The SheBelieves Cup will kick off on Sunday with the USA taking on Argentina to open the tournament. Emma Hayes has called in a strong roster as the team begins to focus on World Cup qualifying later this year. Last year, Hayes used the tournament, and most of the team’s matches, to evaluate talent and see which players would best fit the tactical and skill profile she wants. This year that work should start to pay off and the cup will be a chance to see where the team stands with new expectations.
Playing Argentina will give Hayes a chance to open up the playbook so to speak and plan an aggressive and attacking style. The team will look to control possession and build attacking moves that set up creative chances in the final third. Argentina may find itself needing to stay compact defensively and play in a low block. This presents an opportunity for the USA to demonstrate its fluid attacking and find weaknesses in the South American defense.
Hayes has depth in the roster and any player can step up to start in any given situation. However, it will be interesting to see how she resolves some of the challenges that emerged last year. Rose Lavelle and Lindsey Heaps have not always played the best in the same XI, one of them may emerge in the tournament as a first choice option to run the midfield. Elsewhere, goalkeeper is a spot where a starter can claim a pair of gloves. Of Claudia Dickey, Mandy McGlynn, and Phallon Tullis-Joyce, none have more than seven caps. At some point, it would be ideal to find a starter amongst the three of them and how Hayes navigates that will be an important decision for the team this year.
As for Argentina, the team likes to stay compact and it seems likely a 4-4-2 formation is in order for the match. The team is comfortable in pressing to create turnovers and will need to rely on center back duo Aldana Cometti and Sophia Braun to avoid giving the USA space in transition. Flor Bonsegundo will gain the attention of American defenders as she is a creative scoring threat who netted three times in Copa America. One place that La Albiceleste might have a surprise for the USA is on set pieces.
While Argentina is a talented squad, the biggest challenge for the Americans awaits on Wednesday when they face Canada. Hayes may have that game in her sights for fielding what is the strongest XI in her mind, but Argentina can’t be overlooked. A win will set the team up to take home another SheBelieves trophy after Japan won it last year.
