The US women's national team lost the battle on Saturday, losing the USWNT vs Brazil showdown 2-1 in a tense, physical matchup inside São Paulo’s raucous Neo Química Arena.
Forward Sophia Wilson proved an early bright spot for the US, scoring the team’s lone goal in the second minute — her first international tally since 2024.
But the team quickly conceded, as Tainá Maranhão netted an 11th-minute strike before KC Current alum Bia Zaneratto notched the 14th-minute game-winner.
Despite failing to equalize, the USWNT built a strong second-half response, with coach Emma Hayes identifying positives amid the adversity.
“It was an amazing atmosphere and it’s one that, as much as I can prepare my team for this, you don’t really know until you experience it,” Hayes said of the crowd. “If we want things to be easy, we stay home and we play in LA or somewhere else. But we don’t choose easy.”
“I’m really proud of our team because we stayed level-headed and we still created opportunities,” captain Lindsey Heaps said. “But it’s about having that experience to get that goal back and walk away with a result.”
Where to Watch USWNT vs Brazil Friendly
The US will try to split the series on Tuesday at 8:30 PM ET, live on TNT.
