By OkayGoal
The No.1 and No.2 ranked women’s international teams faced off in a couple of friendlies this month. Can this match be what’s to come next summer in Brazil? It’s highly possible, so let’s take a look at how these games played out.
The First Friendly: Spain 2 – USA 0
The first match between the two sides took place on October 10 at Audi Field in Washington D.C. Emotions were high as this match was highly anticipated and viewed as a preview for what can come in next summer’s Women’s World Cup.
It only took three minutes into the match for the Spaniards to take the lead. With a stunning long-range shot from Patri Guijarro, the USWNT found themselves in an early hole. Nearly 10 minutes later, Spain struck again. Mariona Caldentey put away the second goal. For the first time in a long time the USWNT was down 2-0.
Despite the defensive breakdowns in the USWNT backline, a few highlights included how the offense worked their way near goal. Sophia Wilson created many opportunities for herself and missed the mark by a few inches. Also, Ashley Sanchez and Mallory Swanson came on as subs in the second half. Their skill was on full display and provided a spark.
Numerous missed opportunities was a key issue for the USWNT. The resulting shutout surely came as a surprise to some, but with Spain’s solid defensive stance there was little the USWNT could do.
The Second Friendly: Spain 2- USA 2
The two squads met again only three days later in Pennsylvania. Similar to the first game, Spain took a first half 2-0 lead. With goals from Alexia Putellas and Salma Paralluelo, the Spanish side looked to redo what they had done in their previous meeting.
Yet, the USWNT turned it around this time. Just as in the first meeting, Sanchez and Swanson made an impact. They were the difference makers and goalscorers in the second half. A 2-2 draw was the final score.
Based on these two matches, there are many points the USWNT needs to take a good look at before heading into the World Cup. As for Spain, they continued to showcase why they are the No. 1 ranked team in the world. For both squads, injuries to key players heading into these friendlies was a concern. So, both teams have work to do to incorporate those pieces prior to the World Cup.
Featured image via @uswnt