USWNT’s only loss of the tournament so far came in the group stages against neighbours Mexico, 2-0. Below, Meg Linehan argues that defeat was a jarring reminder that the team’s mystique is gone.
She writes: Previously, matches against Mexico might have felt like a rivalry in name only. The U.S. women’s national team had not lost to Mexico since 2010, and hadn’t lost to any CONCACAF opponent at home since 2000. February 26 threw that narrative out the window.
The USWNT was outplayed in a 2-0 loss in front of a boisterous crowd, and this was (hopefully) a helpful reminder that the team hasn’t found their new, cohesive identity just yet. The thing that should worry fans the most is how Monday’s performance was a reflection of the listless USWNT we’ve seen before.
But how much should we read into the 270 minutes played this year? How much does a loss change what needs to happen ahead of the Olympics? And why is cohesion still such a massive problem?
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USWNT’s loss to Mexico was a jarring reminder that the team’s mystique is gone
