Written by Juan Pereira

Photo by US Soccer

The 2025 SheBelieves Cup has landed in Houston, with the first two matches of the tournament happening inside H-Town’s very own Shell Energy Stadium.

In the first match of the day, Japan were able to beat Australia in convincing fashion with a final score of 4-0. Mina Tanaka scored her 40th international goal just six minutes into the match. Tanaka doubled her tally in the 32nd minute.

The second half saw a bit of the same from Japan, who played some beautiful football in the middle of the pitch, keeping Australia neutralized for vast swaths of the match. The Japanese were comfortable in possession and created a ton of chances between the defensive lines of Australia. Quick touches, escaleras, and through balls were the key to their victory.

As for Australia, they will now have to face the USA in the second matchday of the Cup, so if they want to stand a chance of making it through, they’ll need to surprise everyone and put up a result against the best women’s international team.

The main event of the night was USA against Colombia, which started an hour later. It was a special moment for Jane Campbell and Yazmeen Ryan as the two Dash players would be playing at their home stadium in front of a rowdy crowd.

The last time these two teams faced each other was in the 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup quarterfinal phase. USA won that match with a final scoreline of 3-0, and fans in attendance were expecting a similar result this time around.

Despite the home-field advantage, Colombia were a constant threat in the first 20 minutes due to their compact shape outside of possession and expansive play with the ball. USA began to settle into a rhythm after the initial wave of pressure from Colombia and started to play like they were the favorites, which they were.

USA’s dominance culminated into a goal in the 33rd minute, and it was Ryan who came up with the assist, which should get Dash fans excited for what she could bring in the NWSL regular season.

In the 60th minute, the USWNT doubled their lead thanks to Ally Sentnor who delivered a nice shot from outside the box, and from that point on, Colombia were deflated and failed to create much against an encouraged USA team.

With a final score of 2-0, USA were able to start their SheBelieves Cup campaign on the right foot, and it was a successful outing for Dash players Jane Campbell and Yazmeen Ryan. You couldn’t ask for more from this match if you’re a Houston soccer fan!