Monday night's match at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California, marked a historic event, though not one the U.S. women's national team will cherish. In a surprising turn, they suffered a 2-0 defeat to Mexico in a Concacaf W Gold Cup group stage game. This loss, only the second in 43 matchups with Mexico, was the team's first on home soil against a Concacaf opponent since 2000, breaking an 80-game unbeaten streak (78 wins, two draws). Mexico's last victory over the USWNT was in November 2010 during Concacaf World Cup qualifying, making this a significant win for them.
Mexico's Lizbeth Ovalle opened the scoring in the 38th minute, capitalizing on a deflection off U.S. defender Becky Sauerbrunn. Ovalle then skillfully maneuvered past goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher to find the net, marking the first goal conceded by the USWNT to a Concacaf opponent in 33 matches.
Despite a late opportunity in the 89th minute for Trinity Rodman to equalize, her shot narrowly missed the mark. Mexico secured their victory in stoppage time with a spectacular long-range goal from Mayra Pelayo, securing their position at the top of Group A.
After the game, USWNT forward Alex Morgan acknowledged the increasing competitiveness in Concacaf, noting the improvement in leagues worldwide, which is reflected in Mexico's performance.
This defeat, the first for the USWNT under interim coach Twila Kilgore, who took over after the team's disappointing World Cup performance last summer, underscores the evolving landscape of women's soccer. Emma Hayes is set to replace Kilgore later this spring. Despite the loss, both the U.S. and Mexico had already secured spots in the quarterfinals of the first-ever Concacaf W Gold Cup. The USWNT had dominated their previous two games, defeating the Dominican Republic 5-0 and Argentina 4-0, showcasing their strength leading up to this unexpected defeat.
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