NEW DELHI: The United States women's national team (USWNT) faced a setback with a 2-0 loss to Mexico in a Concacaf W Gold Cup group stage clash on Monday. Interim coach Twila Kilgore expressed that there are "no easy games anymore" and emphasized the need for her team to take ownership and execute better moving forward.
This unexpected defeat marks only the second time Mexico has beaten the USWNT, with the last victory dating back to 2010. Kilgore, who took over as interim coach after the disappointing Women's World Cup run, had led the team to an undefeated streak through eight games until this defeat against Mexico.
Heading into the match, the U.S. held a dominant 40-1-1 record against Mexico in Concacaf rivalry matches. The loss meant that Mexico topped Group A with seven points, while the USWNT finished second with six points.
Kilgore attributed the defeat to Mexico's execution of their game plan and highlighted areas for improvement, especially in handling restart moments. Both goals scored by Mexico's Lizbeth Ovalle and Mayra Pelayo came from such situations.
Mexico's coach, Pedro Lopez, expressed satisfaction with the victory, emphasizing its significance due to the caliber of the opponent. Despite their success, Lopez remains focused on the next challenges, stating, "But I insist that for us it would be of no use if in the next game we lose the [W Gold Cup] quarterfinals and we go down in history as the team that only beat the United States one day."
Both Mexico and the USWNT have qualified for the quarterfinal stage, with their next opponents dependent on final results from Group B on Tuesday and Group C on Wednesday.
The inaugural W Gold Cup's knockout stages will unfold in Los Angeles' BMO Stadium on Saturday and Sunday, followed by the semifinals and final at San Diego's Snapdragon Stadium on March 6 and 10. Looking ahead, Chelsea boss Emma Hayes is slated to take charge of the USWNT after the conclusion of the tournament and later this spring.
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