Lindsey Horan, Jenna Neiswonger and Jadyn Shaw scored in the first half as the U.S. women's national team defeated Colombia in the quarterfinals of the inaugural CONCACAF W Gold Cup at BMO Stadium on Sunday.
Alyssa Neher made three saves in the shutout victory, becoming the third goaltender and 42nd player to play 100 games for the U.S. national team.
With the win, the U.S. advances to the semifinals against Canada on Wednesday at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego. Canada defeated Costa Rica 1-0 in overtime in the quarterfinals at BMO Stadium on Saturday.
The winner of the U.S. vs. Canada game will play the winner of Wednesday's Brazil vs. Mexico semifinal at Snapdragon Stadium in the final next Sunday, also at Snapdragon Stadium.
Interim manager Twyla Kilgore has made six changes to the squad since Monday's shock 2-0 loss to Mexico, which ended the group stage, with Horan converting a penalty kick into the right corner of the goal in the 13th minute. took the lead.
Referee Marianela Araya ruled that Colombian defender Jorelin Caravalli fouled American forward Alex Morgan inside the penalty area. Araya also gave Karabari a yellow card.
The United States increased their lead to 2-0 on a goal by Neiswonger in the 22nd minute. The scoring began with Naomi Girma taking a free kick from just behind the halfway line, which reached the top of the penalty area and was deflected off the head of Karabari by Nijswonger, who fired it to the left. He took a left-footed shot. He scored his second goal for his national team with a goal diagonally inside the right goal post.
In the second minute of first-half stoppage time, Shaw controlled a cross from Trinity Rodman and fired a shot from about seven yards from the goal line in the center of the penalty area, where Colombian goalkeeper Natalia Giraldo dived but was unable to stop it. .
The goal made the 19-year-old Shaw the youngest player to score for the national team in the knockout rounds of official competition, joining the Shannon Boks as the only players to score in their first three starts.
Coach Kilgore said during the Colombian national team's practice after his team's loss to Mexico, “It really wasn't any different from what we do every day,'' and said, “It was really no different than what we do every day,'' during the 43-game series against Mexico, which included one draw. It was his second defeat. This loss was the first loss in regulation time since losing 2-1 to Germany on November 10, 2022, ending a 21-game unbeaten streak.
“The key to being in this program is being able to show up when things are going well, show up when things aren't going well and be the same player and play the same way,” Kilgore said. Emma Hayes will coach the team while her contract with English Women's Super League side Chelsea FC expires.
“Obviously we’ve bounced back from a tough period and identified how we want to develop and some things we need to fix, but also things that are directly related to our next opponent and make sure we have back-to-back games. ”
Before the crowd of 16,746 announced, the U.S. led 17-7 in shots and 6-3 in shots on goal.
Hiroudo also made three saves.
With this win, the USA's lead in the series that began at the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup increased to 11-0-2.
It was the third meeting between the two teams since October 26, when they tied 0-0 at America First Field in Sandy, Utah. On October 29, the United States defeated Colombia 3-0 at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego.
In a ranking compiled by FIFA, the world governing body for soccer, the United States ranks second behind Spain, the winner of the 2023 Women's World Cup. Colombia ranks 23rd.