The emotional turmoil of a bitter labour dispute took its toll on the Canadian womenB次元官网网址檚 soccer team Thursday. And the U.S. took advantage.

Struggling to find their focus, the Canadian women were ambushed early in a 2-0 loss at the SheBelieves Cup.

Mallory Swanson scored in the seventh and 34th minute as the top-ranked Americans came out hot and had their way with a ragged Canada.

The sixth-ranked Canadians found some semblance of rhythm midway through the half only to gift Swanson her second goal with a defensive gaffe. There was little drama in the second half with only some wasteful American finishing keeping the score down before an announced crowd of 14,697 at Exploria Stadium.

Canada captain Christine Sinclair said given the backdrop to the game, it could have gone two ways.

B次元官网网址淓ither weB次元官网网址檙e fighting for everything and come out on fire or we come out flat. And I think you saw those first 10, 15 minutes, we came out flat,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚 think we looked like a team that was tired, a team thatB次元官网网址檚 mentally exhausted, coming up against a team, I mean, theyB次元官网网址檙e defending World Cup champions for a reason and you have to be at your best to compete with them. And we werenB次元官网网址檛 tonight.B次元官网网址�

The game should have been a celebration of womenB次元官网网址檚 soccer, a marquee matchup between the Tokyo Olympic gold medallist Canadians and World Cup champion Americans. But the showdown was overshadowed by the Canadian playersB次元官网网址� labour battle with their governing body.

The Canadian women announced last Friday they would not train or play until their grievances were addressed. They boycotted training the next day and had to be forced back on the field under threat of legal action by Canada Soccer.

B次元官网网址淚 couldnB次元官网网址檛 fault their effort,B次元官网网址� said Canada coach Bev Priestman. B次元官网网址淵ou could just see a flatness to them.B次元官网网址�

Before ThursdayB次元官网网址檚 kickoff, both teams gathered at the centre circle B次元官网网址� Americans next to Canadians B次元官网网址� and then closed ranks, turning the circle into a heart shape in a show of solidarity.

B次元官网网址淭hose images, I think, are really powerful moving forward,B次元官网网址� said American veteran Megan Rapinoe, who helped the U.S. women win their pay equity fight.

The friendship ended quickly as the Americans laid siege to the Canadian goal.

Swanson tested Canadian B次元官网网址榢eeper Kailen Sheridan with a shot seconds after kickoff. A diving Sheridan had to be acrobatic to parry a shot by Ashley Sanchez in the third minute.

And the U.S. went ahead in the seventh minute when Canada failed to deal with a cross and Alex Morgan sent the ball to Swanson, who hammered home a right-footed shot. The Canadians huddled after the goal, trying to get their bearings.

B次元官网网址淎 bit shaky,B次元官网网址� Canadian midfielder Jessie Fleming said of the start. B次元官网网址淚 think we kind of created our own mistakes and kind of created their chances for them.

B次元官网网址淚t just looked like a group of players that hasnB次元官网网址檛 been together in a while.B次元官网网址�

Centre back Kadeisha Buchanan offered some resistance soon after, scything Morgan down with a take-no-prisoners challenge. There were plenty more hard tackles on the night, keeping both teamsB次元官网网址� trainers busy.

The Canadians began to regain their composure but the Americans kept coming and Sheridan, in the 17th minute, had to be sharp to get a hand to a downward Lindsey Horan header.

Canada was undone in the 34th minute when a backpass from Vanessa Gilles, under pressure from Morgan near the sideline, did not reach Sheridan, allowing Swanson to pounce on the ball with an empty goal in front of her.

The Canadians didnB次元官网网址檛 test Alyssa Naeher until first-half stoppage time when the U.S. B次元官网网址榢eeper was forced into action to stop a Janine Beckie shot.

B次元官网网址淲ork to do at the break,B次元官网网址� Canada Soccer said by way of understatement in a halftime tweet.

The governing body faces a challenge of its own next month after the House of Commons Heritage Committee passed a motion Thursday to B次元官网网址渋nviteB次元官网网址� Canada Soccer officials to testify at a meeting next month.

The Canadian women are playing the tournament under protest B次元官网网址� and showed it.

The Canadians wore purple T-shirts, symbolic of gender equality, for the anthems and wore purple tape on their wrists during the game. They also wore their training tops inside-out during the pre-game warmup to hide the Canada Soccer crest, as they did Wednesday at practice.

They wore purple shirts for the anthems that were etched with the words B次元官网网址淓nough is Enough.B次元官网网址�

No. 9 Brazil beat No. 11 Japan 1-0 in the earlier game.

The Canadians now head for Nashville to face Brazil on Sunday. Then itB次元官网网址檚 on to Frisco, Texas, to take on Japan on Feb. 22.

And with this summerB次元官网网址檚 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand looming, there is little time to waste.

B次元官网网址淭his isnB次元官网网址檛 fixed overnight,B次元官网网址� said Priestman, referencing the current on-field turmoil. B次元官网网址淪o weB次元官网网址檝e got to push through. WeB次元官网网址檝e got to turn it around now and be fresh-faced and be ready to go again for Game 2 (against Brazil). Because thereB次元官网网址檚 probably five games before a World Cup right now. ThatB次元官网网址檚 the difficult position weB次元官网网址檙e in.B次元官网网址�

Priestman, who also wore purple tape on her wrist, is clearly torn by what is going on with her team.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 difficult. IB次元官网网址檓 exhausted, theyB次元官网网址檙e exhausted,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淏ut we have to find a way. These things can be the reason this team wins a World Cup. These moments make you. Adversity makes you.B次元官网网址�

Priestman also expressed pride in her players for standing up for their beliefs.

There will be fewer games ahead given the Canadian team has promised to boycott the April international window, when the women will be in a legal position to strike, unless their concerns are addressed.

The women want the same preparation and backing ahead of this summerB次元官网网址檚 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand as the men got last year before Qatar. Both the womenB次元官网网址檚 and menB次元官网网址檚 teams want Canada Soccer to open its books and explain cuts to both programs this year.

The Canadian men refused to play a friendly against Panama in Vancouver last June over their dissatisfaction at the labour talks.

The Canadian women last played in November when they split a two-game series with Brazil in Santos and Sao Paulo. The Americans played twice in January, beating No. 24 New Zealand 4-0 and 5-0 in Wellington and Auckland.

After enduring a rare three-game losing streak last fall, the Americans have now won four in a row. Prior to the three-game slide, which featured losses to No. 2 Germany, No. 4 England and No. 7 Spain, the U.S. women had gone unbeaten in 21 matches (18-0-3).

B次元官网网址淚 thought they were great tonight,B次元官网网址� Priestman said of the Americans, whose record against Canada now stands at 53-4-7.

The North American rivals last met in June 2022 when the U.S. won 1-0 in the final of the CONCACAF W Championship in Guadalupe, Mexico, on a 78th-minute Morgan penalty.

That marked the first contest between the two since CanadaB次元官网网址檚 1-0 semifinal triumph at the Tokyo Olympics in August 2021.

The U.S. are defending SheBelieves Cup champions and have won five of the seven editions of the tournament. France won in 2017 and England in 2019.

Canada placed third in 2021, its only previous visit to the event in PriestmanB次元官网网址檚 debut as Canada coach.

B次元官网网址擭eil Davidson, The Canadian Press