A pair of first-half goals by Mallory Swanson gave the United States women a 2-0 opening match win over Canada on Thursday night in the SheBelieves Cup in Orlando, Florida.
Players from both teams wore wristbands in support of gender equality and transgender rights during the match and gathered at the center circle in an embrace prior to kickoff in a show of solidarity for a Canadian team in the midst of a labor dispute with its federation ahead of the World Cup this summer.
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Swanson, formerly Pugh before getting married last December, settled a ball in the center of the area in the 7th minute and fired a volley past Canada’s Kailen Sheridan to put the U.S. in front early and then capitalized on a mistake by the visiting defense to roll the ball into an open net before half-time.
The brace gave Swanson five goals in her first three games for the U.S. in 2023 after scoring three times across two matches against New Zealand in January.
U.S. goalie Alyssa Naeher preserved the lead just before half-time with a lunging save of a Janine Beckie shot from outside the box. Naeher also stopped a header by Jordyn Huitema in the 74th minute.
Her third save came in the…
