Rio Tinto Stadium, Sandy, UT – US Women’s National team put on a dominating performance tonight against the Columbian team with an own goal from Columbia early in the match and a rocket from Kelley O’Hara late in the match to earn a clean sheet and a 2-0 win. It was a Beautiful night for soccer at Rio Tinto Stadium pitting the US Women’s National Team against the Columbian Women. With a little rain and a few lightning strikes prior to the match the outlook for the night is fantastic with temperatures in the low 80’s. The good weather kept up until late in the match when the field was cleared because of lightning in the area but that didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of the fans that came to cheer on their team.
The US women dominated the midfield from the opening whistle but even with a number of good chances they seemed a little out of sync when they got down inside the box. It was a misplaced header from Colombian Manuela Vanegas that first found net when she attempted to clear a cross into the box and instead put the ball past her keeper into the far corner of the goal. Later in the half Megan Rapinoe had a shot right in front of the goal and hit the crossbar and deflected away.
The second half was much like what we saw all night with the US club controlling the midfield very well and still trying to find the right combination to complete the many runs at the goal. A weather delay interrupted the match in the 75th minute of play because lightning had been seen in the area. After the delay it didn’t take long for the US Women to pick up the pace and Kelley O’Hara who had just entered the match shortly before the delay shot a rocket past the keeper in the 77th minute to double the lead for her club For the rest of the match it looked like the lead may increase but Columbia put on a good defense and O’Hara’s goal was the last of the evening.
This was Kelley O’Hara’s first goal for the USA since 2016 and it definitely looked like a statement kind of goal
Goals by Period 1 2 F
USWNT 1 1 2
Columbia 0 0 0
Scoring Summary:
USA – Manuela Vanegas (O.G.) – 23′
USA – Kelley O’Hara – 77′
Misconduct Summary:
USA – Rose Lavelle – 60′ – unsporting behavior
USA – Ashley Hatch – 90’+4′ – unsporting behavior
Officials
Referee: Katja Koroleva (USA)
Assistant Referee: Jennifer Garner (USA)
Assistant Referee: Alicia Messer (USA)
4th Official: Natalie Simon (USA)
Attendence: 16,077
Lineups:
USWNT: Alyssa Naeher; Ashley Sanchez; Sofia Huerta (Kelley O’Hara, 71′); Lindsey Horan (Kristie Mewis, 46′); Noami Girma; Alex Morgan (Ashley Hatch, 71′); Emily Sonnett; Megan Rapinoe (Mallory Pugh, 62′); Rose Lavelle (Taylor Kornieck 62′); Midge Purce (Trinity Rodman, 46′); Carson Pickett
Substitutes Not Used: Casey Murphy; Aubrey Kingsbury; Becky Sauerbrunn; Emily Fox; Jaelin Howell; Sam Coffey
Head Coach: Vlatko Andonovski
Columbia Women’s National Team: Catalina Perez; Manuela Vanegas; Diana Ospina (Catalina Usme, 74′); Lorena Bedoya; Deniela Montoya (Liana Salazar, 75′); Leicy Santos (Tatiana Ariza, 90’+2′); Nancy Acosta; Carolina Arias; Jorelyn Carabeli; Monica Ramos; Elixa Bahr (Linda Caicedo, 46′)
Substitutes Not Used: Sandra Sepulveda; Luz Katherine Tapia; Danelia Arias; Ana Gabriela Huertas; Angle Castaneda; Mayra Ramirez; Maria Morales; Daniela Caracas
Head Coach: Nelson Abadia