The United States women’s national team defeated Japan on Saturday afternoon, thanks to Lindsey Horan scoring the game-winning goal on a penalty kick. A record 50,644 fans watched the United States take on Japan at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, the largest crowd for a USWNT national friendly match and the largest home crowd since the final of the 1999 Women’s World Cup.
It took Japan less than a minute to strike first – the first time the USWNT had allowed a goal in the first minute. since 2003 – but the United States responded with an aggressive press. There were some more problems early on when central defender Naomi Girma was forced to leave the game in the 18th minute after going down. At the final whistle, there was no further update on a potential injury beyond a first-half update that it was being evaluated.
Even with Japan’s habit of trying to stay comfortable without the ball and looking for moments in transition, the United States looked particularly offensive, often pushing higher with Jenna Nighswonger and Sam Coffey. Jaedyn Shaw lined up as #10 with Trinity Rodman, Alex Morgan and Mal Swanson in front of her and Lindsey Horan below. And after a week dominated by discussions about Korbin Albert’s activity on social media, the midfielder came off the bench to play the final 12 minutes of the match.
A new USWNT look for Jaedyn Shaw
Managing to keep Shaw in the starting lineup even if Mal Swanson returns for the USWNT was a win-win. Shaw played high from midfield, teaming up with San Diego Wave teammate Morgan by hiding under her or pushing her shoulder into space – asking the Japanese center backs to split their concentration.
There’s also a strong duo brewing in defensive midfielder Sam Coffey, as illustrated by the team’s equalizer in the 21st minute. Coffey pressed high, forcing a turnover, then handed the ball to Shaw.
JAEDYN LEVELS IN ATL!!! #USWNT X @VW pic.twitter.com/0qY2E0A42p
– United States Women’s National Soccer Team (@USWNT) April 6, 2024
One of the USWNT’s current challenges is how to constantly swim in offensive talent and figure out how to get everyone on the court at the same time – which will only get more difficult as Catarina Macario also regains her good shape. Keeping Shaw (or Macario) in the #10 role and using Morgan like he did today draws attention and opens avenues for Shaw centrally, or allows Swanson and Rodman to drift to the interior. This may be the answer the team was looking for – even if it leaves one of its most creative players, Rose Lavelle, potentially out of the starting XI.
With Shaw, we are witnessing the start of a special career. She is not only a promising scorer for the USWNT, but also someone who reads the game at a high level. She also turns out to be very, very good at scoring goals.
5 – Jaedyn Shaw is the only player #USWNT history of scoring in his first five career starts.
She is only the 13th player to score in 5 consecutive starts at any point in her career and, at 19 years and 138 days old, the youngest to ever do so. Unstoppable. pic.twitter.com/C7WBEFtzt6
– OptaJack⚽️ (@OptaJack) April 6, 2024
Keeping Shaw on the pitch and as a number 10 allows all other attacking players greater freedom. This is already an offensive line that likes to have some fluidity, with the wings changing sides and movement between the top three, but adding Shaw into the mix makes this tactical approach even more fluid and fun .
Mal Swanson and Cat Macario return
Nearly a year to the day after her patellar tendon injury, Mal Swanson started for the USWNT and immediately looked comfortable upon her return, a tremendous sign for a team looking to bounce back from the World Cup from last summer. Swanson made an instant impact as he continued the form that has served him well in Chicago thus far. His movement down the wing to create space and his attacking pressure with Nighswonger and Morgan created early chances and his penetration into the box forced Japan to clear the goal line in the 14th minute. It wasn’t bad to find her on the corners either.
Later in the first half, Swanson moved more centrally to combine with Rodman, while Shaw moved to the left and the United States attempted to maintain very high pressure in the Japanese defensive third. By placing her in this space, she had fewer opportunities to put pressure on the Japanese backs as she had done earlier, picking up the ball and turning the corner around them to deliver it into the box.
In the second half, with Rodman replaced by Sophia Smith in the 63rd minute, Swanson moved to the right wing, evoking the old one-two punch of Smith and Swanson that worked so well for the United States before the injury. Swanson. Swanson ended up playing 78 minutes in total, subbing in while returning teammate Catarina Macario replaced Morgan.
GO FURTHER
Catarina Macario and Mallory Swanson discuss their return to the USWNT ahead of the SheBelieves Cup
With Macario, the team switched to a 4-4-1-1 formation with Macario playing No.9 in front of Horan. The game fell to a slower pace at this point, with few opportunities to unleash Macario high, but it was just as well to give him a less frenetic reintroduction given his status continued to build for minutes on end. In terms of bringing two potential high-impact players back into the game, it was a good deal.
Korbin Albert recovers the minutes
It was business as usual at the USWNT’s open practice in Atlanta two days before the match, with Albert warming up alongside his teammates without commenting on Albert’s previous social media activity. Albert had previously collaborated with content on TikTok that went against Team USA’s long-standing, public support for LGBTQ+ rights. His activity included reposting videos – one of which included a sermon delivered at a Christian place of worship explaining how being gay and “feeling transgender” is wrong. She also liked the content about Rapinoe’s injury in her last match.
Players and head coach Twila Kilgore responded to questions about whether Albert’s presence had become disruptive during the week by politely but firmly insisting that it was a internal issue that the team needed to discuss.
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Morgan and Horan on Albert’s situation: “disappointing”
Albert replaced Sam Coffey, who came off to be assessed for a head injury, as part of a triple change in the 78th minute, alongside Macario and defender Crystal Dunn. There was some reaction from the Atlanta crowd when his name was announced in the stadium (fans in the stands reported heavy booing, but from the press box the reaction was more scattered ). During the home show, it was impossible to gauge the reaction in the stadium at the time.
(Photo: Brad Smith/Getty Images for USSF)