CHESTER, Pa. — Before Thursday night, the last time the U.S. women played Portugal was the scoreless tie at the 2023 World Cup that started their downfall.

For the first 33 seconds this time, it looked like things had changed. But by the end of the night, Portugal had the Americans’ number again — this time a 2-1 win as the visitors at Subaru Park.

It was the U.S.’ first loss in a visit to the Philadelphia area since 2004, and the current team’s first loss in seven games dating back to February.

Those 33 seconds were how long it took for the U.S. to open the scoring through Rose Lavelle. Catarina Macario set the play up with a dazzling move, running and dancing amid Portugal’s defense before feeding the assist.

That was the seventh-fastest goal in U.S. women’s team history, and it will not be recorded that Lavelle was clearly offside. But with no video review in this friendly, the goal stood, and the crowd of 17,297 — including U.S. legend Alex Morgan and many ex-teammates honoring her retirement ceremony — cheered.

Lavelle nearly scored again on a breakaway in the 9th, sprung beautifully by Alyssa Thompson. But Portugal goalkeeper Inês Pereira denied her with a charge off her line and a tip of the ball to just the right side of the post.

From there, Portugal turned the tide. In the 37th minute, Kika Nazareth spun around Lavelle, passed wide to Andreia Jacinto and she tried a chip attempt that landed on top of the crossbar. Two minutes later, a misplay by Tara McKeown let Tatiana Pinto get free on goal, and U.S. goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce had to come off her line for a sprawling stop.

Portugal scored on the ensuing corner kick, Diana Gomes beating Emily Sonnett on the jump.

The U.S. looked livelier early in the second half, but Thompson flubbed a chance and Macario got caught up to on a breakaway just in time to have the ball poked from behind.

Nor could the Americans capitalize on a close-in free kick from the right wing, served well by Sam Coffey but not finished by anyone in the crowded 18-yard box.

U.S. manager Emma Hayes took her time to make substitutions, but when she did, it was a quadruple move in the 69th minute. In came midfielders Claire Hutton and Lily Yohannes, and forwards Yazmeen Ryan and Emma Sears; out went Coffey, Lindsey Heaps, Michelle Cooper and Macario.

Three minutes later, Portugal took the lead off another corner kick, Fatima Pinto trapping the service wonderfully and shooting low past Tullis-Joyce. There was a bit of a deflection, but Tullis-Joyce looked a little too frozen, and Hayes did not hide her frustration.

Jaedyn Shaw was next to enter for the U.S. in the 78th, replacing Lavelle.

The U.S. did not lack for scoring chances, but it couldn’t finish them. Injured forward Trinity Rodman was one of those stars in the stands as outside back Avery Patterson forced a sharp save from Pereira in the 81st, and Yohannes headed right at Pereira a few seconds later.

As the U.S. searched for an equalizer, Sears sent a well-placed pass through the 18-yard box in the 93rd that no teammate caught up to. And in the last seconds, Thompson shot when she could have passed — one of a few less-than-ideal decisions she made on the ball — and Yohannes lofted a cross that Pereira caught.

That felt like the night in a nutshell, right as the final whistle blew to end it.

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