GANGUE-RUZIC: CanWNT's SheBelieves final vs. USWNT a chance to re-ignite rivalry, accelerate Olympic prep
Could we be seeing the start of a renewed rivalry between the CanWNT and the USWNT?
It’s far too early to say, as that will take time to manifest itself, but it feels like something is brewing between both teams as they get set for their second meeting in just over a month on Tuesday.
There, they’ll take the field in the final of the 2024 SheBelieves Cup, where both teams will look to fight across 90+ minutes to lift a trophy, even if it’s an invitational friendly tournament, as the last thing the other will want to see is their rival being the ones to win it at their expense.
As a result, with that on the line, it feels like this could mark a key starting point of a new rivalry between these two teams, too.
GOAL 🇨🇦🇨🇦
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) March 7, 2024
ADRIANA LEON SCORES AND WE ARE GOING TO PENALTIES 😭#CanWNT | #USWNT pic.twitter.com/Jf9PEhTdrk
That’s no exaggeration, either - with both teams going through transitions that have seen legends on both teams like Christine Sinclair and Megan Rapinoe retire with a new generation of players set to take their place, there are a whole host of new characters who will look to put their stamp on this matchup that has been marked by many legends of the game.
And for Canada, they’ll look to rewrite history of their own, as they’ve historically struggled in this rivalry, winning just four games in 65 previous matchups, something that they’ll want to change this week. Given that heavily lopsided record has been enough for some US fans to state Canada isn’t even a rival in their eyes, it shows how tilted the competitive balance has been toward the US over the years.
But make no mistake - this is a rivalry, and will always be a rivalry. No matter the level, no matter the sport, no matter how dominant one team may be, any matchup that pits Canada against the US seems to just mean more, and for good reason.
Just look at the last time that Canada beat the US, which came at the 2021 Olympics, when Canada defeated their neighbours 1-0 in the semi-finals to advance to their first-ever major final.
After that game, Rapinoe made headlines with her comments, noting that “we never want to lose to Canada. I don't think I've ever lost to Canada”, which understandably rubbed people north of the border the wrong way.
What bothers Megan Rapinoe more: Losing in the semis or losing to Canada? 😅 pic.twitter.com/RTek6Wtfuf
— theScore (@theScore) August 2, 2021
Yet, while the delivery of the statement was one with heavy jarbs, her words were truthful - before then, the last time that Canada had beaten the US before was at the 2001 Algarve Cup, 20 long years ago.
For the most part, any US or Canadian players who played in the 20 year period between 2001 and 2021 only knew a reality in which the US dominated this rivalry, other than a couple of Canadian draws that were mixed in with all of the defeats (and a 2012 Olympic semi-final that will forever live in infamy for Canadians), which will have lingered in the minds of players on both teams.
But that just shows why this matchup is so important for this Canadian team. With this team going through a generational shift over the last few years, this younger group will want to create a reality in which Canada wins these games a lot more often, making this a much more competitive rivalry.
And there’s no better time to do that than the present. Especially given that the US is going through a similar generational shift of their own, moving on from several key legends that helped the US win the 2008 and 2012 Olympics, as well as the 2015 and 2019 World Cups, it feels like they’re ripe to be overtaken, as we’ve seen some key powers across the world start to catch up to them as of late.
As an example, for the first time in a long time they’re not the holders of either the Olympics or World Cup (or both) at the moment, with those honours going to Canada and Spain, respectively, which is key to note. Of course, Canada has struggled in this rivalry, but this is a US team that has won four out of nine World Cups and four out of eight Olympics - they’ve also been one of the best teams in the world over the last 25 years.
GOAL 🇨🇦
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) April 6, 2024
VANESSA GILLES finds the equalizer! 💥
The #CanWNT go 1-1 vs. Brazil in the 2024 SheBelieves Cup as Gilles gets on the end of a free kick 🎯
🔴 Watch LIVE on OneSoccer pic.twitter.com/TpfM3iCbmo
Canada has been right there with them, yes, but the reality is that in its prime, no one in the world seemed to be able to touch this US team, so it’s not as if Canada were losing games to a team they should’ve been beating. Naturally, they would’ve preferred to do better than they have, but they can have solace in that.
Now, however, there’s no reason why Canada can’t aspire to change that. Heck, this team has won a major tournament more recently than the US has, giving an idea of how the pendulum has started to shift.
So while the US are still the team to beat in this rivalry until proven otherwise, something they reminded of Canada in their penalty shootout win at the Gold Cup, the time is now for Canada to change that. 
Speaking of that Gold Cup semi-final, however, that leads nicely to the other reason why this game is so big for Canada, rivalry aside, and that’s their need for a test like this, as this may be the best matchup they’ll get between now and the Olympics.
While Canada have played some good teams over the past few months, including two games against Australia and three against Brazil, the US is the only top-five team they’ve played, and that game was marred by the fact that the weather conditions took away from what could’ve been an extremely competitive game, turning it into a mudbath where both teams tried to survive the conditions instead of playing their usual games.
Because of that, it’s perfect that Canada can get a rematch as soon as they did, allowing them to prove that their penalty shootout loss was more of an indictment of the conditions they were up against than how they can match up against this US team.
Heading into the Olympics with a new formation and a younger team, Canada has done well to reinvent itself since a poor 2023 World Cup, where they were eliminated in the group stages for the first time since 2011, but there are still some questions they need to answer before this summer.
And with a strong performance in a game of this magnitude, where they’ve got the triple whammy of playing a rival, playing a top-five team and playing for a trophy, they could answer a lot of those questions.
Therefore, look for some new faces to step up in this game. From those who are spearheading this newer generation, such as new captain, Jessie Fleming, and key leaders such as Kailen Sheridan, Kadeisha Buchanan, Vanessa Gilles, Ashley Lawrence, Janine Beckie and Adriana Leon, to the fresh faces that have seemed to inject new life into this team such as Jade Rose and Simi Awujo, this could help them prove they’re ready to defend their gold medal at the Olympics, all while re-igniting a rivalry in the process.
So now, the onus is on Canada to put out the best version of itself and see what they can do. Much like they tried to do in that first US matchup, put out the new-look 3-4-2-1, put the 11 best players they feel have earned a chance to show themselves off in this game and who are healthy (which might look something like the below lineup), and see what it yields. 
If all goes well, the impact of this result could be felt for years to come, for many reasons, showing why this one is so important for head coach Bev Priestman and company to attack in the right way, as they continue their push towards the Olympics.
On a long and winding road, this matchup could mark a key stop in the journey, one that accelerates their progress as a team, and for good reason.
“U.S.-Canada games are always exciting, I don’t think they’re ever a dull game that you fall asleep (while) watching,” Priestman noted on Monday. “These are the games you want to be playing in as a player.”
