 at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas to finish second in the four-team round-robin tournament. All four SheBelieves Cup teams will play in the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand this summer.
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Morgan’s curling goal deflected off Brazilian goalkeeper Lorena. Morgan now has five career goals in SheBelieves contests.
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’s huge,” Swanson said. “I think we needed it, we needed the momentum to turn in our favor. (It’s) Alex doing Alex things. Simple, left-footed, classic. She was hitting the whole first half and she punished them at the end.”
Swanson scored in the 63rd minute, his fourth goal of the tournament and seventh overall of the year, matching his total for all of last year.
“Honestly I think it’s been a good run. I’ve just tried to focus on being in the moment and taking it game by game,” Swanson said.
Swanson, formerly Mallory Buck, married Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson in December.
Ludmila scored in stoppage time for Brazil to avoid a shutout. It was the first goal conceded this year by the US, who are unbeaten in five matches in 2023.
“We have to be on the same page. But not only when studying the game, but also in the emotional game, we have to be on the same page. If we can do that, I think we will have a big win. The World Cup, if we can’t, it will be very difficult. That’s why we still have a long way to go. I’m saying yes,” Brazil coach Pia Suntake said.
Midfielder Ross Lavelle started for the US after missing the first two matches of the tournament with a minor injury.
Japan snapped a four game losing streak with the win over Canada. Japan had not scored in four straight matches, including two Shebelieves games, until Kiko Seige put his team ahead with a goal in the 26th minute.
The Canadian players, amid a labor dispute with their union, wore purple T-shirts emblazoned with the words “Enough is Enough” to the anthems and wore purple wristbands during the match.
Players for the United States also sported purple wristbands in solidarity with Canada.
The SheBelieves Cup started in 2016. USA has won six of eight matches.
“I think we’re not going to talk too much about the title. We’re really going to talk more about the drama and the details and use these games to prepare for the World Cup,” U.S. coach Vladko Antonovski said.
“So it’s good, it’s not necessarily the title — obviously we’re winning, we’re happy to win the title — but the result of this game is more important for us.”
