The U.S women's national team fell 2-1 to Brazil in São Paulo at the Neo Química Arena on Saturday evening in front of a booming home crowd, in the first of two friendlies against the South American champions.
Although attendance was concentrated in the lower bowl of the stadium, which serves as the home of storied Brazilian club SC Corinthians Paulista, fans filled it with support for the 2027 World Cup hosts, manifesting as a 12th teammate on the pitch. They welcomed each U.S. possession with loud heckles and celebrated every Brazilian advance, from interceptions to tackles and shots on goal.
Forward Sophia Wilson gave the U.S. an early advantage with a goal in the second minute, her first with the national team since 2024 and becoming a mother. Fellow forward Trinity Rodman helped create the opportunity with her high press.
Brazil answered nine minutes later when 21-year-old Palmeiras forward Taina Maranhão found the end of a cross from fullback Isabela Chagas.
The delivery came from a Brazilian throw-in near the endline, a threat the U.S. had previously identified, with USWNT head coach Emma Hayes saying there were 117 percent more throw-ins in Brazilian matches.
In the 14th minute, the South American champions doubled their lead, the result of a combination from current and former National Women's Soccer League players. Bia Zaneratto , who played for the Kansas City Current, carried the ball from midfield and absorbed pressure from the United States' defensive efforts. She released the ball to 20-year-old Dudinha , who leads the San Diego Wave in assists. After wriggling through the U.S. backline, Dudinha returned the ball to Zaneratto, who was wide open for a cool finish. The result is the same scoreline as Brazil's last win against the U.S. in April 2025, which Hayes had described as putting players in the frying pan . It is also the first time the U.S. has lost to the same opponent twice in a row since 2011 (the other was against Sweden ).
This match and the following game Tuesday are meant as a World Cup tuneup — even if the U.S. still needs to qualify for the 2027 tournament, which will come in November. The Athletic discusses the key takeaways from a challenging match against a World Cup contender boosted by home-field advantage.
Brazil did not give the U.S. much time to celebrate Wilson's early goal, no matter how momentous a milestone this was for one of the U.S. national team's biggest stars. Wilson continued to dominate the match, despite the 2-1 final scoreline. She was all over the pitch and nearly scored a brace.
The South American side, however, quickly shifted the momentum in its favor, with Maranhão's equalizer just nine minutes later. Brazil's quick pace continued when Zaneratto, another Palmeiras star, scored their second goal three minutes after that.
Brazil managed to dominate the first half. Early in the second half, Hayes brought in subs like Michelle Cooper and Avery Patterson to help level out the remainder of the match as the U.S. chased a second goal.
The first 80 minutes were certainly an impressive showing by Brazilian goalkeeper Leticia, who was replaced late in the match, after being stretched off, by captain and veteran player Lorena .
This fixture was as much a testing ground for the U.S. as it was for Brazil, which aced the exam by full time. — Melanie Anzidei
Though the final scoreline was not what the U.S. had fought for Saturday, this national team has shown why sometimes a loss is exactly what they needed. After all, it's better to lose now against Brazil rather than next year when they are hosting the 2027 World Cup.
Hayes knew that playing Brazil at this stage of their preparations for World Cup qualifiers was hugely important — not only because the Brazilians are one of the fiercest opponents in the world, but also because playing them in their own backyard comes with a set of challenges beyond the actual field of play.
The atmosphere inside Neo Química Arena was electric, and it was evident even through the broadcast. The stadium was buzzing for Brazil, which is an uncomfortable place for opponents to play in. Every positive play from Brazil came with a soundtrack of cheers, while every U.S. play came with a cacophony of boos.
In those environments, it might be hard for players to hear one another. Emotions might be running higher than usual. There are also the obvious benefits of learning the cities, hotels, stadiums, playing surfaces and climate, as well as the invaluable test run of traveling into the country as a unit.
"It was an amazing atmosphere," Hayes said after the match. "I'm sure for many of my players, this is the first time they've ever experienced an intensity (like that) from the crowd.
"But the reality is we start the game, we score a goal. I think when you play in these situations, especially the early part of the game, you have to compete and stay in the game. I think Brazil took their chances really, really well in the early part, and they made it very, very difficult for us. That's a great learning for my team, and the atmosphere, for sure, contributed to that."
The game also provides a theater for the U.S. to study Brazil's physicality, mind games and time-wasting tactics in real time.
The most important challenge — which is becoming a Hayes specialty for U.S. training camps — is being able to play Brazil back to back. As important as the first match was, the second match on Tuesday, and how the team responds to a loss, will matter even more. — Anzidei
Hayes believes Dudinha has the potential to become one of the most dangerous attackers in the world.
"She can terrorize defenses. I think not just with her pace, but it's her pace in possession of the ball. She can go inside; she can go outside. She's unpredictable," Hayes said in a pre-match news conference Friday. "You can't dive in against her, but you also can't overtly show her one way, 'cause I think she can do you either side."
Defensive patience would be key to managing that threat, Hayes said, and it was clear in the first half why the U.S. manager spoke so highly of the young San Diego Wave forward. Her 14th-minute assist to Zaneratto was only one indication of her heavy involvement in Brazil's attack; Dudinha's ability to interchange with her and Maranhão made for a challenging task for the U.S. backline.
A fixture to the top-ranked Wave, Dudinha has increasingly been earning minutes with Brazil. She scored a goal and recorded an assist in last summer's Copa América Femenina and has 18 caps and six goals with the senior squad.
Dudinha, Hayes said, "is a player destined for a massive future. I think she's got all the qualities to be one of the very best. So, what a great opportunity we have to defend her, and in her home country, because these are the tests that we so want for our team." — Tamerra Griffin
This article originally appeared in The Athletic .
US Women's national team, NWSL, Women's Soccer, FIFA Women's World Cup
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