The last time the USWNT (United States Women’s National Soccer Team) lost to a CONCACAF team at home was over two decades ago. The year 2000, to be exact. The last time a CONCACAF team even scored against the USWNT was 33 matches ago. But all of that changed on February 26th, in the last group match of the W Gold Gup, as Mexico beat the USWNT 2-0 in a game that took place in Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California, and ended an 80-match unbeaten streak at home for the USWNT.
Lizbeth Ovalle, who plays for Tigres Femenil, scored the first goal in the 38th minute after an attempt to clear the ball by defender Becky Sauerbrunn bounced off the attacker, who regained possession, dribbled the goalkeeper and chipped the ball in.
Later, Trinity Rodman missed the chance to equalize in the 89th minute, and as the fútbol Gods would have it, when you do that, the other team scores, because right after Mayra Pelayo-Bernal scored the second goal of the match.
The win was only Mexico’s second-ever win against the USWNT in 43 total matches, and the first since 2010. It guaranteed Mexico a first-place finish in Group A in the first-ever CONCACAF W Gold Cup. This Mexican team didn’t even qualify for the 2023 World Cup.
The USWNT finished second. Both teams have qualified for the knockout stages, though neither of them yet knows who they will face off in the next round of the tournament. They must await the results from groups B and C before finding out who their opponents will be. The next games are set to be played either Saturday, March 2nd or Sunday, March 3rd.