The Americans, double world champions, beat (2-0) the Canadians, Thursday at the opening of the SheBelieves Cup, not without showing before the match their solidarity with them in their fight against wage inequalities between women and men.
Overwhelmed by the “significant cuts” in the 2023 budget, the players of Canada had announced last Saturday to go on strike, before giving up the next day, under the threat of legal action against them by the Federation, which could lead to financial penalties.
So it was in “sign of protest” that the reigning Olympic champions ended up playing in Orlando (Florida) this preparatory match for the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand (July 20-August 20). To do this, they entered the lawn with a purple t-shirt – a color associated with gender equality – with the words “enough is enough”, over their national jersey.
And after the anthems, the Americans joined the Canadians in forming a circle in the center of the field, in a sign of support. It must be said that the players of Uncle Sam are knowledgeable in the matter. In 2016, several US internationals, led by star and 2019 Golden Ball Megan Rapinoe, filed a federal complaint for wage discrimination, explaining that they were paid less than male players while they generate more income for the American Federation.
The two parties had reached an agreement in February 2022 for 22 million dollars (20.7 million euros) to resolve their dispute. In May 2022, the women’s selection had obtained equal pay between women and men in selection, but also equivalent bonuses and a sharing of commercial income.
On the pitch, the Americans showed less solidarity… Alex Morgan, honored before kick-off for her now 200 caps, offered a decisive pass to Mallory Swanson, for the opener.
The latter offered herself a double, after having intercepted a bad pass from Vanessa Gilles (34th), without the Canadians having a clear possibility of returning to the score afterwards.
In the other match of the day, the Brazilians got the better of the Japanese, thanks to their star Marta.
The six-time best player of the year returned to competition after almost a year of absence due to a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament of a knee. Substitute, the 36-year-old came into play in the 68th minute, freeing her team in stride, scoring her 58th goal in 133 selections.