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Lindsey Horan converted a second-half penalty to give the United States a 2-1 victory over Japan in the SheBelieves Cup on Saturday.
Japan took the lead after just 30 seconds, but Jaydyn Shaw scored the equalizer in the 21st minute, and Horan converted the spot kick in the 77th minute.
The game, played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, drew a crowd of 50,644, the largest crowd ever for a friendly for the U.S. women’s team and the first at home since the 1999 World Cup final. It drew the largest crowd for a match between the teams.
The Americans will face regional rival Canada in Tuesday’s final. The Canadians finished 1-1 after 90 minutes and won Saturday’s second semifinal game, defeating Brazil 4-2 on penalties.
USA interim head coach Twyla Kilgore has removed Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Corbin Albert from the starting lineup following an argument over his social media posts.
Albert, 20, apologized after sharing content including a religious video about transgender and LGBTQ issues that was heavily criticized by former player Megan Rapinoe.
The retired team captain, who is known as an activist, suggested the content led to “hatred” against the LGBTQ community.
Albert came on as part of a triple substitution in the 78th minute, when the American team was already in the lead.
Japan scored on their first attack, and the large crowd quickly fell silent. Momoko Tanigawa fed Kiko Seike from the right side and her low shot went inside the post.
Striker Mallory Swanson, who returned to the team for the first time in a year after missing the World Cup due to injury, came close to scoring with a left-footed shot that was cleared on the line by Japanese defender Miyabi Moriya.
However, the American team was in the lead when Sam Coffey won the ball in midfield, ran forward and slipped a pass inside to Shaw, who tied the score with a low drive into the corner. .
The goal was Shaw’s fifth in his last five games with the national team.
Swanson came close again when Horan burst out of midfield and threaded a pass to the striker, but Japanese keeper Ayaka Yamashita quickly came off her line to block the ball.
After the break, Trinity Rodman pushed Yamashita again with a fierce drive, but the keeper did a good job of evading it.
The Americans pushed hard for the winner, squandering an opportunity when Swanson screwed a shot wide after Sophia Smith set the stage.
It was Smith who won the penalty, dribbling into the box and being brought down by Hina Sugita, allowing Horan to slot the spot-kick into the bottom corner.
Kilgore, who will hand over the reins of the team to English coach Emma Hayes in June, praised Japan’s response to the early goal.
“I couldn’t praise this group more highly. They continue to work on everything that’s in front of them,” she said.
“Japan is a world-class team and what they did today, especially after essentially starting the game on goal difference, shows who they are and how they get the job done. “It shows what we’re willing to do to help,” Kilgore added.
The United States will face Olympic champion Canada in Tuesday’s final in Columbus, Ohio.
Canada lost to the United States in the semifinals of the CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup last month, but came from behind to advance to the final.
Brazil’s Tarciane gave the South Americans a 1-0 lead from the penalty spot in the 22nd minute, but Vanessa Gil scored Canada’s equalizer with 13 minutes remaining.
The game went straight to a penalty shootout after 90 minutes, but it was Canada who held their own in the penalty shootout.
Canadian goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan saved Marta’s spot kick, Brazilian defender Antonia pushed the penalty wide and Giulia Grosso held on to send Canada into the final.
Cebu/RCW/MW
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