It has to be Allie Centeno.
The 22-year-old was relentless in her pursuit of goals against rivals Canada, and her tenacity finally paid off in the 55th minute.
When U.S. midfielder Rose Lavelle sent a powerful corner kick that sailed past Trinity Rodman, Emily Sonnett and Claire Hutton, Centeno knew she could take advantage and score her seventh international goal in 13 months to give the U.S. a 1-0 victory over Canada.
advertise
“I’m living the dream. Like, this is crazy,” Centeno said. “Every time I step on the field with this team, I really just try to play with joy.”
The USWNT’s gritty victory in Columbus, Ohio moved the team one step closer to its eighth SheBelieves Cup title. The team now travels to Harrison, N.J., to face Columbia in the tournament finals on Saturday at Sports Illustrated Stadium. The team with the most points among the four participating teams wins the championship, while the United States is in pole position with six points from two games to play.
The victory was testament to how far this group of players have come over the past two years under coach Emma Hayes, with the former Chelsea boss describing Wednesday’s game as one of her “favourite performances”.
“There are a lot of different ways to win a football game,” Hayes said. “I love winning football games like this“.
advertise
The Americans dominated possession for much of the game and pressed so hard that the Canadiens’ defense was often thrown into disarray. The United States had 18 field goal attempts to Canada’s six. Individuals have had their moments of brilliance, but each time they have been overshadowed by America’s controlling power.
“The control we had in the last 10 minutes of the game — to me, that showed the maturity of our performance,” Hayes said. “This is one of my favorite shows because they are growing up.
“That includes Ally Centeno. I mean, she was threatening all night long, the pressure was very different. She made it difficult for them to settle on the ball.”
As Hayes said, it’s a testament to her development. Not long ago, Centeno scored her first goal with the U.S. Women’s National Team in last year’s SheBelieves Cup. Few can forget her rocket outside the penalty area. At the time, Hayes warned reporters that this was just the beginning for the then 21-year-old.
advertise
Wednesday’s game was another showcase for Hayes’ vision, previewing the core lineup she may be considering as the United States prepares for World Cup qualifying. To be sure, Hayes has plenty of players to choose from.
The lineup Wednesday against Canada is completely different from the 11 players who started against Argentina over the weekend in Nashville, Tennessee. Only 20-year-old Gisele Thompson features in both starting eleven. However, both lineups were able to produce winning performances against vastly different opponents.
The starting 11 against Canada features a core of veteran players such as Sennett, Lavelle, Emily Fox, Naomi Gilma and Sam Coffey. Rodman also started and played 69 minutes, a promising sign since she exited Sunday’s game against Argentina early with a hard foul. But one of the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team’s greatest flexibility continues to be players who sometimes come off the bench.
The substitutions of long-time captain Lindsey Heaps and 18-year-old Lily Yohannes in the 79th minute improved control of the game and made things dangerous for the U.S. women’s team.
advertise
“Being able to bring in Lindsay and Lily Johannes – two incredible players who are so good with the ball, who can calm the game, who can lead the team – this team has endless depth and I’m grateful to be a part of it,” Centeno said on the TNT broadcast.
However, the midweek performance was not without its flaws. The performance was marked by turnovers, missed shots and some obvious signs of rust. But it’s also the first time in more than a year that Hayes is focusing on the collective development of this core group rather than developing the broader player pool. Through SheBelieves, the individual parts are finally combined into a cohesive unit.
Hayes noted that many players are participating in NWSL preseason games. It’s also worth noting that this camp is still without the likes of Chelsea’s Catarina Macario, who is recovering from injury, while Mallory Swanson and Sofia Wilson are still trying to get back on the court after being pregnant.
Still, Columbus had some individual moments of brilliance on Wednesday. Sisters Alyssa and Gisele Thompson were reunited on the court, apparently for the first time on the left side of the court. Faron Tullis-Joyce may be the front-runner for Hayes’ starting goalkeeper spot, but he won another clean sheet. The team’s only goal came from set pieces, something Hayes and the players have been actively working to improve.
advertise
The team now looks forward to Saturday’s third and final match of the SheBelieves Cup, where they will face a strong Colombian side fresh off a 1-0 victory over Argentina.
This will be another moment where the team takes full advantage of what they learned last year.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
U.S. Women’s National Team, Kansas City, NWSL, Women’s Soccer
2026 Sports Media Company
