Alyssa Thompson’s goal earns the USWNT a 1-0 win over Colombia and a SheBelieves Cup sweep
Thompson's smash off the crossbar late in the second half proved the difference in a game that was full of star power on both sides of the field, and lived up to the hype.
HARRISON, N.J. — The U.S. women’s soccer team topped Colombia, 1-0, on Saturday afternoon to wrap up a sweep of the annual SheBelieves Cup friendly tournament.
U.S. Soccer traditionally puts the toughest opponent for the Americans in the last game, and this year gave it to Las Cafeteras over Canada. The decision was justified right away, as Colombia’s star attackers Linda Caicedo and Leicy Santos surged at the American defense. They gave midfielders Sam Coffey and 18-year-old Lily Yohannes a great test.
At the other end, Trinity Rodman and Rose Lavelle gave it right back to the visitors, with fellow youngsters Alyssa Thompson and Ally Sentnor filling out the American front line. But Colombia’s tenacious defense held the Americans to just three shots in the first half, and only one was officially on target.
The announced crowd of 22,385 at Sports Illustrated Stadium enjoyed it all. It was certainly a pro-U. S. gathering, as is always the case at this longtime fortress for the women’s team, but plenty of Colombian fans turned out too. That’s been another tradition, from North Jersey to the many other cities where these nations have met over the years.
U.S. manager Emma Hayes made her first substitution at halftime, withdrawing centerback Naomi Girma for Tara Rudd. The TV broadcast said it was on account of calf tightness, and Girma confirmed after the game that it was “just being precautious.”
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The hour mark brought four subs at once, all toward the attacking end: Lindsey Heaps, Olivia Moultrie, Emma Sears, and Jaedyn Shaw for Lavelle, Rodman, Sentnor, and Yohannes.
The mass change also brought a formation change, from a 4-3-3 to a 4-4-2, and an unusual version of the latter. Shaw and Moultrie, traditionally attacking midfielders, took the forward spots; and Sears took up a post at right wing.
They quickly upped the ante on Colombia’s defense. But the pieces didn’t all come together, in part because U.S. players were offside on two promising attacks. In the 72nd, Rudd mis-hit a corner kick service when wide-open, and sent it a lot farther up than forward.
Thompson delivered the breakthrough in the 82nd, and it mattered that she did specifically. The 21-year-old winger had passed up an open look from just outside the 18-yard box early in the second half, and now she had another one. This time, she smashed it in off the crossbar.
The goal cleared the way for Hayes to make her last sub, withdrawing Thompson for another young forward in Jameese Joseph. The Americans saw things out from there to send the crowd home happy.