The United States Women’s National Team, USWNT, announced on January 6th that within their annual January training camp, they would play a two-game series against Colombia to kick off the new year. The USWNT also announced on January 6th the camp roster which included many new faces including Catarina Macario, the Brazilian born who can now officially represent the United States, and Emily Fox, the UNC Defender and first overall pick in the NWSL 2021 draft. But with the new faces, there were also some USWNT World Cup roster players that will be missed and had to opt out due to COVID-19 protocols. The two games against Colombia were scheduled to be played on January 18th and January 22nd in Orlando.
With the Olympics just around the corner, there was a lot of pressure on the back-to-back World Cup champions heading into the first game of the new year. But with many returners from that World Cup roster, the USWNT was able to start out fast and put pressure on Colombia’s backline. The first goal of the match came from a Lindsey Horan ball being played to the Golden Ball winner, Megan Rapinoe, on the outside, who took one touch and played it perfectly into the feet of Sam Mewis, blasting it past the outreached hands of the Colombian goalkeeper. Sam Mewis definitely lived up to her recent title of 2020 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year, scoring two more goals in the game off of a header and a converted penalty kick. The last goal of the match came from a newer face for the USWNT, Kristie Mewis, Sam Mewis’ older sister when she got an opportunity late in the second half to volley in a cross from Carli Lloyd. The defense of the USWNT also had an outstanding game and once again did not let a single shot on goal in their 4-0 victory Monday night.
Going into the second game against Colombia, USWNT head coach, Vlatko Andonovski, made seven changes in the starting lineup, which is bound to cause some disruption in the flow of the game. As usual, the USWNT stood up to the challenge scoring only 3 minutes into the first half. This goal came from the Stanford Star, Catarina Macario, and this goal was her first for the USWNT. Friday night Megan Rapioe decided to get in on the scoring action and was able to put up the next two goals for the USWNT, scoring from a shot just inside the 18-yard box, and the other coming from a penalty kick. The next goal wouldn’t come until the 60th minute with Lynn Williams heading the ball into the net after Sam Mewis set the cross into the box. The defense continued their impressive stat, once again not allowing Colombia to have a shot on goal. Goals by Lindsey Horan and Margaret Purce in the second half finalized the scoring in the USWNT 6-0 victory over Colombia.
With two dominating victories this week, the USWNT will now begin to train for the SheBelieves Cup, which will be played near the end of February. Every match is vital for these players as the roster size must be cut down to 18 players for the Olympics. The next match will be played in Orlando against Canada, on February 18th at 7 PM EST.
