The USWNT once again showed its trademark fight on Tuesday, rallying from a 2-0 halftime deficit to earn a 2-2 draw with Spain at Subaru Park in Chester, Pennsylvania. Head coach Emma Hayes had stressed that the friendly carried no formal weight, but the response mattered after the Americans lost 2-0 to Spain three days earlier. The match began poorly for the Americans, who managed just 0.21 expected goals in the first half.
Second-half goals from Ashley Sanchez and Mallory Swanson, each scoring for the first time in several years under very different circumstances, salvaged the result. Swanson said the team's willingness to never give up is the DNA it has carried since the '99ers. Swanson and Hayes both believed the U.S. could have won had the match gone on longer. In stoppage time, Spain goalkeeper Misa Rodríguez denied Lily Yohannes with a low save to preserve the draw.
The comeback recalled the program's history of epic fightbacks, including the 2011 World Cup quarterfinal against Brazil and the 2012 Olympic semifinal against Canada. Veteran defender Tierna Davidson called mentality a "non-negotiable" in the program, though it is no longer the advantage it once was. Much of the current squad has little major tournament experience, with nine players entering with 11 caps or fewer. Forty-six players have appeared for the U.S. this year, the most in a calendar year in program history.
The author argues the team must still evolve tactically and technically, and that the tenacity seemed to fade after the previous generation of two-time World Cup winners retired. Tuesday's result could prove an inflection point for this group as it works toward the World Cup in Brazil next year.
Source: ESPN Soccer · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing