The first D.C. appearance by the U.S. women’s national soccer team in more than five years Tuesday was not supposed to be this stressful. The world champions had thumped the same opponent by four goals three days earlier, hadn’t lost at home since 2017 and hadn’t even conceded a goal since April.
But as a picture-perfect sunset glowed over Audi Field, the top-ranked United States found itself in a second-half deadlock with No. 46 Nigeria. Then age-defying Megan Rapinoe entered, Rose Lavelle contorted, and all was well again for the Americans, who earned a 2-1 victory before an announced crowd of 18,869.