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Amid NWSL Upheaval, USWNT-England Was What Women’s Soccer Needed

After a difficult week for the sport, the U.S. put out a brave performance as England ran away with a 2–1 victory.

LONDON — It’s not often when a big game lives up to the moment. It’s even more rare when the moment needs a game like today. After a harrowing week in women’s soccer, Friday night at Wembley Stadium met the moment. Spectacle, catharsis, showcase, solidarity: Whatever the sport needed, the U.S. women’s national team delivered with courage, and England delivered an entertaining 2–1 win.

When Sally Yates’s damning 319-page report on emotional and sexual abuse in the NWSL sent shockwaves through the sports world Monday, the initial thought about Friday’s long-anticipated London friendly was one of concern.