USWNT defeats Brazil to win 2024 CONCACAF Gold Cup

The USWNT had a difficult journey to the trophy. It won its opening matches against the Dominican Republic and Argentina but fell 2-0 to rivals Mexico. The loss shocked the USWNT and pushed it into a harder knockout-round path.

"I think it just shows how far the game is coming and there are no easy games anymore," USWNT coach Twila Kilgore said after the Mexico loss. "If we don't take care of business and we don't execute, this is to be expected."

The USWNT took the hint and executed brilliantly in the quarterfinals, beating a tough Colombia team 3-0. But it floundered — literally and figuratively — in the semis, playing out a 2-2 stalemate with Canada on a waterlogged field. Goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher was the hero of the evening, making several crucial saves in the ensuing penalty shootout to book the USWNT's place in the final.

Conditions improved dramatically for the trophy game in San Diego, and the USWNT held off a savvy, sharp Brazil squad to clinch victory. Midfielder Sam Coffey was electric in the center of the park and defender Emily Fox pushed high up the field to add an attacking threat that took Brazil by surprise. 

It was Fox who architected the USWNT's breakthrough late in the first half: she placed a perfectly weighted ball into Brazil's penalty box for Lindsey Horan to head home. It was Horan's third goal of the tournament and 38th for the USWNT.

Brazil tested the USWNT defense in the second half, with right back Antonia creating chance after chance down the far flank, but the USWNT held firm. It repelled Brazil's shots with such ease that Brazil didn't earn a corner until the 60th minute of the match.

The Gold Cup victory puts an exclamation point on the end of the Twila Kilgore era of the USWNT; Kilgore will step down from her role as interim coach this summer to make way for English coach Emma Hayes. Though her tenure was short, Kilgore had a massive impact on the trajectory of the USWNT. 

She snapped the team out of its doldrums and instilled a creative, bombastic spirit that went missing under previous coach Vlatko Andonovski. 

With young stars like Trinity Rodman and Jaedyn Shaw just breaking through, Hayes will have plenty of talent to work with as she builds towards the 2027 World Cup.

Eight of the USWNT's starting 11 play their club soccer here in the States. They'll be back in action next weekend when the National Women's Soccer League kicks off its 11th season.