New York (AFP) – Alyssa Thompson scored the only goal as the United States clinched the SheBelieves Cup women’s football invitational tournament on Saturday with a 1-0 defeat of Colombia. Chelsea forward Thompson curled a superb strike into the top corner in the 82nd minute to settle a contest the US women had dominated at the Red Bull Arena in New Jersey.
Thompson’s long-range effort broke a valiant defensive effort from Colombia, who had frustrated the hosts for long periods by dropping deep to keep the Americans at bay. Thompson’s opportunistic goal left manager Emma Hayes purring with satisfaction as she builds towards next year’s World Cup.
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“Everyone in world football is quite compact and well coached now, and sometimes you’re going to need something from deeper areas when you can’t break blocks,” Hayes said. “It was a wonderful finish from her and one I think we deserved based on the second half.”
The victory ensured Hayes’ squad finished the four-team round robin tournament with a maximum nine points from three games after earlier wins over Argentina and Canada. Saturday’s win completed a successful campaign for Hayes and her players as they prepare for the World Cup.
Hayes, one of the most successful managers in English football history, took over as US coach in 2024 following the team’s early 2023 World Cup exit. She led the US to a gold medal at the Paris Olympics and is now firmly focused on helping the American women regain their global crown at next year’s finals in Brazil.
Hayes said the US performances in the SheBelieves Cup augur well for the squad’s development. “I think we’ve shown how to win when we’re not at our best, I think we’ve shown versatility, I think we’ve shown depth and I think we’ve shown maturity,” Hayes said. “As a coach, I’m happy about those things…even when we’re not at our best, we still have a belief and a trust that we can keep improving and we’ll find a way.”
“I’ve coached enough teams to know that that is golden, and this team is together, but also enjoying themselves and committed to the process of improving.”
© 2024 AFP
