Are We Wrong About These Players?
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The United States women's national team defeated Colombia 2-0 at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah on Tuesday night. The USWNT swept the two-game series against the South Americans as Sofia Huerta forced an own goal after her service into the box was headed in by Colombia defender Manuela Venegas. Kelley O'Hara scored the second goal in the 77th minute after a lengthy lightning delay postponed the final 15 minutes of the game.
The match served as the final prep for the team ahead of the upcoming Concacaf W Championship qualifiers beginning July 4, and fans can watch the entire tournament on Paramount+.
Coach Vlatko Andonovski began to expand the player pool shortly after the Tokyo Olympic games and more younger players were integrated into the team over the last nine months, even up to the final prep matches against Colombia. Andonovski recently stated that both injuries and players out on maternity leave helped shape the final 23-player roster ahead of qualifiers.
Even with the flurry of new faces and re-introduction of some team veterans, the win against Colombia is the USWNT's sixth win this year, and the team will now head into Concacaf World Cup qualifiers undefeated in seven matches in 2022. Each of their six victories has been by multi-goal scorelines.
Defender Carson Pickett made her international debut with the USWNT. Pickett was included as part of the 26-player roster for the friendlies against Colombia, as the 23-player roster was finalized prior to the two-game series.
She was second on the team with two interceptions and led the team with seven duels won. She will take the full-game performance back to her NWSL club, North Carolina Courage, as the team continues its regular season.
"Carson did very well in training for us in the last week and with the management of minutes for Emily Fox," Andonovski said after the match. "We felt like Carson would be a good replacement and I'm happy that she was able to perform well for 90 minutes."
Despite the undefeated record in the build-up to the Concacaf W Championship, the team has been faced with the same set of unanswered questions exiting their matches. The most constant concern around their attack and their inability to unlock organized defenses and low blocks presented by the opposition.
The two-game series against Colombia presented different challenges with one game featuring a sweeper behind the back line, and stretches in the second match where momentum shifted and forced the USWNT to try and win the ball back.
"Both games were very good for us because it was the type of game that we're most likely gonna have or the type of opponent we're most likely we're gonna face in the Concacaf championship," Andonovski said. "It was physical and very tight, and you know, it was good for us to prepare for it."
The games also featured more insight into regular starters who have key roles during qualifiers. Defender Alana Cook, midfielder Andi Sullivan, and forward Sophia Smith were sat for rest during the final match against Colombia and will likely have starting roles when the tournament begins against Haiti.
Veterans Alex Morgan and Kelley O'Hara were featured in both final prep games and showed that they can provide performances in their positions that are key for the team getting results. With any tournament, finalizing a starting 11 through a group stage will have rotation, but Andonovski is mostly settled on which players will feature during games in Mexico.
"For the most part, the players already know. But I do think that we have a very good handle on who the 11 are gonna be in Mexico, even outside of the coaching office," Andonovski said. "It's not hard to predict who it's going to be on the field."
The USWNT will head directly to Mexico to kickoff their Concacaf W Championship journey to the World Cup. The competition will run from July 4 through July 18, and feature eight teams competing for four qualifying spots in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. The tournament will also serve as a qualification for the 2024 Olympic Games and the 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup.
Paramount+ is the only place to stream every minute of every match in the Concacaf W Championship. You can quickly and easily sign up for your very own account right now with a free one-month trial (from June 27-July 19) by using GLORY as your offer code. Just click on the "try it free" button and use the promo code for instant access to the best women's soccer -- NWSL, FA Women's Super League, UEFA Women's World Cup qualifiers and AFC Women's Asian Cup -- across all your devices.
Starting XI vs. Colombia: 1-Alyssa Naeher; 2-Ashley Sanchez, 8-Sofia Huerta, 10-Lindsey Horan (Capt.), 12-Naomi Girma, 13-Alex Morgan, 14-Emily Sonnett, 15-Megan Rapinoe, 16-Rose Lavelle, 23-Midge Purce, 26-Carson Pickett
Available Subs: 4-Becky Sauerbrunn, 5-Kelley O'Hara, 6-Trinity Rodman, 7-Ashley Hatch, 9-Mallory Pugh, 18-Casey Murphy, 19-Emily Fox, 20-Taylor Kornieck, 21-Aubrey Kingsbury, 22-Kristie Mewis, 25-Jaelin Howell, 27-Sam Coffey
Not Dressing: Alana Cook, Sophia Smith, Andi Sullivan
Voting is open for your Insiders Woman of the Match in the @ussoccer App! 🇺🇸 @kelleymohara 🇺🇸 @schuerta 🇺🇸 @alexmorgan13 VOTE NOW » https://t.co/QlbsXICPhP pic.twitter.com/PCnCpdbjPf
FINAL IN UTAH!!!! 🇺🇸 USA 2 - 0 COL 🇨🇴 pic.twitter.com/fywQdzQ6qB
Fin del partido. 🇺🇸 2⃣-0⃣ 🇨🇴 #VamosColombia 🇨🇴#MayoresFemenina pic.twitter.com/Mxfijv2Y3a
how ya feel, @kelleymohara? pic.twitter.com/WFz3ZfRYVA
⏱ 90+' Cambio en Colombia ➡️ Tatiana Ariza ⬅️ Leicy Santos 🇺🇸 2⃣-0⃣ 🇨🇴 #VamosColombia 🇨🇴#MayoresFemenina pic.twitter.com/TwN2MqSrEH
⏱️ 90' 3⃣ de adición. 🇺🇸 2⃣-0⃣ 🇨🇴 #VamosColombia 🇨🇴#MayoresFemenina pic.twitter.com/NgLNA05tXa
.@kelleymohara's first #USWNT goal since 2016!!! 😱 pic.twitter.com/QgtspwcNQ8
.@kelleymohara's first #USWNT goals since 2016!!! 😱 pic.twitter.com/MbKpOWTHw1
77' - GOAL: USA!!!!@kelleymohara wastes no time, and rips her shot far post to double the lead! 🇺🇸 USA 2 - 0 COL 🇨🇴 pic.twitter.com/8jSEvMXdAA
It took just two minutes for the USWNT to get the go-ahead goal after the lightning delay. Some confusion in the box for Colombia as the ball falls to a wide open O'Hara who slots the ball in the a goal.
⏱️ 76' Gol de Estados Unidos 🇺🇸 2⃣-0⃣ 🇨🇴 #VamosColombia 🇨🇴#MayoresFemenina
75' - Play has, in fact, resumed. Tune to @espn for the finale! 📺
⏱️ 75' Se reanuda el partido. 🇺🇸 1⃣-0⃣ 🇨🇴 #VamosColombia 🇨🇴#MayoresFemenina
getting loose! We'll re-start the match with 74:50 on the clock. ⌚️ pic.twitter.com/LoAztzkPiW
UPDATE: The players are back out and play will resume after a 12-minute warmup. https://t.co/vNGRJSunMy
Our girl @FionaKida CRUSHED it! 🎸 Re-watch her electric anthem performance from tonight's match! 🇺🇸#USWNT x @VW pic.twitter.com/Bhs2KReGFN
We're even MORE HYPE to have you here 🥰 https://t.co/ks931YePPd
We're about ten minutes into a lightning delay here. It's 30 minute delay per strike and then 12 minute warm up. If there is another strike then the clock will reset. Stay tuned folks.
👟⚽ Triunfo de nuestra Selección Colombia de Fútsal ante El Salvador, en el cuarto partido de los Juegos Bolivarianos Valledupar 2022 🇨🇴 6 - 2 🇸🇻#VamosColombia 🇨🇴 pic.twitter.com/hxDCPYa5ZS
hello to you too 👋👋👋 pic.twitter.com/BUitkpnAR1
while we wait, let's just admire the beauty we got earlier in the evening🏞 pic.twitter.com/5GrdE3Vrf6
⏱️ 75' Partido temporalmente suspendido por condiciones climáticas. 🇺🇸 1⃣-0⃣ 🇨🇴 #VamosColombia 🇨🇴#MayoresFemenina
⏱️ 75' 🇺🇸 1⃣-0⃣ 🇨🇴 #VamosColombia 🇨🇴#MayoresFemenina pic.twitter.com/o9hGMdhOrb
WEATHER UPDATE: Due to severe weather in the area, the match has been stopped. The delay will be at least 30 minutes.
⏱ 73' Cambio en Colombia ➡️ Catalina Usme, Liana Salazar ⬅️ Diana Ospina, Daniela Montoya 🇺🇸 1⃣-0⃣ 🇨🇴#VamosColombia 🇨🇴#MayoresFemenina pic.twitter.com/hEpaiLeCrs
Mal Pugh wins the ball in just outside the box and takes on additional defenders inside the 18, she generates enough space to take a shot but trials just wide of the near post.
71' - Final Subs of the evening: 🔛 @kelleymohara ↩️ @schuerta 🔛 @ash_hatch33 ↩️ @alexmorgan13 https://t.co/Izqvv2flfR
62' - SUBS: 🔛 @MalPugh ↩️ @mPinoe 🔛 @taylorkornieck ↩️ @roselavelle https://t.co/Vq1Qr6zGRP
🧱 NOTHING PAST NAEHER 🧱 pic.twitter.com/PaQI0yHVQP
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