Spain punish USWNT defensive errors to win heavyweight friendly 2-0

Spain showed exactly why they have held the top spot in the FIFA rankings for 60 consecutive weeks, winning the first game of their two-match friendly series against the United States on Saturday in Washington D.C. Goals from Patri Guijarro and Eva Navarro inside the opening 14 minutes gave the world champions a 2-0 victory, punishing defensive lapses from a US side that paid the price for mistakes at both ends.

• Spain won 2-0 with goals from Guijarro and Navarro in the first 14 minutes.
• The USWNT trailed by two goals for the first time under Emma Hayes.
• Lily Yohannes missed a penalty that could have sparked a comeback.
• Mallory Swanson returned after 710 days out and Ashley Sanchez was back in the squad.
• The rematch takes place Tuesday in Chester, Pennsylvania.

Guijarro and Navarro strike before the US can settle

The game could hardly have started worse for the United States. Patri Guijarro opened the scoring in the third minute with a 20-yard strike, given time and space after a turnover left the Barcelona midfielder free to line up her shot. The second goal arrived 11 minutes later when Salma Paralluelo beat Tierna Davidson on the left and crossed for Eva Navarro, who arrived unmarked to finish first time on the run.

The American players gathered above the box for several minutes after conceding the second goal. Hayes' team struggled to build any rhythm in the first half, with giveaways and overhit clearances repeatedly handing the initiative back to Spain. Rose Lavelle tried to play a forward pass with Sophia Wilson and Alyssa Thompson breaking, but both runners mistimed their moves and the ball rolled out of play to groans from the Audi Field crowd.

Yohannes penalty miss halts US second-half fightback

The second half was a different story. The United States adjusted their high press and took control, looking sharper and more composed on the ball. Spain failed to produce a shot on target after the break, while the home side finished with a 13-6 advantage in total attempts. Wilson thought she had pulled one back in the 53rd minute, but the goal was ruled out for offside after a video review.

The clearest chance came in the 67th minute when Wilson drew a foul from Natalia Ramos inside the penalty area. It was Lily Yohannes, a surprise choice given the 19-year-old has never taken a penalty in four seasons with Ajax and OL Lyonnais, who stepped up. Her stutter-step attempt was saved by Adriana Nanclares, leaving the Americans off the board despite their improvement.

You can't afford to go 2-0 down against the best team in the world, especially the way we conceded those goals. That's the learning.

Emma Hayes' plan to test her team against elite opponents

The English coach has deliberately built a calendar that puts the United States up against the strongest sides ahead of the 2027 World Cup in Brazil. They played Japan three times in April, winning twice and losing once, and split a pair of away friendlies against Brazil in June. Saturday marked the first time the USWNT had ever hosted the world's top-ranked team on home soil.

The fixture still carried significant caveats. Both teams were missing key players through injury: center-back Naomi Girma and midfielder Sam Coffey, central figures in the US defensive spine, were both sidelined. Spain traveled without two-time Ballon d'Or winner Aitana Bonmatí, Vicky López, Mariona Caldentey and Cata Coll, while Clàudia Pina and Mapi León withdrew from camp on Friday.

Swanson returns and Sanchez earns her place back

The second half also brought the return of Mallory Swanson, playing her first competitive minutes in 710 days after spending 2025 on maternity leave. Ashley Sanchez, recalled following a strong NWSL season with the North Carolina Courage, earned her first USWNT minutes since October 2023 and came close to scoring in the 88th minute when she slid to meet a cross but could not keep her shot on target.

Athenea sent off as Spain close out physical finale

The final quarter-hour turned increasingly physical. Spain committed 12 fouls to the United States' four and were reduced to 10 players in stoppage time when Athenea del Castillo received a straight red card for grabbing an opponent's hair. The Americans will have an immediate chance to fix their finishing issues in Tuesday's rematch in Chester, Pennsylvania, having not gone consecutive games without scoring since the 2023 World Cup.