U.S. exacts revenge on Germany, winning friendly 2-1 to avoid four-game skid

The American women's football team is breathing a sigh of relief to finish the 2022 season.

The United States Women's National Soccer Team (USWNT) rallied from an early deficit to beat Germany 2-1 on Sunday (13 November) evening in Harrison, New Jersey, halting a three-game losing streak and exacting revenge on a German squad that had beaten it by the same score on Thursday night.

Team USA was in danger of losing a fourth consecutive game, something it had never done before in squad history, but used a flurry of offensive attacks and physical prowess to come away with the win in front of over 26,000 fans on a chilly autumn evening.

Sophia Smith (54') and Mallory Pugh (56') scored within minutes of one another, sending the U.S. into the off-season with a triumph after losses to England, Spain and Germany over the last two months.

Jule Brand had put the Germans out in front in the first half (19'), as the U.S. failed to get a shot on goal before the break.

Just four days prior, on Thursday (10 November), Germany had handed the U.S. a 2-1 loss in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., snapping a 71-game unbeaten streak for the U.S. at home - and giving the team its third loss in a row for the first time since 1993.

The 2023 season will be highlighted by the FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, which both the No. 1-ranked U.S. and No. 3-ranked Germany have already qualified for.

MORE: USA v Germany series preview | Germany 2-1 USA (10 Nov.)

U.S. women look ahead to 2023

The aforementioned Women's World Cup will loom large in the sport for 2023, with the U.S. having won in both 2015 and 2019. Germany captured the trophy in 2003 and 2007.

Germany is fresh off of a runner-up finish at Euros 2022, while the U.S. finished with a bronze medal at Tokyo 2020 in 2021.

Veteran star Alex Morgan was celebrated for her 200th cap for the U.S., and the forward played an integral part in the team's second half attack.

After a lackluster first 45 minutes, the U.S. came out firing in the second, with goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher making a key stop in the 52nd minute in a two-on-one situation.

The U.S. would produce a flurry of offense off of that stop, with Smith's goal coming off of a throw-in that saw the American weave through the box and fire off her 12th international goal in 27 caps.

Two minutes later Pugh came screaming through the German defense, notching her 24th career goal in 82 appearances.

The U.S. had several more chances to pad their lead, though the German team continued to press through to the final whistle. The friendly marked the final game for each squad in the 2022 season.