After getting clubbed by France and squeezing by Spain on its two-game European tour in January, the U.S. women’s national team returns to the field for the SheBelieves Cup against more quality opposition ahead of the 2019 Women’s World Cup in June.
The no. 1-ranked Americans will face Japan (ranked 8), England (4) and Brazil (10) over a week’s period; the schedule:
● 27 February: England vs. Brazil and U.S. vs. Japan (FS1: 7:00 p.m.) at Chester, Pennsylvania.
● 02 March: Brazil vs. Japan and U.S. vs. England (Fox: 4:30 p.m.) at Nashville, Tennessee.
● 05 March: Japan vs. England and U.S. vs. Brazil (FS1: 8:00 p.m.) at Tampa, Florida.
All four of these teams will be in the Women’s World Cup in France. The U.S. has a 28-1-7 record vs. Japan all-time, and won 4-2 (2018) and 2-0 (2017) in their last two meetings, both in the Tournament of Nations.
Against England, the U.S. won, 1-0, last year and lost, 1-0, in 2017.
Against Brazil, the U.S. won, 4-1, last season and memorably came back from a 3-1 deficit in 2017 to win, 4-3, in the Tournament of Nations.
U.S. coach Jill Ellis has her full complement of players on the roster for this tournament and it will be interesting to see if the U.S. offense – so potent at the end of 2018 and so sluggish in its first two games this season – can do more.
Look for results here.
