There's much at stake from both team and individual perspectives as the USWNT seek an eighth SheBelieves Cup trophy

After two victories in four days, the U.S. women's national team arrive the final match of the 2025 SheBelieves Cup exactly where they wanted to be: in position to claim yet another trophy.

In truth, winning this tournament has been commonplace for this group. They've won all but two of the nine prior editions, including the last five. But, for several reasons, this year feels different. This year, as the U.S. gears up to take on Japan in the final match Wednesday at 10:30 p.m. ET in San Diego, the SheBelieves Cup takes on a different meaning.

This isn't a full-strength USWNT group. It's missing several notable stars – including Sophia Wilson, Trinity Rodman, Mallory Swanson and Naomi Girma – but, so far, Emma Hayes has managed that about as well as she possibly could have.

Hayes has walked the fine line of both playing to win and bringing in new faces and – and so far, she's balanced it perfectly. The U.S. has beaten both Colombia and Australia over the past week, and Hayes started 22 different players to earn those two wins. New faces have stepped in seamlessly, in most cases, and more familiar players have set a tone that has led the U.S. right back to this trophy chance.

"Did we do everything we set out to do in terms of simulating a tournament setting? Yes, we've done that," Hayes said. "Did we increase the players' learning around our blueprint, our way of playing? Yes. Tick, we did that one. Did we deepen the pool and the playing opportunities under pressure for many of our players? Tick, we did that one. They were our three objectives."

What's next, then, is a eighth SheBelieves Cup trophy. It won't be easy. This Japan team is no pushover – remember, Japan gave the U.S. all it could handle just last summer in the Olympics, and now they'll be looking for some measure of revenge.

GOAL takes a look at five key USWNT storylines for the 2025 SheBelieves Cup final.

AFPTaking on Japan

It's hard to say that the USWNT heads into this game as an underdog, given their pedigree – after all, they are riding a 22-match unbeaten streak, including all 17 in Hayes' short tenure. However, it's fair to say that winning this tournament will be easier said than done.

The scenario is simple. Win and get a trophy. Anything else? No silverware for you. That gives Japan the advantage, and, given what we've seen from them so far, they could very well make the most of it.

Japan has been this tournament's juggernaut, crushing both Australia and Colombia to set up this finale. They smacked the Aussies 4-0 in the opener and then scored 16 seconds into a 4-1 win over Colombia. So far, there's been no stopping this team, one which has been led by the tournament's leading goalscorer, Mina Tanaka, who has a brace in both games.

Japan won't be afraid of this USWNT group whatsoever. They gave a full-strength U.S. team all it could handle in a 1-0 extra-time loss in the Olympic quarterfinals last summer, and this U.S. team remains Triple Espresso-less. And because of goal differential – Japan is +7 in the tournament, the USWNT + 3 – the Americans need a win, not a draw.

Given their form, Japan will have every reason to believe they can get a result out of this game, even as they stare down the U.S. on their home soil. This will be this USWNT group's biggest test in this tournament, and passing it is far from guaranteed. This could well be a toss-up.

AdvertisementImagnSetting up the attack

Of course, this something of a champagne problem. Even without Rodman, Swanson and Wilson, the USWNT have options in the attack – and in the first two games of this tournament, those players delivered.

In the 2-0 win over Colombia, Hayes turned to Catarina Macario, Ally Sentnor and Yazmeen Ryan, with very good results. Sentnor scored a stunner. Macario scored her first USWNT goal in nearly three years, completing her long-awaited comeback. Ryan, meanwhile, is a total handful every time on the field. It was exactly what Hayes needed from that trio.

The same can be said of the group that started game two, a 2-1 victory over Australia. Lynn Biyendolo, the most senior member of the attack, scored just a minute into the game, while attacking partners Alyssa Thompson and Emma Sears gave Australia's fullbacks fits. You can add Jaedyn Shaw to that mix, too, considering the havoc she created as the USWNT's No. 10.

So how does Hayes put this together against Japan? Does she mix and match? Does she stick with the first group, who will have a bit more rest in their legs? Does she lean on a veteran in Biyendolo, a newcomer such as Sentnor or someone in the middle such as Thompson? Again, a champagne problem given the talents in this group, but it's still one Hayes will need to figure out.

Getty Images SportYohannes' time to shine?

American soccer has been eagerly awaiting the arrival of Lily Yohannes. Might this be the week we can say it officially happened?

Her performance against Colombia started that conversation. She was a creative wizard, pinging balls all over the field to unlock Colombia's defense. Her ball over the top opened the door for the USWNT's first goal and she had several other passes that could have led to more.

Still, if she is selected, this Japan game would be a much bigger test. This is a veteran Japan midfield, one with eight players with at least 25 caps. They play for many of the world's biggest teams, too. They won't be overwhelmed by Yohannes.

Still, if Yohannes can make magic against Japan, it'll be quite a statement. If she can run a game like she did against Colombia, Yohannes will have truly arrived. Just a teenager, Yohannes is clearly the future of the USWNT. If she balls out in the SheBelieves Cup final, it'll be even harder to keep her out of the present day XI even when it is at full strength.

Getty Images SportCenterback pairings

The moment it became clear that Girma wouldn't be on this squad, the centerbacks were pushed into focus. This group headed into the SheBelieves Cup without arguably the best defender in the world. How would they fare?

So far, the answer has been clear. Emily Sonnett and Tara McKeown held down the fort in the first game in a combination of experience and youth. McKeown took some time to get into the game but, once she did, she looked smooth. Sonnett was, well, Sonnett. You know what you get. After all, Sonnett is playing in her 10th SheBelieves Cup and has won the most SheBelieves Cups of anyone on the roster with seven.

In the second game, Hayes went with Tierna Davidson and Emily Sams and, despite a late counterattack goal, that defensive pairing kept Australia quiet. Sams has impressed in her brief USWNT career, while Davidson is arguably the best candidate to start alongside Girma when this team is at its fullest strength.

You can already see the decision brewing here. How does Hayes do this? Veterans, newcomers or a mix of both?

The USWNT coach knows what she'll get out of Davidson and Sonnett, should she go with that combo. They have 170 caps between them. There will be no nerves and, in some ways, no pressure. They've played in bigger games than this.

McKeown and Sams haven't. Is that a good thing or bad thing in this scenario? It'll be interesting to see what option Hayes chooses.