REPORT | USA 2-0 WNT
A first-half strike from Emily Fox and a second-half penalty from Lindsay Horan secured the win for the home team, who forced goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan into a few outstanding saves.
This was a game where Ireland showed that how much they have progressed in recent times with this defeat ending a record nine-game unbeaten run and a collective sense of disappointment afterwards as the game could have swung another way.
Certainly if an offside goal - which came from Kyra Carusa attacking a Heather Payne cross - had been given. Or if Alyssa Naeher hadn't swatted away chances from Carusa and Denise O'Sullivan. Maybe the game could have been in Ireland's control.
However, Fox broke the deadlock just before half-time with a long-range strike and the USA shifted up a gear in the second period. It wasn't that they dominated though with O'Sullivan, on her 100th appearance, and debutant Sinead Farrelly standing out in midfield alongside the hard-working Megan Connolly.
Sky Player of the Match Louise Quinn went close with a header late on but Horan had already converted the spot-kick that she earned by then and the home team were on their way to victory.
With the teams set to meet again in St. Louis on Tuesday, Ireland can take a lot of confidence from this performance and the fact that they introduced two new players in Farrelly and Peamount United defender Tara O'Hanlon.
USA: Alyssa Naeher; Emily Fox, Becky Sauerbrunn, Naomi Girma, Crystal Dunn (Emily Sonnett 66); Andi Sullivan (Julie Ertz 66), Rose Lavelle (Ashley Sanchez 80), Linsay Horan; Sophie Smith, Alex Morgan (Ashley Hatch 66), Mallory Swanson (Trinity Rodman 45).
Ireland: Courtney Brosnan; Aoife Mannion (Áine O’Gorman 60), Louise Quinn, Diane Caldwell; Heather Payne, Sinead Farrelly (Ruesha Littlejohn 60), Denise O’Sullivan, Megan Connolly, Katie McCabe, Marissa Sheva (Tara O’Hanlon 86), Kyra Carusa.
Referee: Carly Shaw McLaren (Canada).