'That was spicy': USWNT Winners and Losers as composed Heaps leads the way, and Dickey stands strong in goal

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The real winner of this match might have been the broadcast crew, who walked away with cowboy hats courtesy of U.S. Women’s National Team head coach Emma Hayes. What started as fun and games in Nashville quickly devolved into something far scrappier, as an otherwise competitive matchup was overtaken by cheap shots, hair pulling, and escalating tension.

In the end, though, the players who truly won were the ones who kept their composure - because that proved harder than scoring.

The first half felt tame compared to what followed. Apart from captain Lindsey Heaps’ opener, the opening 45 minutes were messy but manageable. The second half? That’s when things turned. Hayes joked in her post-match press conference that her Nashville hot chicken sandwich was “spicy.” The game itself fit the description just as well.

Jaedyn Shaw doubled the lead after enduring persistent physical play, including a blatant hair pull. Tempers flared elsewhere, too - Olivia Moultrie had words after a late challenge, and Trinity Rodman took another knock to her back, an issue that has lingered for more than a year. There is no official update on Rodman’s status, but injuries - from her back to an MCL sprain - limited her to just one USWNT appearance last year.

Through it all, Heaps was steady. She organized the midfield and, just as importantly, helped keep emotions in check.

“Listen, in those types of games, I think sometimes teams want to implement that. They want to make it more chippy or get in your head,” Heaps said postgame. “The younger Lindsey could have been more affected by that. I want to protect my players. Some of the challenges I didn’t like. I don’t think that’s necessary in a tournament like this.”

GOAL breaks down the Winners and Losers from GEODIS Stadium...

It’s hard to top that kind of performance and leadership from Lindsey Heaps. The midfielder not only found the back of the net, but helped the USWNT maintain its composure in an increasingly heated match.

Heaps entered the night with 170 caps - more than the rest of the starting XI combined. The new Denver Summit signee was influential on both sides of the ball, but her greatest impact came in steadying the group. She spoke up for her teammates, advocated with the referee and, most importantly, refused to let the moment rattle her.

“All I said to them is, you know, I want to play football,” Heaps said. “I want us to go out and win these games and fight for them. We want to play against the best teams, but I don’t want to play in that type of way.”

Goalkeeper Claudia Dickey said Heaps reinforced that message at halftime.

“I think Lindsey led the team really well in terms of staying level-headed and just believing in the game plan and in each other,” Dickey said.

Shaw is a winner tonight not just because she scored, but because of how she reflected post-game about how she handled herself.

Shaw was in the middle of a play that saw Evelyn Dominguez tug on her hair in an attempt to slow down her dribble. While Shaw could have easily escalated the situation, she chose her words sparingly and went on with the game. She also went on to score the cruelest punishment of all.

"That was a first of my career," Shaw said post-game about getting her hair pulled. "And I wasn't messing with it. But I think for me, like something that I am working on is just like my emotional control and games. So I think coming down from that I needed to, you know, bounce back quickly."

Shaw's goal is her second finish in back-to-back appearances for the USWNT. The last time she chipped in a goal was against Italy on Dec. 1.

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