Those who pa sionately follow the United States womens national team have been waiting years for Mallory Pugh to become this player, to blo som into a star worthy of carrying the program forward since she was half-rushed into the lineup for the 2016 Olympic Games.And just when Mal was on the verge of playing at the level that might help lead to the sort of succe s that led to the four World Nick Kwiatkoski Jersey Cup champion stars above the USA crest on her jersey, she went and changed her name.So get used to Mallory Swanson no hyphen, no Pugh and maybe get used to her excelling on the left side of the USWNTs forward line as they approach the 2023 FIFA Womens World Cup this summer in New Zealand and Australia.Veteran striker Alex Morgan, who celebrated her 200th USWNT cap on this night in Orlando, was asked by HBO Max what she has seen lately from Swanson. What have I seen? Just goals.MORE: Swanson struck twice in the first half of Thursday nights opening game of the SheBelieves Cup, a 2-0 win over Canada. The competition represents the last high-level prep tournament before the Americans officially begin competing for an unprecedented third consecutive World Cup title. It was her fourth consecutive game with a goal, dating back to a key score in a 2-1 friendly victory over Germany last November.This U.S. team spent much of 2022 cursed with fewer goals than an aimle s teenager. In a four-game autumn stretch against European powers, they lost three times and scored multiple goals only once. In the latter stages of the CONCACAF W Championship that determined the qualification for the World Cup and the 2024 Olympics, the Americans won the trophy and all five games without conceding a score, but in knockout games against Mexico and Canada, they managed one goal each time.Swanson was a regular starter through all of that, NFL Chicago Bears Jersey and she scored six times in the calendar year, but not until that Germany game had she delivered recently against an elite opponent or in a high-pre sure game.I wish I could tell you how far she can go, head coach Vlatko Andonovski told The Sporting News. I want to take credit for some of the things she does, but you know what? Shes just special, so good that I dont think anyone can take credit for what she is except Mal.Shes in the moment not just confident and playing well, but its one of those things where youre just feeling it. Shes just feeling it.MORE: Swansons name changed after she married Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson in December. The change in her game has been more gradual, from the time in the summer of 2021 when coach Vlatko Andonovski left her out off the roster for the Olympics to the goal she scored against New Zealand in last years weakened SheBelieves tournament to appearing regularly during the summer and fall on a front line that featured U.S. Soccer player of the year Sophia Smith on the right side and Morgan between them.Her deadly finishing against Canada, though, represented another step in Swansons growth. Her first goal was a vicious strike in the 7th minute, after the U.S. had rampaged through the attacking zone almost without interruption following kickoff.GO ON, !!!! U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) The play began when young Trinity Rodman, filling Smiths position while she recovers from injury, made a strong move down the right side, turned to take on a defender and rolled a cro s to the middle of Walter Payton Jersey the penalty area. Morgan fielded that and deflected it to Swanson in open space, but Rodman's cro s had so much pace that while Morgan did all she could to settle it for Swanson, the ball was bobbling awkwardly.No matter for the 24-year-old forward. She whipped her leg around and struck the target sweetly, making perfect contact. What resulted was a venomous side volley, a rocket that slammed into the back of the net. U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) The second goal, in the 35th minute, was the product of succe sful pre sure, emblematic of her tirele s work rate. When a terrible, needle s back pa s put center back Vane sa Gilles in an untenable position, defended tight along the left sideline with no obvious outlet, she attempted to play the ball back to goalkeeper Kaileen Sheridan. Swanson seized one of the most inviting opportunities shell ever encounter by sprinting to the ball ahead of Sheridan, then eluding her to the left and knocking it home.Mal read it like a book U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) Swanson was introduced to the USWNT senior squad at age 17, toward the beginning of 2016, and was a part of both the Olympic qualifying tournament and the Games in Rio, where she scored a key goal against Colombia and started the quarterfinal game against Sweden the U.S. ultimately lost in a penalty shootout. Her future appeared to be unlimited, but that is not the same as saying it would be a sured, and she has taken time to blo som.After the Olympics, one thing we kept reminding ourselves, our staff, was how old Mal is," Andonovski said after the win over Canada. "Like constantly: Weve got to make sure we remember how old she is. Meaning that we knew she was going to get back. Jonathan Bullard Jersey We even a signed her a coach that worked with her, non-stop, while she wasnt in camp that provided her certain information that she needed to stay in touch with what we were doing."She was a reserve at the 2019 World Cup and earned a gold medal like all the other Americans. She played in three games and scored the 11th goal in a 13-0 opening-game victory over Thailand, but there was no sense she was trending toward a dominant position on the squad. And that became even more obvious when injuries and ineffectivene s led to her being excluded from the team that traveled to Japan two summers ago for the Olympics.Her solid play in 2021 with the USWNT was complemented by her first dominant season in the NWSL. In her fifth full season in the league, having scored 11 goals in 58 prior Sherrick McManis Jersey games, she scored 10 times in 13 appearances for the Chicago Red Stars, and four more times in five Challenge Cup games. Everything that had seemed po sible seven years ago now seems almost likely.Another thing of growth that we see in Mal is her leadership qualities," said Andonovski. "Shes becoming a really good leader on the field. Her understanding of the game is very good, and her ability to help the players around is tremendous. We talked to her about it a lot, and showed videos, and sometimes she does it without even thinking about it. She doesnt realize how much she is helping with her communication.I truly believe we still havent seen the best of Mal.