WASHINGTON — For the first 14 minutes, the clash between the top women’s soccer teams on the planet Saturday seemed more like an encounter between sides with dozens of slots between them in the FIFA rankings.
Spain — No. 1 and the reigning World Cup champion — scored once, then again, marking just the third time in 96 matches over 5½ years the U.S. — ranked No. 2 and the defending Olympic champion — had trailed by multiple goals.
To their credit, the Americans created an enormous number of opportunities over the course of the remaining match, but without a finishing touch, including on a penalty kick, they lost, 2-0, before a sellout crowd of 19,220 at Audi Field.
The match was the first of two friendlies between the titans, and while the result won’t carry any significant consequence, it did reaffirm Spain’s place atop the sport and maintain La Roja’s favored status nine months before the 2027 World Cup in Brazil.
The sides will meet again Tuesday night at Subaru Park in Chester, Pennsylvania, before the Americans turn full attention to CONCACAF’s World Cup qualifying tournament late next month in the Dallas area. They’ll need to win just one game, against 78th-ranked El Salvador, to extend their streak of playing in all 10 World Cups.
Trinity Rodman of the United States controls the ball during the international friendly against Spain at Audi Field on Oct. 10, 2026, in Washington. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
(Patrick Smith via Getty Images)
The U.S. and Spain had met just four times previously and not since 2022, and while the U.S. set the standard for women’s soccer excellence over several decades, Spain has ascended rapidly in recent years.
U.S. coach Emma Hayes started seven players with World Cup or Olympic experience, but also called on a four-woman backline that had never played together. Tierna Davidson and Kennedy Wesley partnered in central defense — a position that, at full strength, would commonly feature Naomi Girma and Emily Sonnett. Both are injured.
Despite missing injured stars Aitana Bonmatí and Mariona Caldentey, Spain’s attack purred from the start.
About three minutes into the game, the Americans found themselves behind after failing to get out of their end. Laia Codina won the ball in midfield. Spain’s build-up was quick and elusive. Four passes left Patri Guijarro with time and space beyond the penalty area for a right-footed effort placed perfectly to the far side-netting.
The lead doubled in the 14th minute as Spain cruised end to end. Goalkeeper Adriana Nanclares shipped a long ball to midfield. Lucia Corrales nodded it to Edna Imade, who sent Salma Paralluelo free on the left. Paralluelo worked on Davidson before chipping a cross to the heart of the box. Eva Navarro was unmarked for an 11-yard one-timer into the near side.
In a rarity during their decorated history, the Americans were down two goals. (Spain and Mexico had done that to them in recent years.)
It remained that way until halftime but, in an open game with Spain pushing its defenders forward, it wasn’t without opportunity for the Americans. Trinity Rodman had two heavy touches in the box. Alyssa Thompson wreaked havoc on the right wing and had a shot cleared off the line. Nanclares touched Sophia Wilson’s wicked drive off the crossbar. Lily Yohannes missed the far post by a yard and Wilson missed the same by a whisker.
The U.S. continued to threaten after halftime, most notably when Rodman fed Wilson for an apparent goal. The offside flag remained down, but video replay showed Wilson a step beyond the last defender.
U.S. pressure put Spain on its heels, but without a finishing touch — and in some cases, without even taking a shot in good position — the margin remained the same. Hayes turned to her bench midway through the half, inserting NWSL leading scorer Ashley Sanchez for her first U.S. appearance in two years and Mallory Swanson for her first match since the 2024 Olympics. Swanson’s entrance completed the first fearsome “Triple Espresso” attack with Rodman and Wilson since the Olympics.
Sanchez quickly instigated an opportunity, and Wilson was taken down in the box. Play continued but video replay confirmed the foul. Rodman handed the ball to Yohannes, who, at 19, is the United States’ youngest player. Playing a few miles from her childhood home in Springfield, Virginia, she had more than 60 family and friends in attendance.
On the penalty kick, she stutter-stepped and seemed to telegraph where she was shooting. Nanclares dived to her right and blocked the shot. U.S. chances continued to come and go. Spain’s Athenea del Castillo was red-carded in the dying moments for pulling substitute Michelle Cooper’s hair.
U.S. notes
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Before the match, retired left back Crystal Dunn was honored for a 12-year international career featuring 160 caps, 25 goals, a World Cup title and an Olympic gold medal. “She’s been such a role model for so many people because you think about the time she’s coming through the program,” Hayes said. “Representation wasn’t the same. So for black girls up and down the country to have the opportunity to see Crystal in the position she was in, to look up to, to inspire, to be inspired by, I’ve heard it so many times.”
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Newcomers Trinity Byars, Jordan Silkowitz and Evelyn Shores were not in uniform, leaving the active roster at 23 players.