Lindsey Heaps leads USWNT to 2-0 SheBelieves Cup win, Trinity Rodman injured in final minutes

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The U.S. women’s national team began its 11th SheBelieves Cup campaign with a 2-0 win over Argentina, marked by goals from Lindsey Heaps in the 19th minute and Jaedyn Shaw in the 56th minute. It was the third straight victory for the U.S. after wins against Chile and Paraguay in January. Though the score line was positive, two crucial USWNT players suffered injuries. Defender Lilly Reale’s second-half appearance was cut short after a tough tackle with an Argentinean player. Th

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Lindsey Heaps leads USWNT to SheBelieves Cup win over Argentina, Trinity Rodman suffers injury

[Lindsey Heaps leads USWNT to SheBelieves Cup win over Argentina, Trinity Rodman suffers injury]

Lindsey Heaps leads USWNT to SheBelieves Cup win over Argentina, Trinity Rodman suffers injury

Melanie Anzidei and Tamerra Griffin

Mon, March 2, 2026 at 1:01 AM UTC·
6 min read

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The U.S. women’s national team began its 11th SheBelieves Cup campaign on Sunday with a 2-0 win over Argentina, marked by goals from Lindsey Heaps in the 19th minute and Jaedyn Shaw in the 56th minute. It was the third straight victory for the U.S. after wins against Chile and Paraguay in January.

Although the scoreline was positive, two crucial USWNT players suffered injuries. Defender Lilly Reale’s second-half appearance was cut short after a tough tackle with an Argentine player. Then, in stoppage time, forward Trinity Rodman went to the ground in pain and grabbed her back after challenging for the ball. Both players were later seen walking on their own on the sideline.

There were no debuts in the match, something coach Emma Hayes had given plenty of in her short tenure, but she did mix up the lineup and shape in both halves.

Goalkeeper Claudia Dickey earned her seventh shutout for the USWNT, with three saves to preserve it. The match also featured the return of sisters Gisele and Alyssa Thompson to the national team for the first time since the last SheBelieves Cup. Gisele, the 20-year-old Angel City defender, earned a starting spot and played the entire match, while Alyssa, 21, subbed on in the 76th minute.

On Wednesday, the USWNT will meet Canada in Columbus, Ohio. The United States’ northern rivals, ranked No. 10 in the world by FIFA, faced off against Colombia earlier Sunday in Nashville, winning 4-1 for their first victory since June 2025.

Trying new things

Hayes, clad in a bespoke hat from a local dealer, employed an equally unique starting XI in the USWNT’s third international friendly of the year.

Dickey, the most-capped goalkeeper of the three selected to this camp, earned a start, with center backs Tara Rudd and Kennedy Wesley in front of her. Gisele Thompson and Maddie Dahlien held down the defensive flanks, with Dahlien, a natural forward who plays for the Seattle Reign in the National Women’s Soccer League, instructed to play as a wing back on the left and exploit space in the attack.

Emma stopped by the @TNTSportsUS desk to deliver a few gifts 🤠 pic.twitter.com/CzsIg32jH9

— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) March 1, 2026

The second half began with only two changes to the lineup — Reale on for Dahlien and midfielder Claire Hutton on for striker Jameese Joseph — and a slightly different shape for the U.S. Hutton slotted into the No. 6 position rather than the double pivot previously shared between Heaps and Lily Yohannes. Shaw and Emma Sears became the two forwards.

Amid the changes, Thompson’s performance was distinct. The younger of the two sisters was unbeatable in one-on-one duels in the first half and added value to the U.S. attack in the second with her speed and technical ability on the right flank.

Heaps adds consistency with a goal and an assist

Heaps, the U.S. captain, opened the scoring in the 19th minute, after Joseph won the ball at the top of their attacking third. The Chicago Stars forward, carrying her impressive form from January camp, passed the ball to Sears, who cut the ball back after seeing Heaps open in the distance. The midfielder used her left foot to cleanly deliver the ball into the back of the net.

This was an important moment for the U.S., as the team struggled to find opportunities on net in the first half. “We’ve got to keep finding that right now, because we’re not having enough of it,” Heaps said during her halftime interview on TNT Sports. It was Heaps again in the second half who contributed to the second goal of the night.

Heaps, who played a full 90 minutes, continued her dominant form with a nifty back pass in the 56th minute to Shaw, who drove into an open space before tallying her 10th career goal with the U.S. This buildup also started with a cutback pass to Heaps, this time from Olivia Moultrie.

It was a promising evening for Heaps, the veteran who is set to make her return to the U.S. and NWSL later this year when she begins her journey with the Denver Summit.

Not all good news for the U.S.

Both Reale and Rodman are typical starters for the U.S. when healthy. To switch things around, however, Hayes had both players on the bench to start the game. Both ended up playing less than 45 minutes.

Reale, the 2025 NWSL Rookie of the Year, entered the match at the start of the second half, but the 22-year-old was in discomfort when being evaluated by U.S. staff on the pitch following a tackle. She appeared to injure her right foot as she tumbled to the ground. By the 62nd minute, she was subbed off.

A lasting injury would be devastating for the defender, as she has been consistent both in the NWSL and on the national team stage. It would be a blow to the back line of her club, reigning NWSL champion Gotham FC – although the club announced Sunday the long-awaited return of center back Tierna Davidson. Reale filled a massive hole at Gotham after Davidson suffered a season-ending knee injury last March. Reale’s standout rookie season has made her a regular in Juan Carlos Amorós’ rotation, with the team’s season opener in Boston two weeks away.

Another concerning moment came in stoppage time, when an Argentine player appeared to make contact with Rodman near her lower back during a tackle. Rodman fell to the ground with her screams audible on the broadcast. The 23-year-old, fresh off a record contract with the Washington Spirit, was finally healthy after spending most of 2025 recovering from a lingering back issue that had plagued her since her rookie season. A subsequent knee injury delayed her return to the pitch in the fall, but she made her return to the national team in January, representing a fresh start. Rodman was on her feet on the sideline after a scary several minutes on the ground.

It’s unclear whether the injuries to Reale or Rodman would limit their time on the pitch for the remainder of the SheBelieves Cup, or if they’ll remain in camp. Every team in the tournament was allowed to call up 26 players, with 23 dressing for each game.

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

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