USWNT v Colombia
This is a strong Colombia team with their first place finish in this most recent World Cup group, beating Germany just dropping one to England. Equally, they are a player or so down similar to the USA. The USA is looking to reassert themselves and this is a great opportunity to do so as the Olympics are just 9 months away.
Colombia like dual national reporter Mellissa Ortiz are clad in gold as the US goes with blue. An early dangerous turnover as the visitors take the ball in their offensive third, it is back and forth, then they get a throw near the half. Fox with a long run lays it off as she falls and is well off is mark. Rodman in pain as she she gets up. Williams wins a tackle and it goes out for a Colombia throw. Both teams with new coaches, Colombia has theirs in his first game as the US counterpart is in just her third, the first pair were of course victories. Looking for Morgan but too long. The US have a throw just below the center circle. Morgan in the area and is down, also slow to get up. The early press of Colombia is a challenge for the US and they lose it as it enters the Colombian half, getting it back on a long errant ball. Girma finds a closely marked Horan and it is lost. US struggling to hold the ball and through ball is to nobody and a thow in for Colombia. As the ball gets to their 20 year old GK, the turf monster takes out a defender, she is up no issues. Some tight play with numerous players it goes to Colombia as they go up field it is defended out of play, A miscommunication on a ball for the GK is played out, it bounces around and Colombia is if not for mistiming the ball are on goal. Morgan has it but 2 players on her, she loses it Horan picks it up and is kicked, no whistle and now the US nods it out of play maybe 20 yards out. The US plays it off the ref and they get the drop ball. The US is pressuring near the half as their opponent are doing so everywhere, why are they conceding half the field? Fox gives up a throw in in a footrace with Colombia, the throw finds a player and it is struck well over the bar from a long cross set back to her. Looking for Horan it is high and long. A deep throw for the US as it’s driven in Williams runs into a defender and Horan was unable to corral it from a great ball in by Rodman after a cheeky nutmeg. Horan just can’t find the handle and one player to Caicedo and the defense holds strong. Wall pass by Colombia gets to the end line and Horan gets it on the way out. Over the top but Morgan cannot get to it, but a tremendous 30 yard ball from Girma. Fox with a hard foul, right through the ankles of Caicedo. Ramos puts it into the area, Horan heads it out. Morgan offside. Horan for Morgan and it is right at the GK, Williams had the toe poke tackle to spring the US attack. Caicedo beat 3, bounds into Fox who took a blow to the mouth, US throw. Williams facing 3 turns it back to Dunn who also goes back, now Rodman finds Sullivan to Horan fouled from 30 yards. Horan over the ball with a 5 person wall. Over the wall and the goal. Too long for Rodman the defender shields it and a goal kick is coming. Half an hour in, the US is having the better of the ball but have nothing to show of it, Colombia has had runs but not getting on goal and Morgan had that great chance on a ball not quite at her feet. Gina finds Horan she seeks Dunn but her touch way too heavy and the ball is out of touch. Cook with an errant ball in, headed by a defender, forces the GK to ground to stave off a corner. Cheers for COLOMBIA are echoing through the stadium. Sonnett jumps into a player, takes the worst of it and gets a call. Sullivan is boxed out by the ref and Colombia gets into the US half. Montoya finds her player from 10 yards, her crossing ball blocked by Dunn. Again out of touch for Colombia. Sonnett, too long for Rodman. Horan well defended as her shot is blocked and a US corner. Lots of physical play in the area for the kick, played short then in but the player half a step behind it, now a corner from the other side. Sullivan readies, it’s over the line, off the defender and the US has a third kick in succession. Williams now in talks with the ref on contact in from of the goal. Borjas gets a card as she takes Morgan down in the area. Sullivan lofts it, the GK boxes it out and it may be a PK , there is a mass confrontation a great call as Arias has her arms around the US and brings her to the ground as it has been warned and a card already given this at 45’ not a sound tactical action. Morgan looking for just her PK goal #5 for the US. Morgan goes right, off the post and she is smiling, she even double touched it? With her second great try, just over the 3’ mark of extra time now looking at 4, Colombia gets a corner. A chance on goal and a 0-0 score line she can’t be happy with herself. Morgan plays a ball on, a very hopeful one, but not a player near it. Morgan takes the ball into the area and is dropped for it.
Girma out for Sauerbrunn to start the second stanza. A good look at Dunn, a past coach of the boy’s team at her South Side HS, is now with my alma mata, Syosset, he told me at a recent game that the boys and girls played and she was just running through the boys in HS. Another yellow as Morgan is rocked. Player put her shoulder into the onrushing Morgan and hurt her shoulder to boot. This harkens back to the physical play of the side during the priime time of Lady Andrade. Just beyond the defender, Horan gets it but stopped as she tried to go through a defender. Morgan drops to Horan for Sullivan who returns it now for Dunn who finds Williams. With all players behind the ball now Dunn runs into a player, no call, are they parking the bus with well over half an hour to go? DFK for the US off a run by Rodman. Colombia with numbers but no blue shirt nearby, Horan fouled by Chacon on a yellow with hands to the neck? Sullivan over the ball, is from about 10 yards off the end line and half that from the area. Lofted off the defenders head for a corner, so many they need to tuck one away with 57’ played. More physical play near the goal by Colombia, all eyes are on them and the ref comes to Williams and her mark. Sullivan, again looking for Horan just too high for her. The US recovers and they win a throw. Dunn to WiIliams Horan back to Dunn a nice triangle with the ball. A trio of US players do NOT shoot and down is Rodman. First chance for Colombia as Chacon is out for Elexa. Without Rodman the US is holding the ball very well. She returns and Williams loses her footing wants a foul. Hatch, Kruger & Demelo set to enter for the USA Dunn is out, as are Morgan & Sullivan. Williams with a player on here right, she carries the ball there and of course, loses it. Sonnett with a great out of the air touch to Horan who tries to return it and is off the mark as Colombia now holds it for a bit, Restrepo gets it in the area, headed out as she then recovers it, finds Santos who goes back, looks for Caicedo and it is headed out by the US, to Hatch who is fouled. Cook high for Horan and it is lost, though recovered. Sonnett lofts one to Demelo onto goal and the GK steps up to clear it. Horan runs over a player and gets whistled for it the crowd is booing. Less than 20’ to go it is high time the US puts a goal up. Arias goes down awkwardly as two players make contact. What a ball to Hatch she then gets it to Hatch but a save by the GK gives the US another corner another talk with Williams from the center. Lofted in by Demelo, the GK knocks it down, it is played to her again then cleared. Caicdo is dropped by Becky and holding her waist. Rodman gives way to Smith following an injury a huge roar goes out to her. Rodman was an impact player but like the other 11 on the field with her, unable to dent the net. Again into the 6 and played out Kruger right where it should be. Corner as Demelo and Sonnett talk it over. The player at the top of the area let it go, should have had a rip n goal. Corner #? All for naught. Demelo is wide of all and gathered in out of the area, a long ball to Horan as she gets rocked in the air and the ref calling for medical as she headed the back of another’s head, ouch. She is off but ready return now. She then runs into a player gets no call, leads Demelo too much, Colombia throw. 82’ all knotted at 0 the US is now playing down hill as they press the action in a big way. Horan finds Sonnett. Caicedo with a long run, she lays it back a bit. Santos hacked and Andrade is up as Santos draws a yellow on Horan, it was earned as she stomped on the foot of Santos. With a pair of their players down, Colombia wants a PK, one was just tangled with Kruger, great non call. Montoya out as Arias gets the armband and on comes Rodriguez. Shaw waiting to come on for the USA. Less than 5 to go but closer to ten with injuries. Shaw in and Williams out. Krueger with a blast from a distance has it blocked. Demelo called for a foul and a DFK from well out of the area. Reyes awaits entering with 5’ of extra time. Headed goal ward, weakly and the GK, Naeher just opens her arms and pulls it in. Daniela is down and hobbled a bit. Reyes for Restrepo. Hatch to Smith, it goes off her yet the US gets the corner. Lofted beyond the 6 .Horan and defender are down the GK elicited an animated response from Horan. Less than :30 to go. Horan then Smith on the end of the area and she hits the post, a corner for the USA. Now well past the 5’, the ‘keeper boxes it out as she collides with Horan then the GK sits down.
A physical game will be worse next outing on Sunday in sunny San Diego. The US must manage the press better and get their chances to go in, Morgan with her double touch made the missed PK even worse for me as both teams were rushing in facing the goal, anything could have happened.