CHESTER, Pa. — Mallory Swanson wanted more. 

The midfielder was subbed on after an hour of the United States’ second international friendly with Spain. By the 89th minute, she had put her stamp on it, scoring a critical equalizer — her first international goal since the 2024 Paris Olympics, in which the USWNT won gold — to help her side draw 2-2.

“Even after that, in the last few minutes, I wished the game could go on a little bit longer,” Swanson said after the match. “I felt the momentum.”

The USWNT are still on the hunt for their first win over Spain since 2020 (a three-game run). Facing the No. 1-ranked team in the world just outside of Philadelphia on Tuesday, they showed the tenacity and gall they lacked in their 2-0 loss on Saturday.

Substitutes raised the level considerably in both matches, as evidenced by the U.S. “winning” the second half of Tuesday’s match 2-0. Taking on Spain is one challenge, but with November’s Concacaf W Championship quarterfinal against El Salvador serving as a World Cup qualifying playoff, head coach Emma Hayes has another tough task ahead.

In the opening 10 minutes at Subaru Park on Tuesday, the USWNT looked more secure in their identity. They pressed with collective aggression, held possession for longer spells, and exploited the flanks. Fullback Gisele Thompson and midfielder Ashley Sanchez found joy down those wide channels, but there was a lack of support when they crossed into the penalty area. Spain was happy to absorb their efforts, easing the back-line duties of Irene Paredes and Maria Mendez in the center and Oihane Hernandez and Andrea Medina on the right and left. Traditionally, 35-year-old Paredes is the only regular starter for Spain.

Regardless, as midfielder Rose Lavelle told reporters in the mixed zone after the game, “If you give Spain an inch, they can individually solve and plan around you.” Spain once again showed they could punish even slight lapses in judgment, let alone clear errors. The U.S. committed both types of infractions in the first half on Tuesday.

In the 27th minute, after knocking the ball around near the right corner of their attacking third, Spain winger Salma Paralluelo laid the ball off to midfielder Patri Guijarro, who slipped it through to Clara Serrajordi. The 18-year-old Barcelona playmaker sent a low cross in the box that was uncontested save for Clara Pinedo’s dummy run, which gave Alexia Putellas, making her 150th senior cap, one of the simplest tap-ins of her career.

Read the rest for free here: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7688943/2026/10/14/uswnt-spain-emma-hayes-substitutes/?unlocked_article_code=1.IlE.U8W9.ybt5tPjJZrC8&source=emp_shared_article&smid=url-share-ta

FIFPRO just released a study, and there's a lot that's so interesting in it, but a couple of things really caught my eye.

For one thing, 49% of players surveyed are considering leaving the sport early. On the one hand, that's a lot. But on the other, that's a HUGE drop from 90% in a survey done just nine years ago. That seems to say so much about how much advancement there's been in how women's footballers are being treated and compensated.

However, one thing that's even more fascinating to me is how many of those 49% of players say that psychological stress is a major reason why they're considering leaving early. And what stunned me is that this was only 13% in 2017. Like, it went from about 1 in 8 players considering leaving early to 1 in 2 of them in only nine years.

Why is this? The study brought up some good possibilities. One is that even though social media abuse can be so significant in this sport for both men and women, women are more likely to "rely heavily on social media to subsidize their incomes" and handle their social media themselves.

Not only that, but there's more external pressure on women's footballers to do well, to win, than there used to be. That might be a factor. And fixture congestion - more to the point, minutes congestion - could be another. For example, according to Sofascore, Alyssa Thompson played 356 of a possible 360 minutes in only 12 days for Chelsea from Sept. 19-30 before easing up a little with 25 minutes on Oct. 4 and then heading back to the States for the two friendlies with Spain.

Why do you think that so many fewer players are considering leaving the sport early than before? What can be done to keep lowering that percentage? And what about how much of a factor psychological stress has turned out to be? How can we turn that tide? I have so many questions swimming in my head right now and am unsure of the answers to them.

From the USA/Spain friendly on 13/10/2026.

From the friendly played 14/10/2026.

This goal places Foord third-all-time on the Matildas' scoring list.

From the USA/Spain match on 13/10/2026.

From the friendly played 13/10/2026.

https://youtu.be/_ApPvB62pKY

That opening Czech goal is a belter.

She also participated in Harder's own camp: We Play Harder.

Canada defeated Denmark in penalties.

Selección Española de Fútbol

28’ | Dallmann (1:1)

73’ | Bühl (2:1)

For anyone interested, the friendly will be shown on German Football YouTube. I believe it is available to everyone, so you shouldn't need a VPN or anything to watch.

Click the link below to go to the YouTube page and watch, with kick-off at 4.45pm UK Time.

4.45pm - Germany vs Japan (Friendly) - German Football YouTube