WASHINGTON, D.C. (Oct. 10, 2026) – In a battle between the two top-ranked women’s soccer teams in the world, the U.S. Women’s National Team fell 2-0 to Spain in their first meeting since 2022. The reigning FIFA Women’s World Cup champions took an early two-goal lead on the reigning Olympic champions and held off an onslaught of shots from the U.S. to preserve the clean sheet and earn just its second-ever victory against the United States.
A sold-out crowd of 19,220 fans at Audi Field watched a physical match that featured numerous hard fouls and one red card for Spain. After the first 15 minutes, the U.S. dominated on the attacking end and recorded 13 shots, 10 of which were on target, but in the end the USA's lack of efficiency in the final third, paired with Spain scoring on two of its three shots on goal – all of which were taken in the first half – would be the USA’s undoing.
The first of Spain’s three shots on frame found the back of the net three minutes into the match after captain Laia Codina won possession near midfield. The visitors connected a couple of passes up the right side where midfielder Patricia Guijarro whipped in a shot from outside the box through traffic and into the left side netting of the goal.
The U.S. pushed for the equalizer in the next 10 minutes, primarily through Alyssa Thompson on the right wing. Thompson and midfielder Rose Lavelle played a give-and-go down the right side, and Thompson sent in a cross that Spain initially cleared, but Lavelle won back. She laid off the ball to midfielder and captain Lindsey Heaps, whose low shot was right at goalkeeper Adriana Nanclares. Minutes later, Thompson made another long run down the right flank before sending a cross into the box, but forward Trinity Rodman’s first touch popped up high for Nanclares to collect.
The next scoring opportunity came for Spain in the 14th minute and once again La Roja put the ball into the net. Isolated on the left flank against defender Tierna Davidson, winger Salma Paralluelo cut towards the endline and lofted a cross towards the far post. Forward Eva Navarro was making a run inside the box and connected with the service first-time, sending a world class strike past the outstretched gloves of Claudia Dickey and into the roof of the net.
The Americans were inches away from cutting the deficit in half a few moments later. After a scramble in the box off a failed clearance from Spain, midfielder Lily Yohannes volleyed a shot from the center of the penalty area that rolled just outside the left post.
Sophia Wilson nearly put the U.S. on the scoreboard twice before halftime. In the 27th minute, the forward made a central run down the field and ripped a shot from outside the box. Nanclares made a brilliant save, fully extending to tip the ball off the crossbar. In the final moments of the first half, Wilson won the ball at the top of the box and slipped in a low, left-footed shot which also rolled across the goal mouth and inches wide of the left post.
Wilson continued creating chances in the second half and appeared to have scored for the U.S. in the 53rd minute, rolling the ball into the lower right corner to finish her one-on-one chance, but the goal was correctly disallowed as VAR ruled Wilson offside.
Nanclares continued to thwart the Americans attack throughout the next 20 minutes. The goalkeeper made a close-range save off a Rodman attempt from inside the six-yard box, and she later came out of her goal to bravely prevent back-to-back attempts from Heaps and Lavelle.
The Spanish goalkeeper came up big again in the 70th minute. Following VAR review, the U.S. was awarded a penalty kick after Wilson was pulled down inside the box. Yohannes stepped up to the spot and sent her shot to the left, but Nanclares guessed correctly and made another diving save.
More attempts from the Americans came in the final moments of the match, with one golden chance coming from forwards who were making long-awaited returns. Mallory Swanson, who made her first appearance since returning from the birth of her daughter, and Ashley Sanchez, who last played for the USWNT nearly two years ago, both entered the match as second-half substitutes. In the 87th minute, Swanson sent a cross to Sanchez on the left wing, but she couldn’t put her sliding shot on frame from close range.
The intensity continued into stoppage time, resulting in another VAR review. Mere minutes after Spanish defender Athena del Castillo entered the match, she was shown a yellow card that was upgraded to a red for violent conduct as she pulled the hair of Michelle Cooper, who had come in for the USA on the back line in the 83nd minute.
Up next, the U.S. Women’s National Team heads to Chester, Pa., to face Spain again on Oct. 13 at Subaru Park (7 p.m. ET on TNT, HBO Max, Universo and Peacock).
ESP – PATRICIA GUIJARRO (EDNA IMADE), 3rd minute: Defender Laia Codina won possession of the ball near the center circle and turned to play up the field. Spain connected passes on the right side before Edna Imade laid the ball off for Guijarro. The midfielder took a touch and blasted a right-footed shot from outside the box into the left side netting. USA 0, ESP 1
ESP – EVA NAVARRO (SALMA PARALLUELO), 14th minute: Imade played Paralluelo down the left flank, and the midfielder slowed down her run to wait for options inside the box. She took a few touches before sending a cross towards the back post, where Eva Navarro was making a run. The forward smashed a right-footed shot into the roof of the goal. USA 0, ESP 2
Additional Notes:
Match: United States vs. Spain
Date: Oct. 10, 2026
Competition: International Match
Venue: Audi Field
Attendance: 19,220 (Sell Out)
Kickoff: 2:30 p.m. ET
Weather: 71 degrees, partly sunny
| Scoring Summary | 1 | 2 | F |
| USA | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ESP | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| ESP — Patricia Guijarro (Edna Imade) | 3rd minute |
| ESP — Eva Navarro (Salma Paralluelo) | 14 |
USA: 1-Claudia Dickey; 2-Trinity Rodman, 3-Avery Patterson (22-Gisele Thompson, 46), 6-Lily Yohannes, 10-Lindsey Heaps (Capt.) (15-Claire Hutton, 66), 11-Sophia Wilson, 12-Tierna Davidson, 16-Rose Lavelle (9-Mallory Swanson, 66), 21-Alyssa Thompson (7-Ashley Sanchez, 66), 23-Emily Fox (20-Michelle Cooper, 82), 25-Kennedy Wesley
Substitutes not used: 4-Kate Del Fava, 5-Tara Rudd, 8-Lilly Reale, 13-Pietra Tordin, 17-Jaelin Howell, 19-Emma Sears, 24-Phallon Tullis-Joyce
Not dressing: Trinity Byars, Jordan Silkowitz, Evelyn Shores
Head Coach Emma Hayes
ESP: 23-Ardiana Nanclares; 2-Ona Batlle, 15-Laia Codina, 5-Maria Mendez, 17-Lucia Corrales (6-Andrea Medina, 66); 12-Patricia Guijarro (22-Clara Serrajordi, 46), 11-Alexia Putellas (8-Natalia Ramos, 66), 21-Fiamma Benitez (18-Ornella Vignola, 82); 7-Salma Paralluelo (10-Athena Del Castillo, 88), 24-Edna Imade (20-Clara Pinedo, 65), 19-Eva Navarro (25-Ainhoa Marin, 82)
Substitutes not used: 1-Misa Rodriguez, 3-Oihane Hernandez, 13-Eunate Astralaga, 14-Alba Redondo
Head coach: Sonia Bermudez
Stats Summary: USA / ESP
Shots: 13 / 6
Shots on Goal: 10 / 3
Saves: 1 / 9
Corner Kicks: 2 / 2
Fouls: 4 / 12
Offside: 4 / 1
| Misconduct Summary | |
| ESP — Salma Paralluelo (Caution) | 24th minute |
| USA — Trinity Rodman (Caution) | 31 |
| USA — Lily Yohannes (Caution) | 72 |
| ESP — Athena Del Castillo (Ejection) | 90+1 |
Officials:
Ref: María Eugenia Gil Soriano (ESP)
AR1: Silvia Fernandez Perez (ESP)
AR2: Rocío Puente Pino (ESP)
4th Official: Sandra Benitez (BRA)
VAR: Paola Cebollada Lopez (ESP)
A-VAR: Judit Romana García (ESP)