NASHVILLE, Tenn. (March 1, 2026) – The U.S. Women’s National Team began the 2026 SheBelieves Cup, presented by Visa, with a 2-0 win against a physical Argentina team as USWNT captain Lindsey Heaps scored the opener in the first half, marking her 12th consecutive calendar year with at least one goal for the National Team, while Jaedyn Shaw scored her 10th international goal in just her 32nd appearance.
The USWNT finished the first day of the tournament in second place behind Canada, which sits at the top of the table off goal differential after defeating Colombia, 4-1. Argentina is in third place, and Colombia is in fourth.
Sunday’s match was the first of the year for Heaps who leads the roster in caps (171) and goals (39). She put the Americans on the board in the 19th minute after forward Emma Sears won possession following a USA throw-in and cut inside box before playing a pass into the middle which bounced out to Heaps. With space to control the ball just inside the penalty arc, she took a touch and curled a left-footed shot past the outstretched arms of Argentina goalkeeper Solana Pereyra.
The U.S. extended its lead in the second half off another long-range beauty, this one from Shaw. A cleared corner kick came back to midfielder Olivia Moultrie, who passed to Heaps inside the box. Heaps backheeled the ball to Shaw, who sent a curling shot through the hands of Pereyra and into the right side of the goal in the 56th minute. The finish marked double-digit goals for Shaw and Heaps’ seventh match with at least one goal and one assist.
There could have been more goals for the USA as it put the ball in the net twice only to see the flag raised offside. Minutes after Heaps’ opener, forward Jameese Joseph slipped behind Argentina’s backline off a pass from Shaw and scored off the rebound of her initial shot, but the goal was called back. Second-half substitute Ally Sentnor made a run around the goalkeeper and slotted a shot into the goal in the 66th minute, but it was also reversed.
Joseph, who made her second start in her third cap, is competing in her first SheBelieves Cup, alongside Maddie Dahlien, Claudia Dickey, Kennedy Wesley, Avery Patterson, Phallon Tullis-Joyce, Riley Jackson and Lilly Reale, who came on at halftime but had a short night as she had to be replaced in the 62nd after getting stomped on. Dickey earned her seventh clean sheet in her eighth appearance.
Up next, the U.S. will take on Canada for their second match of the 2026 SheBelieves Cup on Wednesday, March 4 at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field in Columbus, Ohio and will close the tournament against Colombia on Saturday, March 7 at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, N.J.
USA – LINDSEY HEAPS (EMMA SEARS), 19th minute: The U.S. earned a throw-in deep in Argentina’s defensive third, and Jameese Joseph maintained possession under pressure. She played a pass to Sears, who made a run inside the penalty area before passing to Heaps just outside the top of the box. She settled the pass before launching a left-footed shot into the back of the net. USA 1, ARG 0
USA – JAEDYN SHAW (LINDSEY HEAPS), 56th minute: Midfielder Olivia Moultrie took a corner kick and received the ball back after a headed clearance. Moultrie split two defenders with a pass inside the box to Heaps. The captain flicked the ball back to Shaw, who took a touch away from her defender before sending her shot into the right-side netting. USA 2, ARG 0
Additional Notes:
Match: United States Women’s National Team vs. Argentina
Date: March 1, 2026
Competition: SheBelieves Cup
Venue: GEODIS Park, Nashville, Tenn.
Attendance: 17,125
Kickoff: 4:07 p.m. CT
Weather: 64 degrees and clear skies
| Scoring Summary | 1 | 2 | F |
| USA | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| ARG | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| USA – Lindsey Heaps (Emma Sears) | 19th minute |
| USA – Jaedyn Shaw (Lindsey Heaps) | 56 |
Lineups:
USA: 1-Claudia Dickey; 20-Gisele Thompson, 5-Tara Rudd, 11-Kennedy Wesley, 25-Maddie Dahlien (12-Lilly Reale, 46, 23-Emily Fox, 62); 10-Lindsey Heaps (Capt.), 7-Lily Yohannes (2-Trinity Rodman, 62), 8-Jaedyn Shaw (9-Ally Sentnor,62), 13-Olivia Moultrie; 19-Emma Sears (21-Alyssa Thompson, 76), 26-Jameese Joseph (15-Claire Hutto, 46)
Subs not used: 4-Naomi Girma, 14-Emily Sonnett, 16-Rose Lavelle, 17-Sam Coffey, 22-Riley Jackson, 24-Phallon Tullis-Joyce
Not dressing: Mandy McGlynn, Avery Patterson, Emily Sams
Head coach: Emma Hayes
ARG: 1-Solana Pereyra; 4-Justina Morcillo (7-Margarita Gimenez, 77), 16-Evelyn Dominguez (2-Adriana Sachs, 66), 13-Sophia Braun, 6-Aldana Cometti, 3-Eliana Stabile (14-Milagros Martin, 66); 10-Maricel Pereyra, 8-Daiana Falfan (17-Agostina Vargas, 85), 5-Vanina Preininger (18-Catalina Ongaro, 85), 15-Maria Bonsegundo; 19-Agostina Holzheier (9-Martina del Trecco, 77)
Subs not used: 12-Lara Esponda, 11-Carolina Troncoso, 20-Chiara Singarella, 21-Abril de los Milagros Reche
Head coach: German Portanova
Stats Summary: USA / ARG
Shots: 6 / 5
Shots on Goal: 3 / 1
Saves: 1 / 1
Corner Kicks: 3 / 1
Fouls: 12 / 21
Offside: 4 / 2
| Misconduct Summary | |
| ARG – Sofía Dominguez | 39th minute |
| ARG – Milagros Martín | 90+1 |
Officials:
Referee: Timothy Derry (TRI)
AR1: Gabrielle Lemieux (CAN)
AR2: Melissa Snedden (CAN)
4th Official: Jacklyn Metz (USA)
| TEAM | GP | W | L | D | PK Win | GF | GA | GD | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 3 |
| USA | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 3 |
| Argentina | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 0 |
| Colombia | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | -3 | 0 |