In a historic match, Mexico secured a 2-0 victory over the United States in the CONCACAF Women's Gold Cup. This marked only the second time Mexico has beaten the U.S. women's national team, with goals from Lizbeth Ovalle and Mayra Pelayo sealing the win.
The U.S. team, historically dominant against Mexico with a record of 40-1-1, suffered its first loss under interim coach Twila Kilgore. The defeat comes after the team's early exit from the Women's World Cup last year.
Mexico, despite missing out on the previous World Cup, displayed a strong performance, finishing atop Group A in the Gold Cup. The United States secured the second spot in the group, ensuring both teams' advancement to the knockout stage.
Ovalle opened the scoring for Mexico in the 28th minute, capitalizing on a defensive error by the U.S. team. Despite a resilient effort, the U.S. defense couldn't prevent Pelayo from adding a second goal in stoppage time.
The loss marked the first time the U.S. women's team conceded a goal to a CONCACAF opponent in 33 matches, highlighting the growing competitiveness in women's soccer.
Reflecting on the defeat, U.S. defender Becky Sauerbrunn took responsibility for the team's performance, emphasizing the need to regroup and focus on upcoming matches in the tournament.
The Women's Gold Cup, featuring 12 teams competing across three cities, aims to provide more competitive opportunities for women's teams in the CONCACAF region. Following the group stage, teams will be re-seeded for the quarterfinals, setting the stage for further intense matchups.
Both Mexico and the United States will eagerly await their next opponents as they continue their quest for success in the inaugural Women's Gold Cup.
