USA beats Brazil 1-0 to win inaugural CONCACAF W Gold Cup in San Diego

The USWNT have beaten Brazil, 1-0, to win the inaugural CONCACAF W Gold Cup, as Lindsey Horan scored the only goal of the game in front of a sold-out crowd in San Diego. 

The Star and Stripes held their ground on home turf, with Lindsey scoring a header off a well-placed lofted pass from Emily Fox in first-half stoppage time, despite Brazil having more shots on goal then their opponents (7 to 11).

Horan’s decisive goal was her third goal of the tournament. Her earlier goals were from the penalty spot. 

Sunday was also the fourth time that the U.S. faced Brazil in a tournament final. The Americans also won the previous three, including the 2004 and 2008 Olympics.

The game drew a crowd of 31,528 fans to Snapdragon Stadium, a record crowd for a CONCACAF women’s match.

Horan was in form going into Sunday’s final, as she scored her third tournament goal vs. Brazil

The U.S. lifted the first ever W Gold Cup in front of a sold-out crowd of 31,528 fans in San Diego

Horan won the Fair Play Award, while Best Player went to Jaedyn Shaw. Alyssa Naeher won the tournament’s Golden Glove Award

Brazilian players looking dejected after receiving their silver medal, despite having more shots

Lynn Williams nearly scored a second for the United States in the 79th minute but the play was offsides. Casey Krueger headed out a dangerous Brazilian cross in the final moments. 

The United States was stunned in the group stage of the tournament by a 2-0 loss to Mexico – just the second loss in the 43-game series. 

The Americans rebounded with a 3-0 win over Colombia in the quarterfinals, before advancing to the final on penalties after a rain-soaked 2-2 draw with Canada in the semifinals. 

Interim coach Twila Kilgore led the US to its first prize since its disastrous World Cup campaign

The Ameircans were overjoyed at full-time, winning their fourth tournament final against Brazil

Brazil had won each of its five matches in the tournament, including a 3-0 victory over Mexico in the semifinals, scoring 15 goals. The Brazilians allowed just two total goals in the team’s first competitive tournament under coach Arthur Elias, who took over for Pia Sundhage after Brazil’s exit at last summer’s Women’s World Cup. 

Likewise, the United States was playing its first tournament under interim coach Twila Kilgore, who assumed her role after the team parted ways with coach Vlatko Andonovski after the earliest-ever World Cup exit. 

The United States hired Emma Hayes as the team’s coach, but she is concluding the season with Chelsea in the Women’s Super League.

Both Brazil and the United States have qualified for this summer’s Olympics in France.