USWNT Advance To Gold Cup Semi-Final

The quarterfinal was intense from the opening whistle, as Colombia came out with an edge, playing a bruising, physical style. The U.S. battled through a flurry of first-half fouls and the Americans’ high press helped to generate the game’s first goal. After winning the ball in Colombian territory, Horan played forward Alex Morgan into the area, where the veteran striker was taken down in the box by Jorelyn Carabali. Despite Colombia’s attempts to frazzle her before the kick, Horan stepped up to the spot for the penalty and coolly buried it.

The press continued to pay dividends throughout the first half, as young forwards Shaw and Rodman menaced Colombia on the wings. The U.S. nearly doubled its lead in the 16th, as Shaw pounced on a poor pass while Colombia attempted to build out of the back, but goalkeeper Natalia Giraldo got just enough on it to get the ball out of bounds. In the 18th, Shaw ripped a rocket of a shot to the top right corner that went just wide.

Colombia’s continued physicality saw tensions rise between the two teams, but as momentum could have started to shift following a 20th-minute yellow card shown to Rodman, Nighswonger netted her second international goal to take control of the game for the USA. Defender Naomi Girma got things started with a beautiful long ball to Morgan in the box, who headed it along to Nighswonger to double the American advantage.

On her milestone evening, Naeher made two of her most spectacular saves of the tournament thus far as Colombia grew into the game and started to threaten more around the half-hour mark. In the 32nd, standout forward Linda Caicedo launched a shot from outside the arc, but Naeher dove to her left and made the save. In the 38th, the veteran netminder made an even more impressive stop, leaping and getting her left hand on a well-hit one-timed shot from Ilana Izquierdo. On the night, Naeher made three saves after making just two in her first two games of the W Gold Cup combined.

The U.S. put the game out of reach in first-half stoppage time with a lovely goal in transition finished by Shaw. Defender Emily Fox, who did well to contain the dynamic Caicedo on the attack, picked out Rodman on the wing and the 21-year-old Rodman put a perfectly-placed cross in for the 19-year-old Shaw, who one-timed it home to put the U.S. up 3-0. Shaw became the youngest player to score for the USWNT in the knockout rounds of an official competition and joined U.S. legend Shannon Boxx as the only player to tally in her first three starts. In the ninth minute of stoppage time, Horan nearly added to the U.S. lead with a dangerous free kick just outside the box that rattled off the post.