Spain serves the USWNT a wake-up call with a two-goal defeat to open the first of two friendlies

WASHINGTON — It’s a rare occurrence to find the U.S. women’s soccer team playing with quality, but the final score of their match is a decisive loss.

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That’s what happened Saturday, as Spain scored two early goals and the U.S. fluffed on a pile of chances in a 2-0 defeat at Audi Field.

Both goals were great plays.

Patri Guijarro hit a 21-yard belter and Eva Navarro had a smart finish of a cross from Salma Paralluelo. They were both off transition moves, too, the kind of thing the U.S. prides itself on.

This time, though, the roles felt almost reversed. The Americans had lots of possession and pretty sequences that led to nothing, while Spain hit twice charging the other way.

How much of that was the hosts’ fault, and how much was the trap that the reigning World Cup champions can lure any opponent into?

That is the eternal question when facing Spain. But early on, it felt that one of the factors was a starting lineup decision from U.S. manager Emma Hayes.

She sent out a group without a true defensive midfielder in it, putting Lindsey Heaps and Lily Yohannes in the deep spots. Neither is well-suited for the enforcer role needed in a game like this — or in most games the U.S. plays on big stages.

The injured Sam Coffey obviously would have helped, but Claire Hutton and Jaelin Howell were available on the bench.

The U.S. didn’t lack for scoring opportunities. They outshot Spain 12-6, including 9-3 in attempts on target.

Spain’s defense left some big gaps, especially down the Americans’ right side. But when the chances came, the hosts couldn’t do enough with them. Yohannes shot wide, Sophia Wilson’s big hit was denied by Spain goalkeeper Adriana Nanclares, and later Wilson put a shot narrowly past the far post.

Hayes made her first substitution at halftime, withdrawing left back Avery Patterson for Gisele Thompson. Patterson had been overmatched, including being right in the middle of both goals.

There were a few grumbles in the 51st when Yohannes hit a superb cross-field pass to Alyssa Thompson, who cut in well from the left but did not shoot. And there were a lot more grumbles two minutes later when Wilson finally put the ball in the net on a breakaway, only to be caught offside by a video review.

In the 58th minute, Thompson centered for Rodman, who scuffed it from an ideal spot. In the 63rd, there was an almost comical moment when Heaps and Rose Lavelle were sprung forward together, but neither could get a good shot off.

Hayes summoned a triple-substitution in the 66th: Hutton for Heaps, Ashley Sanchez for Alyssa Thompson, and Mallory Swanson for Lavelle. The newcomers got right to work, and on the first surge forward Wilson drew a penalty kick.

But Yohannes, a native of nearby northern Virginia, shot down the middle and Nanclares punched it away.

Hayes threw another attacking weapon for the last 10 minutes, subbing in winger forward Michelle Cooper for outside back Emily Fox.

Spain made its own long list of substitutions, and one of them didn’t last long. Athenea del Castillo was ejected seconds after entering in the 88th when a video review caught her grabbing Cooper’s hair in a challenge.

By the time del Castillo departed, the four minutes of stoppage time had just kicked off. That was never going to be enough time to turn the result around.

Now the teams head north to meet again on Tuesday at Subaru Park (7 p.m., TNT, Universo). For as much intrigue as this series had, the second game now looks set to have even more.

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