WASHINGTON D.C. — The United States Women’s National Team fell 2-0 to Spain in Washington, D.C. in an enchanting pleasant between the defending Olympic and World Cup champions.
Twin first-half targets from Spain’s Patricia Guijarro and Eva Navarro put the match out of the USWNT’s attain earlier than it actually bought going. An offside objective from Sophia Wilson and a saved penalty from Lily Yohannes saved the scoreline regular within the second half regardless of the USWNT’s clear enchancment on the sector. A late purple card for Spain’s Athenea del Castillo wasn’t sufficient to show the match within the USWNT’s favor.
Listed here are the important thing takeaways from a blistering match — and a possible late-stage World Cup knockout sport preview — in Washington D.C.:
The USWNT did not capitalize on its possibilities
One among Spain’s most up-to-date outings was in opposition to England, and that sport wound up being a wonderful preview of this one. England, assured in possession and unafraid to assault, regarded fairly good in opposition to Spain, and managed to create loads of hazard within the attacking third. It could not capitalize on any of that effort, although, and that wound up being the distinction: England, regardless of its stellar xG, misplaced that sport 4-0. There are not any prizes awarded for trade with out payoff.
The USWNT wound up struggling an identical destiny. It blew Spain out of the water on each attacking metric that mattered besides for targets scored. Certain, the USWNT’s efficiency wasn’t embarrassing, but it surely was a potent reminder that nobody, not even the Olympic champion, can afford to be wasteful in opposition to the world’s greatest.
