After letting the 2025 SheBelieves Cup slip away to Japan in 2025, it was the United States who took home the gold in 2026. This year, it was Canada, Columbia and Argentina that the U.S. had to get through. The U.S. went 3-0 against those teams, scoring 4 goals across the three games.
While America’s 2026 SheBelieves Cup roster featured a plethora of new names, it was four players with prior experience in the tournament that scored the goals that brought the USWNT back to the top of the mountain.
Lindsey Heaps opens the tournament scoring for the U.S.
America’s first match of the tournament resulted in a 2-0 win over Argentina, with the first of the two goals coming from Lindsey Heaps. Heaps is no stranger to international games and tournaments, having over 170 appearances with the USWNT. This experience was huge for the team, easing them into the tournament with an early goal against the Argentines.
It was in the 19th minute that Emma Sears took the ball near the goal and passed it out to the edge of the box to Heaps, who cleanly struck the ball into the left side of the net off of her left foot. This goal grabbed momentum against Argentina early, and allowed for the U.S. to play freely the rest of the way.
With the tournament finished, Heaps’ focus is solely on Denver Summit FC. Heaps had spent the last few seasons in France playing with Lyon, but made the move back to her home state of Colorado to play an integral role in the NWSL’s newest expansion team in their first season as a club.
Jaedyn Shaw ices Argentina in the 56th minute
The second of America’s two goals against Argentina came thanks to Jaedyn Shaw. It was a key moment for the U.S. in which they were able to ice Argentina with about 30 minutes to go.
It was a remarkable strike by Shaw who bent the shot towards the right corner of the goal from the left corner of the box. Argentina’s goalkeeper was able to get a hand on it, but it wasn’t enough to stop the ball from hitting the back of the net, in large part because of the power Shaw put on the ball.
Shaw is one of the rising stars in American soccer, already having over 30 appearances with the USWNT despite just being 21 years old. She is beginning her first full season with Gotham FC, in which she looks to continue to be one of the club’s most prominent offensive players on the pitch.
Ally Sentnor lifts U.S. to a victory over Canada
It took the U.S. a little longer to get humming against Canada, but ultimately, it was Ally Sentnor’s goal that was the difference in the 1-0 win over Canada.
It was a corner kick in the 55th minute from Rose Lavelle that set up Sentnor with a prime look from near the penalty kick spot. After taking a touch, Sentnor blasted it past the goalkeeper’s reach with her left foot, giving America the 1-0 lead they would end the game with.
The 22-year-old is creeping up on 20 appearances with the USWNT, and bodes to play a crucial role in the midfield for the squad as other international competitions like the World Cup near. Sentnor carried her goal scoring from the SheBelieves Cup to the NWSL season, opening the Kansas City Current’s 2026 campaign with a goal in a 2-1 win over Jaedyn Shaw and Gotham FC.
Alyssa Thompson’s goal boosts the U.S. to gold
The U.S. needed to get past Columbia to put a cherry on top of their gold medal campaign at the 2026 SheBelieves Cup. It ended up being the up-and-coming superstar, Alyssa Thompson, whose goal would be the difference in a 1-0 win over Colombia.
It wasn’t until the 82nd minute, but it was a lightning bolt of a strike from Thompson at the top of the box that hit top-bin and ultimately secured a win for America. Jaedyn Shaw was on the assist, making it her second goal contribution of the tournament.
The 21-year-old forward already has over 20 appearances for the USWNT, alongside her younger sister Gisele, who was also on the SheBelieves Cup 2026 roster. Thompson, the lifelong Los Angeles native, left her hometown for London in late 2025 on a transfer to Chelsea FC. She already has eight goals with the historic club and looks to continue to make plays for a Chelsea club near the top of the table in the Women’s Super League.
Featured image via @uswnt
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