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Across two friendly matches, the U.S. women's national team was unable to defeat the world's top-ranked side, Spain.
In the opener, the USA were blanked 2-0 at Audi Field, before the home side salvaged some pride and earned a 2-2 draw at Subaru Park after once again falling two goals behind at halftime. Head coach Emma Hayes was forced to experiment with her lineups due to several key absences through injury.
This marked the first encounter with Spain since 2022, when the USA also fell 2-0. Focus now shifts to World Cup qualifying, set to begin on November 27. In the meantime, let's examine who strengthened their case and what questions linger following this pair of friendlies against Spain.
Who Stepped Up for the USWNT?
Mal Swanson
SWANSON SLOTS IT HOME 😤
USWNT x @vw pic.twitter.com/1EypYsaFDq
It was well worth the wait. After 793 days, Mal Swanson found the net for the USWNT, leveling the score in the 86th minute of the second clash with Spain. The finish was a clean, well-taken half-volley inside the box.
Entering as a substitute in both friendlies, Swanson accumulated 53 minutes across her two outings. She was lively in her cameos, with the USA looking sharper when Swanson brought her skill and directness while chasing a deficit.
Swanson sat out 2025 after becoming a first-time mother and has faced a bumpy return to club soccer with the struggling Chicago Stars in the NWSL. While Hayes has remained supportive, she has also been careful not to overburden Swanson with the USWNT just yet. Her return to the pitch and the scoresheet was a significant step forward — a strong case made.
Ashley Sanchez
ASHLEY SANCHEZ PULLS ONE BACK FOR THE US 🇺🇸
Had to be the NWSL Golden Boot leader 👑
(via @USWNT) pic.twitter.com/3NV2KZpwcs
There was considerable buzz surrounding Ashley Sanchez's return to the USWNT after nearly two years away. Would the NWSL Golden Boot frontrunner even see the field? And how much time would Hayes give her?
The answer turned out to be 104 minutes, as Sanchez featured twice — once off the bench in the 2-0 loss and then as a starter in the 2-2 draw. It was in that second match where Sanchez helped ignite the comeback with a crisp finish to the far post from inside the area. It was a pivotal goal that shifted momentum in the USA's favor and ended 139 minutes of scoreless play against Spain.
"It was amazing," Sanchez said in the mixed zone after the game. "Honestly, I haven't thought about it [scoring] too much because I was like, 'We still need another one,' but it was a really good feeling."
Sanchez's preferred role as an inverted left-winger is a hotly contested position. Swanson, Trinity Rodman, Emma Sears, and Michelle Cooper are all among the contenders. But there's little more Sanchez could have done to impress Hayes in a high-pressure situation against a top-tier opponent. She should continue to earn opportunities.
Sophia Wilson
This was a significant window for Sophia Wilson, who was handed the central striker role in both matches and played 170 of a possible 180 minutes across the week. It's clear she has Hayes's full confidence and appears to be the primary attacking focal point.
While she didn't get on the scoresheet, no player attempted more shots than Wilson (six) across the two games against Spain. A tight offside call also ruled out what would have been a goal. Wilson remains a constant threat even when not scoring — her dribbling ability gave Spain fits, she won the penalty in the first friendly, and then provided a brilliant assist for Sanchez's goal in the 2-2.
• ✍️ ANALYSIS: Are USWNT Capable of Winning the World Cup? Not if it Plays Like This
What Questions Remain for the USWNT?
Lindsey Heaps
The USWNT captain continues to look like a misfit in the midfield setup. In the first game, without a genuine holding midfielder anchoring the center, Heaps's struggles to press and close down space were laid bare. In the second match, her awareness and reading of danger let her down as the defense crumbled far too easily in the early stages. There's a case to be made that Sam Coffey's injury absence didn't help, but Claire Hutton should be a competent stand-in.
Given her wealth of experience, there's no realistic scenario in which Heaps loses her squad spot. However, she shouldn't be an automatic starter against technically gifted teams that control possession and demand the USA press effectively and play with precision. This was a difficult window for Heaps.
Avery Patterson
A somewhat unexpected selection to start at left-back in the opening match against Spain, Avery Patterson was substituted at halftime with the USA already trailing 2-0 and didn't feature again. She remained an unused substitute in the 2-2, with Gisele Thompson and then her sister Alyssa each getting time at left-back.
Patterson struggled to make an impact in either phase of play. She registered zero shots or chances created, went 0/1 in duels, and managed just one interception and recovery. Both of Spain's goals in the 2-0 defeat originated down Patterson's flank. While there was little she could have done about Patri Guijarro's stunning long-range opener, the second goal highlighted Patterson's failure to track the late run of Eva Navarro, who met the cross and finished first-time.
Phallon Tullis-Joyce
Alexia Putellas ➡️ Salma Paralluelo
Spain double their lead 👊 pic.twitter.com/ND6zaR8GPN
Heading into this window, the competition for the USWNT's starting goalkeeper position was very much alive between Claudia Dickey and Phallon Tullis-Joyce. Even before a ball was kicked, Hayes had indicated that Dickey held a slight edge.
Now, after both goalkeepers were each given one game to make their case against Spain, Dickey's hold on the number one jersey will be a little firmer.
On the surface, both players performed at a similar level — two goals conceded apiece, one save for Dickey, and two for Tullis-Joyce. But it's less about shot-stopping that will differentiate the two, and more about their distribution.
In the second friendly, Spain's second goal was triggered by a wayward pass out of the back from Tullis-Joyce that was intercepted and launched the move that doubled Spain's lead. This is precisely the area of her game that the Manchester United goalkeeper will be looking to sharpen before the USWNT reconvenes in November.