Twila Kilgore has warned the United States women's national team that there are "no easy games anymore" after its shock Gold Cup loss to Mexico.
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USWNT suffered shock loss to Mexico on MondayCoach Kilgore confident U.S. can bounce backBut says result shows there are no 'easy games' nowWHAT HAPPENED?
The USWNT was disappointing in Monday's 2-0 defeat, its first on home soil against a CONCACAF opponent since 2000 and only its second ever to Mexico. USWNT interim coach Kilgore is confident her team can respond but she also sent a warning about what this result means about women's soccer as a whole.
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Speaking after the game, Kilgore said: "I think it just shows how far the game is coming and there are no easy games anymore. And if we don’t take care of business and we don’t execute, this is to be expected. We’ll step up and take ownership in that and I think anytime you have a group that is willing to take ownership in things like this, it’s a good thing for the future of the tournament. Everything’s still on the table and we’ll be motivated, that’s for sure."
GettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE
The USWNT had already secured its place in the Gold Cup quarter-finals before this loss but it now qualifies from Group A in second place, behind Mexico, and is therefore likely to receive a trickier opponent in the first knockout round.
DID YOU KNOW?
The last time Mexico beat the USWNT was way back in 2010, in a 2-1 result in CONCACAF Women's World Cup qualifying. That victory came on home soil in Cancun and meant the U.S. had to face a play-off to reach the World Cup in 2011.