Mallory Swanson scored in the 86th minute and the No. 2-ranked U.S. women’s national team rallied to a 2-2 draw against No. 1-ranked Spain in Tuesday night’s friendly in Chester, Pa.
Swanson’s 39th international goal, and her first since scoring the winner in the 2024 Olympic final, followed Ashley Sanchez’s strike earlier in the second half as the U.S. avoided its first back-to-back losses since defeats to England and Spain in Europe in 2022.
Alexia Putellas scored one goal and assisted another in her 150th international appearance for Spain, which again led 2-0 at halftime but, unlike Saturday’s victory over the U.S. in Washington, failed to preserve its advantage.
Salma Paralluelo also scored before the break for the visitors, who will defend their first women’s World Cup title in Brazil in 2027. Spanish goalkeeper Misa Rodriguez made an exceptional diving stop deep in second-half stoppage time to keep out Lily Yohannes’ deflected effort from the edge of the box and preserve the draw.
Swanson’s goal came after Kate Del Fava played an excellent diagonal ball over the top for Mallory Cooper, who slightly overran the play while pressured by a Spain defender.
But Cooper regrouped well enough to play the ball back to Swanson, who popped the ball airborne with her first touch near the penalty spot and struck an exceptional volleyed finish into the bottom left corner.
Sanchez cut the deficit in half four minutes after halftime.
Sophia Wilson began the attack when she spun her defender in her own half and broke down the right flank.
Wilson tried to connect a pass to Rose Lavelle in the center channel but narrowly missed. The ball came to Sanchez on the opposite flank.
Sanchez took the space given by Spain right back Ona Batlle, dribbling into the left side of the area and finishing low inside the right post from a tight angle.
Spain’s first-half goals came five minutes apart.
In the 27th minute, Patri Guijarro found Clara Serrajordi outside the area on the right. Serrajordi crossed low, and Clara Pinedo’s dummy run allowed Putellas to reach it at the back post for an easy tap-in.
In the 32nd, it was Putellas driving at the U.S. defense before spotting Paralluelo to her right. Paralluelo smashed a finish beyond Phallon Tullis-Joyce and off the underside of the crossbar.
