United States

Swanson scores brace in USWNT's convincing win vs. Canada

Published Feb. 16, 2023 9:37 p.m. ET

In perhaps its toughest match before defending its title at this summer's FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, the United States defeated northern neighbor and reigning Olympic champion Canada 2-0 Thursday in both squads' SheBelieves Cup opener in Orlando.

Mallory Swanson scored both goals for the U.S., including what ended up being the game-winner just seven minutes into the contest:

The Americans next face Japan Saturday in a rematch of the 2011 and '15 World Cup finals.

Here are three quick thoughts on Thursday's match.

Swanson stays hot for the USWNT

On a night when U.S. Soccer honored star veteran Alex Morgan for earning her 200th cap back in November, it was fellow forward Swanson who stole the show.

Three games into a potentially historic year for the U.S., Swanson (née Pugh — she married Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson in December) has been Vlatko Andonovski's best player. Swanson had a career-best seven goals in 2022. The 24-year-old already has four so far in 2023; her second on Thursday came after she pounced on an errant pass from Canadian fullback Vanessa Gilles:

Swanson was the second youngest member of the 2019 squad that repeated as World Cup champs. But she was behind Morgan, Tobin Heath, Megan Rapinoe, Christen Press and Carli Lloyd on the Americans' attacking depth chart in France and barely played.

With Lloyd now retired, Heath and Press seemingly out of the national team picture and Rapinoe likely to occupy a super sub role Down Under at age 38, Swanson is quickly establishing herself as an automatic first choice selection for Andonovski heading into Australia/New Zealand 2023. There's still plenty of competition for places up top (more on that below) but Swanson looks like not just a lock, but a player ready to explode on the global stage this summer as the U.S. chases an unprecedented third consecutive World Cup crown.

Americans roll despite absences

This was the first match for the U.S. since Andonovski all but confirmed that 2019 standouts Julie Ertz (maternity leave) and Sam Mewis (knee surgery) won't be available for the Americans' title defense. Injured forwards Catarina Macario and Sophia Smith are expected to be back in time, but neither was available this month. Meantime, surefire U.S. starters Rose Lavelle and Naomi Girma missed this match with minor ailments.

Most teams would struggle without so many key players. On Thursday, the U.S. barely missed a beat. Alana Cook filled in admirably at center back for Girma next to Becky Sauerbrunn. Ashley Sanchez spelled Lavelle in midfield and forced a spectacular save from Reds backstop Kailen Sheridan just two minutes into the game.

And up front, youngster Trinity Rodman produced another fine display. It was Rodman's cross that set up Swanson's opener, and while the 20-year-old still behind a healthy Macario and Smith in the pecking order, she's closing the gap with each passing cap. At the very least, Rodman now figures to be the first forward off the bench at the main event.

Don't read too much into Canada's performance

As easy as the U.S. made Thursday's win look against another all-planet opponent, it's wise not to draw any major conclusions from this one. Like the Americans were for most of the last four years until a new collective bargaining agreement with U.S. Soccer was reached last year, Canada is mired in an ugly and public pay dispute with their bosses, in this case the Canadian Soccer Association.

The Reds originally intended to strike during the SheBelieves Cup; the CSA eventually compelled them to participate under the threat of legal action. The visitors did play the match under protest, though, and wore shirts emblazoned with the words "Enough is enough," during their national anthem:

Any notion that the Canadians wouldn't give their all in the game quickly evaporated when the whistle blew; Once the match kicked off, Bev Priestman's team were their usual hard-tackling selves. Still, it would be naïve to think that all the off-field drama in the run-up to this tournament wasn't a major distraction for Canada, or that it didn't manifest itself on the field in some way Thursday.

For that reason, the Americans final two tests this month, first against Japan and then versus Brazil next week, might give both Andonovski and U.S. fans a better idea of where the defending champs stand with the World Cup just five months away.

Doug McIntyre is a soccer writer for FOX Sports. Before joining FOX Sports in 2021, he was a staff writer with ESPN and Yahoo Sports, and he has covered United States men’s and women’s national teams at multiple FIFA World Cups. Follow him on Twitter @ByDougMcIntyre.

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