It seems like the USWNT has finally gotten back into the swing of things. Last week The Algarve Cup concluded with the US demolishing their competition and winning the whole thing.
The ladies put to rest any shadow of a doubt about their capabilities with the victory. Defeating France in the final was a major step in the right direction heading into the World Cup.
The victory against France was also a bit of revenge for the US seeing as how the French wiped the floor with the US in their friendly earlier in February. France was also considered to be one of the top contenders in the world according to Equalizer Soccer.
What started out to be a disastrous year for the USWNT has slowly but surely turned around, and they have proven their dominance yet again. With a fairly easy schedule coming up, it is just a matter of keeping their momentum up for Canada.
Being crowned champions of the tournament brought the team morale all the way up. Midfielder Carli Lloyd said “I think it’s a huge confidence booster… We closed out the tournament on a high note which was a good boost for us.”
Julie Johnston and Hope Solo both had a tremendous game. Johnston scored her first career goal in the 7th minute and Solo had several excellent saves to keep a goose egg on the board for France.
The return of Hope Solo from her suspension has been nothing but great for the team. I think that has been one of the major keys in rebuilding the confidence of this team.
The US has shown they are back and ready to dominate another World Cup. In the meantime, they will play their next match against New Zealand on April 1.