Mallory Swanson scored in the 86th minute to secure a 2-2 draw for the United States against Spain in a friendly match held Tuesday night in Chester, Pennsylvania. Ashley Sanchez had earlier reduced the deficit for the U.S. with an early second-half goal after Spain took a 2-0 lead at halftime.

Spain, the reigning Women’s World Cup champions and top-ranked team globally, opened the scoring through Alexia Putellas in the 27th minute. The two-time Ballon d’Or winner marked her 150th cap for Spain with her 43rd international goal, finishing off a pass from Clara Pinedo. Just five minutes later, Spain extended their lead when U.S. goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce misplayed the ball, allowing Salma Paralluelo to net her second goal of the match after a shot hit the crossbar and crossed the line.

The U.S. conceded two first-half goals in back-to-back matches for the first time since 2011, having suffered a 2-0 defeat to Spain in their previous encounter on Saturday in Washington, D.C. During that opening friendly, Patri Guijarro and Eva Navarro scored within the first 14 minutes to give Spain an early advantage.

While Spain has already secured qualification for next year’s World Cup in Brazil, the United States is using these friendlies as preparation for their qualifying campaign later this year. The matches provide valuable opportunities to assess player form and team strategies against a formidable opponent.

The two matches against Spain have offered contrasting outcomes for the U.S. team, with the first ending in defeat and the second in a late comeback draw. The result on Tuesday demonstrated resilience from the U.S., as Swanson’s goal marked her first since the gold medal match at the 2024 Olympics. The U.S. and Spain are among the strongest contenders in women’s international soccer ahead of the World Cup, making these encounters significant in their ongoing preparations.