A productive USWNT loss. Plus: 3 big women’s soccer questions

USWNT vs. Brazil: A ‘mock test’ for the U.S.

As familiar as the U.S. and Brazil’s women’s national teams are with each other, historically and recently, their first meeting of 2026 at the Neo Química Arena in São Paulo on Saturday still exposed new sides of both teams. (That’s part of the reason why I believe it’s among the greatest rivalries in global women’s football, but I’ll save that for a future column.)

• Not only did the USWNT lose to the 2027 World Cup hosts in a 2-1 battle, but it did so in an extraordinary atmosphere filled with more than 33,300 Brazilian supporters, who have the beautiful game deeply embedded in their DNA. Their full-throated cheers for Brazil and heckles for the U.S. boomed through the television screen, and the impact that had on the USWNT was equally as apparent.
• More than just playing, learning how to perform in that hostile environment has arguably been the best developmental experience for the U.S. since Hayes began shaping up the under-23 squad.

Applying the “mock test” Hayes described in Saturday’s post-match news conference, I’m grading the U.S. a B-. The full report:

Wilson scores again

Sophia Wilson needed just two minutes into Saturday’s match to score her first goal with the USWNT since becoming a mother. It was a well-worked sequence that began with Trinity Rodman’s pressure in midfield, forcing Brazil to cough up the ball. Wilson picked it up from there, attacking the space in front of her before showcasing again the unlocked skill of her left-footed shot at the top of the penalty box’s arc.

Had the match ended differently, the narrative around Wilson’s goal would surely be different. Brazil equalized nine minutes later and took the lead three minutes after that, but we cannot underestimate the importance of Wilson returning to her scoring ways for the U.S.

Reintroducing Dudinha
San Diego Wave fans have long known how special a player Dudinha is. The same goes for any NWSL fan whose team has been victimized by the 20-year-old’s attacking exploits since the Wave signed her last July. Despite missing half the NWSL season, Dudinha made swift and seismic contributions to the Wave last year, scoring five goals in 11 matches. She’s grown her toolkit this season by adding assists to her game and leads the top-ranked Wave with four, to go along with five goals.

“I think she’s got all the qualities to be one of the very best,” Hayes said of Dudinha, and that much was clear Saturday night. Her winning assist to Bia Zaneratto was only one indicator of the multi-pronged threat Dudinha poses; she’s just as effective playing centrally as out wide, with the ball at her feet or running into space. Without the steadying forces of Naomi Girma or Sam Coffey, the USWNT defense struggled to contain her.

What’s next?
The impulse to worry about a USWNT loss is basically football canon, but this is invaluable experience for the squad — both the senior team and the under-23s, who are also training and competing in Brazil right now.

Fortaleza promises to bring a similar electric crowd tomorrow night. Hayes has been tight-lipped about any changes to her starting XI in the second leg, but given her commitment to exposure and development, it feels right to expect a fair amount of rotation. This could be the last dress rehearsal of its kind before the World Cup begins next summer.

📺 Watch: Tomorrow’s friendly is at 8:30 p.m. ET on TNT and Telemundo. The match will also stream on HBO Max in English and Universo and Peacock in Spanish.

That’s all from me, Tamerra. Now over to Meg.