U.S. women's soccer team defeats Colombia in CONCACAF W Gold Cup Quarterfinal

Lindsey Horan, Jenna Nighswonger and Jaedyn Shaw scored in the first half as the U.S. women's national team defeated Colombia in a quarterfinal of the inaugural CONCACAF W Gold Cup Sunday at BMO Stadium.

Alyssa Naeher made three saves for the shutout as she became the third goalkeeper and 42nd player to make 100 appearances with the U.S. national team.

The victory advances the U.S. into a semifinal against Canada Wednesday at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego. Canada defeated Costa Rica, 1-0, in extra time in a quarterfinal Saturday at BMO Stadium.

The U.S.-Canada winner will face the winner of Wednesday's Brazil- Mexico semifinal at Snapdragon Stadium in the final next Sunday, also at Snapdragon Stadium.

With interim coach Twila Kilgore fielding a lineup with six changes from Monday's 2-0 shocking loss to Mexico to conclude group stage play, Horan opened the scoring in the 13th minute, putting a penalty kick into the right side of the net.

Referee Marianela Araya ruled that Colombian defender Jorelyn Carabali had fouled American forward Alex Morgan in the penalty area. Araya also issued a yellow card to Carabali.

The U.S. increased its lead to 2-0 in the 22nd minute on Nighswonger's goal. The scoring sequence began with Naomi Girma taking a free kick from just behind the half-way line that went to the top of the penalty area where it deflected off Carabali's head to Nighswonger, who put a left-footed shot from the left side about 12 yards out diagonally inside the right goal post for her second goal for the national team.

Shaw scored two minutes into first-half stoppage time, controlling a cross from Trinity Rodman and taking a shot from approximately 7 yards from the goal line in the center of the penalty area that Colombian goalkeeper Natalia Giraldo dove for but could not stop.

The goal made the 19-year-old Shaw the youngest player to score for the national team in the knockout rounds of an official competition and joined Shannon Boxx as the only player to score in each of her first three starts.

Kilgore said the team "genuinely didn't do anything differently than we do every day" in training for Colombia following the loss to Mexico, its second loss to Mexico in the 43-game series that also includes one tie. The loss was also the Americans' first in regulation time since a 2-1 loss to Germany on Nov. 10, 2022 and snapped a 21-game unbeaten streak.

"That's the key to being able to be part of this program is that to be able to show up when it's going well, show up when it's not going so well and be the same player executing the same ways," said Kilgore, who is coaching the team while Emma Hayes completes her contract with Chelsea FC of England's Women's Super League.

"Just really just about regrouping from obviously a tough moment and identifying not just how we want to grow and some of the things that we need to fix but also directly related to our next opponent, make sure we have those ducks in a row."

The U.S. led 17-7 in shots and 6-3 in shots on goal before a crowd announced at 16,746.

Giraldo also made three saves.

The victory increased the Americans' lead in the series that began at the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup to 11-0-2.

This was the third game between the teams since Oct. 26, when they played to a 0-0 tie at America First Field in Sandy, Utah. The U.S. defeated Colombia, 3-0, Oct. 29 at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego.

The U.S. is second behind 2023 Women's World Cup champion Spain in the rankings compiled by FIFA, soccer's worldwide governing body. Colombia is ranked 23rd.