USA 2-0 Wales: Manager Gemma Grainger takes positives in defeat

Manager Gemma Grainger believes Wales have nothing to fear in the Nations League after frustrating back-to-back world champions USA for much of their 2-0 friendly defeat on Sunday.

They were beaten by two Trinity Rodman goals late on in an San Jose.

Wales face Germany, Iceland and Denmark in the autumn in the inaugural women's Nations League before qualifiers for Euro 2025 begin in the new year.

"We've just played the world champions, the world number one," said Grainger.

"So in the Nations League we're not playing the world number one, so let's make sure we take advantage of this game and go into that campaign and be very positive.

"Playing USA away from home, in the off-season, we took the fixture because we want to be a team that qualifies for major tournaments and that's why we took it.

"That says something about this team and it's going to be important for us to take it into the Nations League.

"You look at the competition today and the type of team we want to be, we know we're right on track and to come here to have the experience was part of our plan.

"This was the right fixture for us and to do it in their send-off game, we want to wish the US the best at the World Cup and now we'll focus on the Nations League."

Two late goals from substitute Trinity Rodman, daughter of ex-NBA star Dennis, ended Wales’ brave resistance at PayPal Park

Depleted Wales dig in

Already without suspended captain Sophie Ingle and the injured Rachel Rowe, Wales also lost star player Jess Fishlock after she picked up a hamstring injury playing for club side OL Reign on Friday.

And boss Grainger was proud of the way her team rose to the challenge without some of their key players against a US side playing their final game before going to the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, where they will aim to win the trophy for the third time in a row.

"I think for us as a team, particularly with different factors, the different players we had on the pitch today, the time of the season that it is for us, these players are in the off-season so to be able to raise their game to that level and do it over the game is a real positive," she added.

"We've got so much to take forward and that was the most important thing about this fixture.

"[There are] a lot of positives. I'm disappointed with the defeat so in terms of our mindset and mentality, the preparation we put into the game, we wanted this game to go in a certain way for us and to help us progress in the Nations League, so I'm pleased with that."