In a surprising turn of events, the US Women’s National Team (USWNT) fell to a 0-2 defeat against Mexico in the Concacaf Women’s Gold Cup. Goals from Jacqueline Ovalle and sealed Mexico’s victory, ending their 16-match losing streak against the four-time world champions.
The defeat marks only the second time since 1991 that Mexico has managed to defeat the USWNT, with their previous victory occurring in November 2010. Despite already securing qualification for the quarter-finals, the USWNT aimed to claim the top spot in Group A but fell short against a determined Mexican side.
Mexico took the lead in the 38th minute when Ovalle capitalized on a defensive error by USWNT’s Becky Sauerbrunn, lifting the ball over goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher. Substitute Pelayo sealed the win for Mexico with a stunning long-range curling strike in second-half stoppage time.
As the group stage comes to a close, the top two teams from each group, along with the two best third-place finishers, will undergo reseeding for the quarter-finals. The knockout stage will commence on Saturday and Sunday, leading up to the final of the 12-team tournament scheduled for March 10th in San Diego, California.
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