Sunday night’s opening match of the 2026 SheBelieves Cup between the U.S. and Argentina was scrappy. Head coach Emma Hayes was pleased about that.
“It’s easy to lose your emotional control,” Hayes said after the United States’ 2-0 win. In her view, preparing to be provoked — and knowing how to handle it — is just as important, if not more important, than technical sharpness.
And in this game, there was no shortage of provocation. Argentina’s women’s national team currently sits around No. 30 in the world rankings, but it’s steadily improving — five years ago, the U.S. blanked it 6-0. The team is talented, but its style is physical and disruptive, the kind of performance that caused everyone to reach for the same word to describe: chippy. Argentina brought a level of aggression the U.S. doesn’t always face; this time, the Americans were ready for it.
“I think when it gets a little bit chippy you can see that everyone has each other’s backs,” midfielder Olivia Moultrie said in the mixed zone. “The way we show up for each other, the way we counter-press when we lose the ball, how much we’re talking … Those, to me, are all signs of how we’ve built this tight-knit team.”
Starting the 2026 SheBelieves Cup with a win felt important — for more than one reason. The first phase of the Hayes era, defined by experimentation and an expanded player pool, is beginning to narrow, and this roster reflects a selection of top talent. And, there was unfinished business: last year, the U.S. lost its home tournament for just the second time in history, to a dominant Japan. Another loss also lingers — a surprising October 2025 exhibition defeat to Portugal. Upsets like those tend to rattle a team so used to winning.
Hayes, noticeably lighter in tone Sunday night than she was in October, referenced that Portugal match as a marker of growth.
“I think Portugal is a good reference,” Hayes said. “When I think back to that game, we got a little panicked, started chasing, got out of position — we didn’t do it together. Was today a perfect performance? No. Was it a difficult game to play in? Yes. But did we stay together? Yes.”
That cohesion under strain was precisely the point; for Hayes, it’s why you play a match like this one.
“Imagine this is a World Cup,” Hayes said. “The split second we lose it? Boom — down to 10 players. So we want these opportunities. I’m here to develop a whole squad ready for these situations. I’m delighted to put the team in an uncomfortable position.”
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At moments, the aggression bordered on too much — just as Hayes anticipated. Trinity Rodman went down late, clutching her back, a nerve-racking sight for fans familiar with her injury history. Defender Lilly Reale also appeared to suffer an ankle injury that could leave her questionable for the next match. Through both, the U.S. stayed composed and closed out the win, which is exactly what it had trained to do.
And there were flashes of excellence, too. A pair of stunning strikes — one from captain Lindsey Heaps in the 20th minute, another from Jaedyn Shaw in the 56th — secured the result. The Americans also secured their seventh consecutive clean sheet.
Next up is Canada on Wednesday. The Canadians may not possess Argentina’s physical edge, but they bring impressive technical skills and currently rank 10th in the world. However, the U.S. believes its emotional steadiness will carry over to the next competition.
“We had to control our emotions and control the tempo of the game,” Shaw said. “Making sure we can carry that into the next one against Canada — it’ll be a really exciting one.”