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The United States women’s national soccer team continued its successful run up to the Concacaf W Championship on Tuesday, defeating Colombia 2-0 in an international friendly at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah.
Tuesday’s win was the USWNT’s second in four days over Colombia, as it previously earned a 3-0 victory on Saturday.
The USWNT’s latest match technically didn’t end until the early morning hours of Wednesday on the east coast, as lightning in the area resulted in an hour-long delay.
When the delay struck in the 75th minute, the USWNT held a 1-0 lead thanks to an own goal by Colombian defender Manuela Vanegas, who inadvertently put a Sofia Huerta cross attempt behind her own goalkeeper.
American goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, who finished with a clean sheet, kept Team USA on top with a couple of big saves, including her best of the match on a long, curling shot in the 55th minute:
The outcome of the match was still in doubt when it entered delay, but USWNT veteran Kelley O’Hara put it away just a couple of minutes after play resumed, extending the lead to 2-0:
The 33-year-old O’Hara is typically known for her strong defense and ability to facilitate out of the wingback spot, meaning goal scoring typically isn’t part of her game.
In fact, Tuesday’s goal marked her first for the national team since 2016, and it was only the third goal of her USWNT career, which has spanned 154 appearances.
The two-time FIFA Women’s World Cup winner and one-time Olympic gold medalist has long been a key player for the United States despite a lack of scoring punch, but she reminded the soccer world on Tuesday that she is more than capable.
Carson Pickett featured in her first-ever match for the USWNT and was selected in the starting XI. Pickett, who was born without a left forearm, became the first person with a limb difference to ever appear in a match for the USWNT:
ESPN @espn
.<a href=”https://twitter.com/Cars_Pickett16?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@Cars_Pickett16</a> is the FIRST player with a limb difference to play in a USWNT game! <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/ThatsaW?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#ThatsaW</a> <a href=”https://t.co/wjlnubWfgc”>pic.twitter.com/wjlnubWfgc</a>
Pickett stayed in for the entire match and was a key figure in what was a stifling defensive effort for the USWNT, which held Colombia to just six shots attempted and two shots on goal. By contrast, the USWNT attempted 18 shots and put five on frame.
Now, the focus shifts toward matches of greater consequence for Team USA in the form of the Concacaf W Championship.
The event will feature two groups of four, with the top two in each group qualifying for the 2023 Women’s World Cup and the winner of the championship qualifying for the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Team USA will get started Monday night with a match against Haiti on July 4.
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