USWNT wins 2-1 over Germany on Sunday

The GIST: The USWNT saw (their own former players’) tweets about their recent struggles, and they took that personally, avoiding the wrong kind of history with yesterday’s 2–1 friendly win over Germany. Phew.

The matches: The chatter started following Thursday’s disappointing 2–1 loss to the German side. Defensive miscues, unlucky bounces and failed conversion of their offensive chances resulted in the USWNT dropping their third straight match, their longest losing streak since 1993.

• But they responded in a big way yesterday, rallying from an early 1–0 deficit thanks to two second-half goals — one from forward (and reigning NWSL MVP) Sophia Smith and the other from forward Mal Pugh.

• Goalie Alyssa Naeher also played hero, making a late game-changing save to help the squad avoid their first four-game losing streak…ever.

Zooming out: Ending their 2022 slate with a win is more than welcome, but questions remain, especially with the World Cup kicking off next July. The team’s young core is still finding their footing on the international stage while the midfield has looked noticeably disjointed in the squad’s losses.

• Meanwhile, the rest of the world continues to improve as they set their sights on toppling the two-time defending world champs. Buckle up.