Ashley Sanchez and Mallory Swanson’s goals earn the USWNT a comeback draw against Spain

The U.S. women’s soccer team doesn’t lose back-to-back games very often, so when it does, there had better be a reason.

A packed crowd of 18,648 at Subaru Park on Tuesday night almost saw the biggest reason possible: Spain’s World Cup champions showing they are the favorites to repeat next summer.

But after the Americans fell into a second straight 2-0 hole, they rallied in the second half, and Mallory Swanson’s 86th-minute equalizer secured a 2-2 tie.

There were lineup changes from the last game, as expected. The biggest was Claire Hutton stepping into midfield, giving the squad the enforcer it lacked Saturday. The second-biggest was Phallon Tullis-Joyce replacing Claudia Dickey in goal.

Fans were excited to see Ashley Sanchez, the NWSL’s leading scorer this year, at left wing; and Gisele Thompson at left back. Both were heavily involved early on, including Thompson chasing down Spain star Salma Paralluelo’s breakaway in the fifth minute.

» READ MORE: The USWNT’s loss to Spain in their series opener brought some extra spice to their rematch in Chester

Tullis-Joyce got her share of early tests, too, including a big save on Clara Pinedo in the 14th.

But Spain didn’t need too much longer to take the lead, and to score twice in quick succession once again — both off clear lapses by the U.S. defense.

The first came in the 27th, after Gisele Thompson pressed Paralluelo and no one in a U.S. jersey took up the vacated space. Spain’s Clara Serrajordi promptly seized it, and hit a low cross that Kennedy Wesley failed to stop. Two-time FIFA women’s world player of the year Alexia Putellas was wide open at the far post, for an easy finish.

Five minutes later, Tierna Davidson made a rare misjudgment, not pursuing a pass from Putellas to Paralluelo. She settled the ball with her first two steps, then slammed it in off the crossbar with the third.

As for the other end of the field, the U.S. had the ball plenty, but didn’t do nearly as much with it as Saturday. They put just two of their six first-half shots on target, with Sanchez and Trinity Rodman hitting a series of crosses that either were blocked or didn’t reach a teammate.

» READ MORE: Spain served the USWNT a wake-up call with a 2-0 win in the series opener

The second half started with a bang. Four minutes in, Sophia Wilson shook off a defender near midfield, sprinted down the right flank, and fed Sanchez on the left to continue the fast break. She cut in, Spain’s Ona Batlle took a step back, and Sanchez fired low to the far post.

At last, the packed house could erupt.

A heavy collection of substitutes came for both sides at the hour mark. U.S. manager Emma Hayes sent in Michelle Cooper for Rodman at left wing; Mallory Swanson for Rose Lavelle, Lily Yohannes for Lindsey Heaps, and Jaelin Howell for Claire Hutton in midfield; and Alyssa Thompson for her sister Gisele at left back.

Spain manager Sonia Bermúdez’s withdrawals included Putellas, who didn’t get as much applause for her exit as when she was announced in La Roja’s starting lineup. Tearing the home team apart will do that, of course, but she joins the list of world stars to have graced Subaru Park’s field in its history.

» READ MORE: USWNT star Sophia Wilson has made it look easy since returning from pregnancy. But that doesn’t mean it is.

Hayes made her last subs in the 80th. Pietra Tordin replaced Wilson at striker, Emma Sears replaced Sanchez at left wing, and Kate Del Fava replaced Tierna Davidson at centerback. Tordin, a Princeton product, and Del Fava made their senior U.S. debuts.

Three of the subs teamed up to produce the equalizer in the 86th. Del Fava hit a long ball that Cooper raced onto, and she kept going until Spain trapped her deep in the 18-yard box. But she was able to turn well and spot Swanson, who received the pass and took a mighty swing of her right leg to fire past Misa Rodríguez.

It was Swanson’s first U.S. goal since the 2024 Olympic gold medal game, in her second U.S. appearance since giving birth to her first child last November.

Now the game was wide open, as both teams surged up and down seeking a winner. It felt just as frantic as a World Cup knockout game might next summer, including seven minutes of stoppage time.

Yohannes almost had it, too, with a shot in the final seconds that took a deflection with Cooper screening Rodríguez. But the goalkeeper recovered to punch it out, the ensuing corner kick came to nothing.