The U.S. women's national team got a lesson from the world champions on Saturday.

Spain beat the United States 2-0 in a friendly match in Washington, D.C., CBS Sports reported. Early goals decided the game, The Guardian said.

The Americans had chances but could not finish them. Coach Emma Hayes refused to blame luck. "Unlucky is being struck by lightning," she said, according to CBS Sports.

ESPN said the gap between the two teams may be small. But Spain showed how a world-class team takes its chances.

The two sides are likely to be the top contenders at the 2027 Women's World Cup in Brazil, which opens in 258 days. Spain is the defending champion and has been No. 1 in FIFA's rankings for 60 weeks. The second-ranked U.S. won gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Both teams were missing several key players to injuries, The Guardian noted.

Spain has already qualified for the World Cup. The U.S. still must qualify through a regional tournament that starts next month.

Before the game, veteran defender Crystal Dunn was honored. Dunn said she wanted the team to test itself against the best. "The legacy of the national team is no joke," she said. "You come onto the team, and people are like, 'we win everything.' That's what we are expected to do."

The two teams play a second friendly this month. Hayes will want her team to turn its chances into goals.

Hayes, an English coach, took over the U.S. team in 2024 and led it to Olympic gold.

What we know: Spain beat the U.S. 2-0.
What we don't: how Hayes will change the lineup for the second friendly.