Gotham FC’s Rose Lavelle provided the match-winning assist on Ally Sentnor’s lone goal on Wednesday as the United States defeated Canada 1-0 in the second match of the 2026 SheBelieves Cup.
Should the Americans win or draw against Colombia on Saturday, it would be enough for the USWNT to capture an eighth SheBelieves Cup title.
Lavelle delivered an assist from a 55th-minute corner delivery that Sentnor controlled brilliantly before she sweetly struck the ball into the back of the net.
Wednesday’s match showcased Lavelle’s match-changing abilities. She tied her personal high for the national team by creating six chances.
Gotham Star in Top Form for USWNT
It was all that the U.S. needed to continue their perfect start to the tournament. The United States have won two matches out of two and leads the tournament standings with six points and a plus-three goal difference.
“Obviously, this is a great win, and we want to build on it,” Lavelle told reporters in the mixed zone. “We have to now turn our focus to Colombia, so we’ll take the learnings from this game and apply it to the next.”
At age 30, Lavelle is one of the USWNT’s dependable veteran leaders. She is encouraged by younger talents like Sentnor, who are stepping up and rising to the occasion when they pull on the national team shirt.
The average USWNT player in Emma Hayes’ starting XI against Canada averaged 47.3 caps.
“Honestly, I feel like they make it easy,” she said. “It’s such a talented group of young players. I know we have a lot of new players that maybe haven’t had these type of experiences yet, but I think they don’t play like that. I think they play well beyond their years, so I feel like it makes it pretty easy for the veteran group to lead them. They’re really good.”
USWNT Legend Tobin Heath To Be Honored on Saturday
The United States will play the final match of the SheBelieves Cup at Harrison, New Jersey’s Sports Illustrated Stadium against Colombia on Saturday with a 3:30 p.m. kickoff scheduled.
Prior to the match, USWNT icon and New Jersey native Tobin Heath will be honored in a retirement celebration. Heath was raised in Basking Ridge and played for local clubs New Jersey Wildcats, the Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues, Sky Blue FC (now known as Gotham FC) and the New York Fury.
Heath made 181 appearances for the United States senior team and helped the Americans win the She Believes Cup in 2016 and 2020, in addition to two Olympic gold medals and two FIFA Women’s World Cups.
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