World Champions United States WNT Lose Three Successive Games For First Time Since 1993

The world champions, the USA women’s national team, suffered their third consecutive 2-1 loss to Germany last night in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It is the first time since 1993 that they have lost three games in a row. The match also ended the team’s 71-game unbeaten streak on home soil that stretches back five years.

A goal by German substitute Paulina Krumbiegel in the 89th minute was enough for Germany to win 2-1 in Florida. This defeat follows back-to-back defeats in Europe in October, 2-1 to European champions England at Wembley and 2-0 to Spain in Pamplona. For the world no the case of being a team in transition that currently cannot compete with the top European nations.

Germany took the lead in the 52nd minute when Klara Bühl’s long-range shot hit the post and was deflected back into the net by US goalkeeper Casey Murphy. It seemed like substitute Megan Rapinoe had salvaged a tie as she leveled five minutes before the German winner’s end. After the game, Rapinoe usually spoke directly. “It’s not the World Cup,” she said, “but that’s three on the go and that’s never good.”

“I thought there was a lot of good stuff today. We were taught some good lessons today on how to stay focused all the time, at the end with the last goal there’s a bit of a lack of focus and we have to take our chances. I don’t want it really sugarcoat it. It sucks. You never want to lose three in a row. I don’t think I’ve ever lost three in a row on this team.”

Coach Vlatko Andonovski denied his team had anything to worry about, claiming he was unhappy with some calls from Honduras by Jamaican referee Odette Hamilton and her assistants. “First and foremost, we’re not happy with the result. Every time you don’t win a game, you can’t be happy, no matter what happens on the other side. I think we made a really good game against an incredible opponent . I think the referees took a lot away from us. I don’t want to rely on that but I feel like the game was a bit too much for them.”

Germany manager Martina Voss-Teklenburg, who admitted earlier in the week that her side were reluctant to travel across the Atlantic during this busy period of the European club season, was pleased with the way her side reacted to Rapinoe’s late goal and said: “What I learned today is that this team is always ready to learn from mistakes, adapt tactically and then get back into the game. Of course that gives us courage and security. We have a good reaction to that Shown 1-1. We forced the United States to make mistakes.”

Despite missing several key players who did not travel to the United States through injury, Germany’s victory was the first time a visiting nation had won away from the World Cup champions since July 2017, ending the hosts’ 71-game unbeaten run (64 wins, 7 draws) since losing 1-0 to Australia in the Tournament of Nations. The United States’ longest unbeaten streak at home remains the incredible 104 games they went unbeaten in between December 2004 and December 2015.

It is also the first time since 1993 that the United States has been defeated in three consecutive games. On that occasion, at the Cyprus Cup, they lost to Norway and Germany in the space of four days before losing to the Germans again the following month. The United States has a chance to get revenge on their opponents in three days’ time when they face Germany again in Harrison, New Jersey. The team has never lost four games in a row in its 37-year history.

In this game, striker Alex Morgan will become only the 13th player in the country’s history to win 200 caps. She hopes this occasion will be an improvement on her 199th appearance. “Hopefully,” she said, preferring to focus on the positive aspects of last night’s games. “I think there were some really great moments. I thought we looked our best at times tonight and I think just our graduation wasn’t there and some calls didn’t go our way. So it’s a bit disappointing, but I think we’re happy to be attacking Germany again in a few days.”