Emma Hayes praised her young USWNT squad's emotional control in a 2-0 victory over Argentina to open the 2026 SheBelieves Cup in Nashville. Captain Lindsey Heaps scored in the first half before assisting Jaedyn Shaw's goal in the second half, marking a significant improvement from the team's shocking loss to Portugal in October.

Sunday's match ended with concern as forward Trinity Rodman suffered an apparent back injury in stoppage time after a challenge from Argentina's Milagros Martín. Rodman received medical attention but did not return to the field. Hayes noted the team showed much better emotional control than in previous matches, emphasizing the importance of handling provocation without losing composure.

Hayes referenced the Portugal defeat multiple times, pointing out the growth in her squad's ability to manage difficult situations. Heaps' goal extended her impressive streak of scoring for the USWNT in every calendar year since 2015. The Americans will face Canada in Columbus on Wednesday and Colombia in Harrison on Saturday to conclude the tournament, where Canada defeated Colombia 4-1 in the earlier match.