Tampa-
The inaugural SheBelieves Cup began on a warm and overcast evening in Tampa Thursday evening with a match between Germany and France, ranked second and third in the FIFA Women’s rankings respectively. The tournament replaces the traditional Algarve Cup on the US Women’s annual schedule, and features four of the top five ranked teams in the world in the Yanks, Germany, France and England. The winner of the tournament will be determined on points after a three game round robin, with head to head and goal differential serving as tiebreakers, if necessary.
For three of the four nations, including the United States, who qualified for the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil last month, the tournament serves as a tremendous Olympic tune-up, providing the sides with competitive games against the world’s best. England, of course, is part of Great Britain and will not be participating in the women’s Olympic games.
The tournament will move to Nashville March 6th and conclude back in Florida, in Boca Raton, on March 9th. In addition to six premier soccer matches, the inaugural SheBelieves Cup will showcase and feature events and happenings in women’s soccer around the matches at all three venues. The idea is to embrace the spirit of the “She Believes” motto that accompanied US Soccer’s World Cup run last summer in Canada beyond the pitch and into the classroom, workplace and community. US Soccer will salute outstanding youth students in various communities near the host venues, as well as female military heroes and leaders of enterprise and industry. The idea, per a US Soccer press release, is to continue to demonstrate US Soccer’s commitment to the growth of women’s soccer while also promoting women’s causes and accomplishment beyond the pitch.
Game One: Germany 1 France 0
The opening match, featuring Germany and France, began tentatively, with both teams remaining compact and neither team playing very open soccer. There were very few chances until late in the first half, when Germany Lena Goeßling’s freed Dzsenifer Marozsan for a hard shot that Bouhadi saved low. France’s best chance came just before the break, when a German turnover and a lovely ball from Claire Lavogez to Eugenie Le Sommer on the far post nearly resulted in an opener, only to see Almuth Schult deny inches off the goalline.
The second half was even more cynical, and when Elodie Thomas came on for Louisa Necib late in the second half, it seemed a concession by the French that a draw would be a suitable result. The Germans, largely moving the ball through Lena Goeßling on a night where number ten Dzsenifer Marozsan struggled in her distributions, found chances sparse in the second half, but defended well, including parrying aside a flurry of French corners late in the game.
Finally, on a rare foray into the French half, Germany capitalized on a corner when Leonie Maier buried a shot in the 83rd minute after substitute Anna Blässe’s shot was deflected off the service. France had two opportunities from set pieces to find an equalizer, but couldn’t even produce a shot to test Almuth Schult.
Ultimately, it was a result that Germany didn’t deserve, with the French the better team on the break and in the second half in particular, the midfield. But it was a gritty performance by the Germans defensively and a signal that perhaps more than their more nouveau riche counterparts from France, the Germans understand how to grind out a result. And in a game where Germany demonstrably missed retired playmaker Célia Šašić, it is impressive and a testament to their mentality that they can find three points against one of the world’s best teams.