CHESTER, Pa. (AP) – Two-time World Cup champion Alex Morgan was celebrated in a star-studded farewell on Thursday as the U.S. women’s team stumbled in its first game since July, allowing a goal in each first half to give Portugal its first win, 2-1, over the United States.
Not only did Portugal beat the United States for the first time in 12 games, but it was also their first international goal against the United States.
Rose Lavelle scored for the United States just 33 seconds into the friendly, but Ines Pereira stopped the rest of the match.
LaBelle scored the goal after Morgan’s pregame ceremony and before many of the more than 17,000 fans had taken their seats, thrilling a crowd that included retired Eagles great Jason Kelce inside Subaru Park, home of MLS’s Philadelphia Union.
Portugal’s Diana Gomez scored her eighth international goal with a header past Fallon Tallis-Joyce to tie the match at 1-ALL in the first half. Portugal had outscored the Americans 40-0 in their previous 11 games, with Lavelle’s goal included.
Fatima Pinto scored her fifth goal for her country, scoring the winning goal from the top of the box in heavy traffic towards the end of the second half, giving Portugal a landmark victory.
The U.S. women’s team returned after a 113-day layoff to begin serious preparations toward a World Cup berth. Two more games against Portugal and New Zealand are scheduled to round out the three-game series at the end of the month.
The team needs work.
Following Morgan’s appearance, the stadium was given a makeover to commemorate her big night.
Her best moments (including four goals for the U-20 Women’s World Cup team) include: stand up cutout The ones lined up outside the stadium. Girls lined up at Alex Morgan’s pre-wrap station to get their hair done “in preparation for game day,” and T-shirts and banners emblazoned with her name were popular items at the merchandise store. At the national team’s sendoff, fans from all over the world held up signs showing their love for Morgan.
Members of the national team who weren’t able to take the field won’t miss Morgan’s night. Morgan, 36 years old I retired from soccer last year. when she became pregnant with her second child.
American forward Trinity Rodman joined Morgan’s celebrations but did not play as she is recovering from a knee injury. Rodman has only played for the United States once since winning the gold medal at the 2024 Olympics in France. Abby Wambach, Kelli O’Hara and Megan Rapinoe also attended the game.
Morgan was featured NWSL 150 games We looked back at her career, which included stints with the Portland Thorns and Orlando Pride. She rejoined Wave as a minority shareholder in May.
Morgan won World Cup titles in 2015 and 2019, as well as an Olympic gold medal in 2012. She played in 224 games for the U.S. national team, recording 123 goals and 53 assists, and was awarded a flame jersey with her total number on it. She was named U.S. Soccer Player of the Year in 2012 and 2018.
Off the field, Morgan advanced women’s soccer through her fight for equal pay. U.S. women’s players filed a lawsuit in 2019 that led to a historic agreement to pay women players equal to what U.S. men receive in 2022.
She also called for the NWSL to pave the way for reform and introduce anti-harassment policies after the coach cheating scandal rocked the league in 2021.
U.S. women’s soccer coach Emma Hayes, who lost for the third time since taking over in 2024, has only faced Morgan in one game during her tenure. But the former Chelsea manager has been in the sport long enough to appreciate Morgan’s impact on the game and is grateful that she will be celebrated at the same stadium where she scored her first goal for the national team in 2010.
“There was nothing she couldn’t accomplish,” Hayes said the day before. “She was an athlete who epitomized everything this program is about. She is an incredible credit to our family because her drive, drive and determination to prove herself at the highest level is second to none.”
“You can’t go anywhere in this country without them talking about Alex Morgan. I think the sporting world should show a lot of gratitude for that, because it’s important that our players are recognized and she is, without a doubt, one of the most recognizable faces in our sport in recent years.”
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