Mexico Ends USWNT’s Remarkable 33-Game Run with Breakthrough Goal in CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup

Struggles for USWNT’s Star Attackers Trinity Rodman and Sophia Smith in CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup Against Mexico

At the halfway mark in the CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup against Mexico, star attackers Trinity Rodman and Sophia Smith are finding it challenging to hit the net. Adding to the woes of the USWNT, Mexico’s Jacqueline Ovalle scored a breakthrough goal in the 38th minute, disrupting the dominant form the US team has maintained over the last 33 games.

The USWNT, boasting an impressive record, had not conceded a goal in the past 33 games in CONCACAF’s official competitions. However, Jacqueline Ovalle’s late first-half strike shattered this iconic streak of the 2019 World Champions. During this remarkable run, the US team outscored opponents 158-0. The question now lingers if the US stars can outscore Mexico in the remainder of the match, given the intense competition with both teams having an equal number of goal attempts.

33 – Jacqueline Ovalle's goal for Mexico ends a run of 33 straight shutouts for the #USWNT in official Concacaf competitions. The U.S. had outscored opponents 158-0 in those games. Breakthrough. pic.twitter.com/KzooxdMO2U

— OptaJack⚽️ (@OptaJack) February 27, 2024

To address their scoring struggles, USWNT manager Twila Kilgore made a pivotal decision by bringing veteran attacker Alex Morgan off the bench. Morgan’s inclusion comes after some controversy surrounding her participation in the CONCACAF tournament. Initially left out of the roster, Kilgore emphasized giving opportunities to younger players in the Women’s Gold Cup. However, she later reversed course and called up the San Diego Wave superstar. Morgan made her mark by scoring a crucial goal in USWNT’s opening match of the tournament.

The ongoing clash between USWNT and Mexico carries significant weight for Group A standings, with the victor potentially claiming the top spot in the group table. Regardless, with two wins already secured, USWNT has secured qualification for the knockout stages.

USWNT Faces Impending W Gold Cup Knockouts

After 80 minutes of play, the US team still hasn’t managed to score against Mexico. Should this trend continue, Mexico will emerge as the leader of the group. Subsequently, they will meet the second or third seeds from Group B, likely weaker opponents. However, if USWNT falls behind Mexico, they will likely face the winner of the adjacent group, which is expected to be Brazil.

The upcoming weekend will see the quarterfinals of the inaugural edition of the CONCACAF W Gold Cup, all hosted at BMO Stadium in LA. Following the quarterfinals, the semifinals are scheduled for March 06, with the final set to take place on March 10. With the tournament being held in the US, there are high expectations for the Women’s team to secure the inaugural title. However, for the 2019 World Champions to achieve this feat, they must overcome their current scoring struggles. Do you believe the US will succeed? Share your thoughts in the comments below