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Lindsey Horan converted a penalty kick in the 77th minute and the United States came from behind to defeat Japan 2-1 to open the SheBelieves Cup before a record crowd on Saturday in Atlanta.
Jaedyn Shaw also scored for the United States in the match played before 50,644 fans at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, a record for a friendly match for the United States women on home soil. It was also the largest crowd for a women’s game in the United States since the 1999 World Cup final.
Brazil was set to play Canada in the later game Saturday in Atlanta. The results will determine the matchups for Tuesday’s final matches in Columbus, Ohio.
Saturday’s game marked the return of both Mallory Swanson and Catarina Macario to the American squad after lengthy absences because of injury.
Japan scored 30 seconds into the game. Kiko Seike dashed down the wing and evaded a defender with a shot that was out of the reach of U.S. goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher. It was the first time the U.S. conceded a goal within the opening minute since 2003.
Precision from The Captain 🫡<a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/USWNT?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#USWNT</a> x <a href=”https://twitter.com/VW?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@VW</a> <a href=”https://t.co/CElfRpqURn”>pic.twitter.com/CElfRpqURn</a>
—@USWNT
Shaw, playing as a No. 10, scored through traffic with a blast from outside the penalty box to tie it. Shaw, 19, is the first U.S. player with five goals in five straight career starts.
Just before Shaw’s goal, the United States was hurt when defender Naomi Girma was subbed off with an apparent right thigh injury. Girma was the U.S. Soccer player of the year last year.
Horan’s game-winning penalty came after Sophia Smith was brought down in the box.
All of the teams playing in the SheBelieves Cup have qualified for the Olympics in Paris this summer.
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