United States forward Alex Morgan (7) controls the ball between Colombia defenders during the first half of a CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup quarterfinals match at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, on Sunday, March 3, 2024. United States won 3-0. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Fourth from left United States forward Jaedyn Shaw smiles and celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against Colombia during the first half of a CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup quarterfinals match at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, on Sunday, March 3, 2024. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Members of the United States stand at attention prior to the start of a CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup quarterfinals match against Colombia at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, on Sunday, March 3, 2024. United States won 3-0. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
United States defender Jenna Nighswonger (3) looks on against Colombia during the first half of a CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup quarterfinals match at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, on Sunday, March 3, 2024. United States won 3-0. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
United States midfielder Emily Sonnett (14) vies for the ball against Colombia midfielder Marcela Restrepo (8) during the second half of a CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup quarterfinals match at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, on Sunday, March 3, 2024. United States won 3-0. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
United States head coach Twila Kilgore, center, looks on during the first half of a CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup quarterfinals match against Colombia at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, on Sunday, March 3, 2024. United States won 3-0. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
United States goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher (1) raises her hands as the ball goes out of bounds against Colombia during the first half of a CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup quarterfinals match at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, on Sunday, March 3, 2024. United States won 3-0. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
United States defender Emily Fox (23) vies for the ball against Colombia forward Linda Caicedo (18) during the first half of a CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup quarterfinals match at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, on Sunday, March 3, 2024. United States won 3-0. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
United States midfielder Sam Coffey (17) vies for the ball with Colombia midfielder Marcela Restrepo (8) during the second half of a CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup quarterfinals match at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, on Sunday, March 3, 2024. United States won 3-0. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
United States midfielder Lindsey Horan is swarmed by teammates after she scores a goal against Colombia during the first half of a CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup quarterfinals match at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, on Sunday, March 3, 2024. United States won 3-0. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
United States forward Jaedyn Shaw, left, controls the ball against Colombia during the first half of a CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup quarterfinals match at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, on Sunday, March 3, 2024. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Colombia goalkeeper Natalia Giraldo (1) dives for a goal kicked by United States forward Jaedyn Shaw, not pictured, during the first half of a CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup quarterfinals match at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, on Sunday, March 3, 2024. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
United States forward Sophia Smith (11) vies for the ball with Colombia defender Angela Baron (14) during the second half of a CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup quarterfinals match at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, on Sunday, March 3, 2024. United States won 3-0. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
United States midfielder Olivia Moultrie (13) kicks the ball agains Colombia midfielder Liana Salazar (21) during the second half of a CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup quarterfinals match at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, on Sunday, March 3, 2024. United States won 3-0. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
United States forward Alex Morgan (7) kicks the ball against Colombia during the first half of a CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup quarterfinals match at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, on Sunday, March 3, 2024. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
United States defender Jenna Nighswonger (3) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against Colombia during the first half of a CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup quarterfinals match at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, on Sunday, March 3, 2024. United States won 3-0. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
United States midfielder Rose Lavelle (16) is shoved down by Colombia midfielder Marcela Restrepo (8) during the second half of a CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup quarterfinals match at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, on Sunday, March 3, 2024. United States won 3-0. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
United States midfielder Lindsey Horan (10) controls the ball against Colombia midfielder Marcela Restrepo (8)during the second half of a CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup quarterfinals match at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, on Sunday, March 3, 2024. United States won 3-0. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
United States defender Emily Fox (23) heads the ball against Colombia forward Linda Caicedo (18) during the second half of a CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup quarterfinals match at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, on Sunday, March 3, 2024. United States won 3-0. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
United States forward Alex Morgan (7) is held by Colombia defender Jorelyn Carabali, back, during the first half of a CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup quarterfinals match at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, on Sunday, March 3, 2024. United States won 3-0. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Soccer fans dance prior to the start of a CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup quarterfinals match between the United States and Colombia at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, on Sunday, March 3, 2024. United States won 3-0. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
United States midfielder Korbin Albert (15) kicks the ball chased by Colombia midfielder Marcela Restrepo (8) during the second half of a CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup quarterfinals match at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, on Sunday, March 3, 2024. United States won 3-0. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
United States midfielder Lindsey Horan (10) vies for the ball with Colombia midfielder Lorena Durango, left, during the first half of a CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup quarterfinals match at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, on Sunday, March 3, 2024. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
United States midfielder Olivia Moultrie, right, dribbles the ball against Colombia during the second half of a CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup quarterfinals match at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, on Sunday, March 3, 2024. United States won 3-0. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
United States head coach Twila Kilgore looks on prior to the start of a CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup quarterfinals match against Colombia at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, on Sunday, March 3, 2024. United States won 3-0. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
United States forward Jaedyn Shaw, center, vies for the ball with Colombia forward Maria Usme, left, and defender Carolina Arias, right, during the first half of a CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup quarterfinals match at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, on Sunday, March 3, 2024. United States won 3-0. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
United States defender Jenna Nighswonger (3) kicks the ball against Colombia during the first half of a CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup quarterfinals match at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, on Sunday, March 3, 2024. United States won 3-0. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
United States forward Trinity Rodman (22) squares off against Colombia defender Daniela Arias (3) during the first half of a CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup quarterfinals match at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, on Sunday, March 3, 2024. United States won 3-0. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
United States defender Jenna Nighswonger (3) celebrates with teammate defender Tierna Davidson (12) after Nighswonger scores a goal against Colombia during the first half of a CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup quarterfinals match at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, on Sunday, March 3, 2024. United States won 3-0. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
United States midfielder Sam Coffey (17) vies for the ball with Colombia midfielder Ilana Izquierdo (13) during the second half of a CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup quarterfinals match at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, on Sunday, March 3, 2024. United States won 3-0. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
United States starting eleven pose for a portrait prior to the start of a CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup quarterfinals match against Colombia at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, on Sunday, March 3, 2024. United States won 3-0. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
United States forward Sophia Smith (11) kicks the ball chased by Colombia defender Angela Baron (14) during the second half of a CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup quarterfinals match at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, on Sunday, March 3, 2024. United States won 3-0. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
LOS ANGELES — We still got it.
We as in us, the United States, the four-time women’s World Cup champion and four-time Olympic gold medalists, world No. 2 – and victim, last week, of an inspired and improved Mexican squad.
Winners again Sunday, though, 3-0 over Colombia.
Savor this one, ladies. Celebrate it, American fans.
That’s the thing about the rest of the women’s soccer-playing world upping its game like it has in the past few years: Wins are wins are wins, sure, but you better believe that every payoff now is earned. Hard-fought and hard-earned and something to cherish.
“This is how we strive to play, but I’m also not gonna ignore the games where we don’t play the way that everyone expects us to,” U.S. forward Trinity Rodman said after the United States’ convincing shutout in a CONCACAF W Gold Cup quarterfinal match at BMO Stadium, where the crowd of 16,746 fans were mostly on the United States’ side this time.
“It would be dumb of us to think there are not going to be those games where teams exploit us; that’s gonna happen. So I think just responding to those and coming out the next game even harder is what we want.”
Sunday’s response was big. This wasn’t the version of Colombia that the United States had come up against in many of its previous meetings, 10 victories, two draws and no losses.
These are the Colombian darlings of last year’s Women’s World Cup, where they were quarterfinalists – beating Germany and knocking off Jamaica and lasting one round longer than the United States.
No. 28 in the world, officially, but dangerous as all get out, with Linda Caicado out there threatening to strike, the lightning-quick 19-year-old Real Madrid star who’s a magician with the ball at her feet – something she didn’t have much Sunday.
Whether it’s Mexico, Colombia or Canada – the United States’ opponent in the semifinals at San Diego’s Snapdragon Stadium – the U.S.’s interim coach Twila Kilgore was kicking facts Wednesday when she surmised: There are “no easy games anymore.”
So shoutout the shutout, call it a statement. Long live the USWNT.
Maybe the United States should thank Mexico for the wake-up call in Wednesday’s 2-0 group stage loss – just the second defeat against Mexico in 43 matches all time – at Dignity Health Sports Park.
Because, wow, were Kilgore’s players plenty alert going up against the Las Cafeteras – aka “the Coffee Growers” – on Sunday.
“Normally when you lose in a tournament, you don’t get the opportunity to come back right away and right that wrong,” said goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, who earned her 100th cap. “So I’m proud of the group for good trainings this week and regrouping. We talked about wanting to get more energy more intensity from start to finish and that’s what we saw on the field tonight.”
Against Mexico, the United States had looked bigger, slower and less interested.
Against Colombia, the United States was bigger, tougher, meaner. Or at least madder. Wiser, too.
With much to prove, and a sky to hold aloft, to keep from falling, the Americans got the job done with three goals before halftime, when there were also a flurry of four yellow cards between the teams.
The Americans put their proverbial foot down when they needed to, held their ground throughout, and otherwise remained unbothered. They played forward, stretched Colombia’s defense, and leaned, to start, on the veteran mettle of Alex Morgan and Lindsay Horan.
Morgan drew the penalty kick that Horan buried in the 13th minute — after some extracurricular antics from Colombia in its spacey purple kits.
And Morgan — who received the loudest, warmest reception of anyone on the pitch Sunday — also directed a pass to Jenna Nighswonger for goal No. 2 in the 22nd minute.
And then there was the United States’ own dynamic 19-year-old forward, Jaedyn Shaw. She saw her third goal go in the tournament, something that’s happened now in every match she’s started, and five of the eight she’s played in for the USWNT.
On Sunday, Shaw fended off a Colombian defender on a well-timed cut and deposited Trinity Rodman’s cross into the back of the net for what turned out to be the final tally a couple minutes before halftime.
It was the show of strength the world is conditioned to seeing from the American women, who have dominated CONCACAF play for so long — winning nine of 10 tournaments against teams from this part of the world.
It won’t be easy to replicate those results this year, because the field had more bite than it’s ever had. And after that, the going will get only harder. And the winning, when it happens, should be only sweeter.
