Jackie Young leads a gritty US escape in a tight 55-52 women’s World Cup win over Italy

In a thrilling women's World Cup basketball match, the United States triumphed over Italy with a score of 55-52 on Sunday. Jackie Young played a pivotal role, scoring a remarkable 10 points. This victory marked the U.S.'s toughest test in the tournament in two decades.

The U.S. had not lost a World Cup game since 2006, with a streak of 32 straight victories. The only team to come within a single digit of the Americans during this winning run was Australia, who fell by eight points in 2010.

The Americans, who have won their first two games, faced a challenging match against Italy. They struggled early, trailing 50-48 with only 4:29 remaining on the clock. However, they mounted a 7-0 run, fueled by Breanna Stewart's first basket of the game after a 8-shot drought, followed by Jackie Young's layup after an offensive foul.

The U.S. managed to create a five-point lead when Chelsea Gray hit a jumper. Nevertheless, Matilde Villa leveled the score at three points with under a minute left. Italy had one final opportunity to tie the game, but Cecilia Zandalasini's 3-pointer missed the mark at the buzzer, sealing the U.S. victory.