CHESTER, Pa. – Eight months from now, this autumn’s friendlies between FIFA’s top women’s soccer teams will be a distant memory when the United States and Spain arrive in Brazil among the elite aiming to lift the World Cup trophy.
But at this point, with a global tournament on the horizon and the No. 1 and No. 2 titans looking for supremacy, the two clashes over three days and 120 miles showed Spain’s excellence and America’s resilience.
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Facing another two-goal deficit on Tuesday, the U.S. responded with two goals, including a sensational finish from Mallory Swanson in the 86th minute, for a 2-2 draw in front of 18,648 at Subaru Park.
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On Saturday, Swanson, who returned after more than two years away from the national team and gave birth to her first child, became single again for the second half. After threatening to tie the game in the 69th minute, he did so in dramatic fashion.
Michelle Cooper fed the ball to Swanson, who turned, lifted the ball to himself and fired a 16-yarder into the left corner for his first goal since winning the Olympic gold medal against Brazil in Paris.
“It was surreal because it’s been two years since I scored,” Swanson said. “It’s been a lot. It’s just nice to get the first one out of the way. A big step in the right direction.”
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Reflecting on her time on the trip, Swanson said, “I’m so grateful to have been out last year and then come back this year. My family was here and it was a really good way to move forward.”
Her husband, Chicago Cubs star Dansby Swanson, was in the crowd.
“For anybody to have a baby in a big game like that and come back with a goal like that, it’s incredible and we’re all so happy for him,” said winger Ashley Sanchez, who started the comeback with a goal in the 49th minute. “We were screaming for him.”
Sanchez hadn’t scored in the U.S. in more than four years, but earned a recall this year with an MVP-caliber season in the National Women’s Soccer League.
Friendlies are largely fruitless, but it was a learning curve for Emma Hayes and the No. 2 Americans, who are in danger of losing back-to-back matches and dropping back-to-back home games for the first time since a three-game skid in 2022 with a 2-0 deficit in Washington.
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Prior to Spain’s visit, the USA was 11-0-6 all-time in matches between the top two teams in the world.
After a promising start on Tuesday, it fell apart for the USA within five minutes of glaring mistakes against unforgiving opponents.
In the last 29 matches, Spain have lost twice in regular time, both times to the European champions England.
Mallory Swanson scored a sensational equalizer in the 86th minute on Tuesday to complete the USWNT’s comeback from a two-goal deficit against No. 1 Spain.
(Georgia Soares/USSF via Getty Images)
The Americans will now focus on the CONCACAF W Championship, which will begin on November 27 in the Dallas suburb of Mansfield, Texas and conclude on December 5 in Houston.
With a 1/4 final victory over 78 El Salvador, the Americans will qualify for the 10th World Championship in a row. Even with the seismic upset, they could still make the playoffs.
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Spain is among the 18 teams that have already qualified for the 32-nation tournament. On December 11 in Rio de Janeiro, Spain and the USA will be national teams.
Unlike the first meeting, the Americans arrived from the beginning with creativity, confidence, energy and vision. However, they did not make it a serious threat.
In the 27th minute Red Alexia advanced on Putellas’ hit-in.
Clara Serrajordi received the ball in the top corner of the penalty area after Tierna Davidson left it. To make matters worse, Sanchez was unable to step back and help.
Serrajordi sent in a low cross that Pinedo faked, letting the ball go through his legs. Putellas, running from the central channel, touched the ball on the threshold of the goal.
Five minutes later, the situation worsened. Pinedo intercepted goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce’s aimless shot and delivered the ball past Salma Paralluelo. Davidson took a bad angle, the Spanish forward got behind him and fired a 12-yard shot under the crossbar and into the net.
The remaining half of US attacks felt desperate instead of connected. It didn’t bother Rodriguez.
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“We came into halftime and we knew it wasn’t good enough and we knew we had to let some go,” Sanchez said.
Sanchez put one in with about three minutes left in the second half to cut the lead in half. The United States, who broke the end, provided Sanchez in space. He seized the initiative, dribbled into the box and met Ona Batlle before curling an angled shot into the bottom corner – his first international goal since July 2022.
Hayes was benched in a big way, making five changes, including the arrival of Swanson in the 61st minute and the departure of Trinity Rodman.
Swanson threatened to tie it at 69, collecting Lily Yohannes’ pass with a nice touch behind the defense and forcing a quality save by Misa Rodriguez.
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The USA continued to press for a tie, creating several threats throughout the game and out of the set. Spain was under pressure.
Finally, Swanson scored, setting off celebrations on the field and in the stands.
“As soon as the ball bounced a little awkwardly, I knew it wasn’t going to be me,” Cooper said of Swanson’s assist. “I believe my team-mates will be determined and push forward. I’m delighted that Mal got his first goal back. He was absolutely screaming and so were the rest of us.”
Hayes described the comeback as “a big, big fight, big determination from the whole group for the second half”.
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Yohannes almost won in stoppage time with a shot from traffic that was brilliantly saved by Rodriguez.
“You never want to give up,” Swanson said. “I’ve always learned to wear that crest. Just being able to keep pushing no matter what comes our way, and that’s the DNA that the team has embodied ever since. [world champion 1999 squad] so far.”