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The world No. 1-ranked USWNT will be looking for a much-improved, goal-filled performance against No. 28 Colombia on Tuesday in its final tuneup for the all-important CONCACAF W Championship, which awards berths to the 2023 World Cup and 2024 Olympics.
The Americans beat the Colombians 3-0 in their first friendly on Saturday in Colorado, but they were also held to a frustrating 0-0 draw at halftime and generally struggled to break the visitors' resistance. The USWNT will likely face similar defensive blocks at the W Championship (July 4-18) and will want to avoid similar missteps.
Sophia Smith continued her strong run of form with two goals and Taylor Kornieck capped the scoring with a last-minute header for the USA in Saturday's match. Changes are expected at several positions as manager Vlatko Andonovski looks to spread the minutes.
The USA will begin W Championship play on July 4 vs. Haiti, then face Jamaica on July 7 and Mexico on July 11, knowing that a World Cup berth will be awaiting if it can finish top of its four-team group. The tournament winner will also clinch a ticket to the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
Sporting News is following the USWNT vs. Colombia match live and providing live score updates and commentary.
DECOURCY: USWNT stock up, stock down vs. Colombia
Goals: None
15 minutes from kickoff: Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan in the starting lineup. It's happened a few times before in their career:
From U.S. Soccer's lineup notes, in Alex Morgan's & Megan Rapinoe's first starts since 10/21/21:"Morgan and Rapinoe enter the match having made more combined appearances for the #USWNT (379) than the other nine players in this starting lineup combined (363)."— Jeff Kassouf (@JeffKassouf)
Two hours from kickoff: The USWNT has won all six matches it has played in the state of Utah.
No snow angels in the forecast tonight, but all we've got is good memories here in Utah! ⛄️Let's make more tonight! pic.twitter.com/Ahmg1kRiVB— U.S. Soccer WNT (@USWNT)
USWNT manager Vlatko Andonovski made nine changes from the team that beat Colombia on Saturday. Defender Carson Pickett earns her first-ever cap and No. 1 NWSL draft pick Naomi Girma gets her second cap.
NWSL top scorer Alex Morgan gets the start at center forward with ex-BYU scorer Ashley Hatch, who struggled in the last match, perhaps having a chance to come in with less pressure in the second half in front of her former home crowd.
USWNT starting lineup (4-3-3, right to left): 1-Alyssa Naeher (GK) — 8-Sofia Huerta, 12-Naomi Girma, 26-Carson Pickett, 14-Emily Sonnett — 2-Ashley Sanchez, 10-Lindsey Horan, 16-Rose Lavelle — 23-Midge Purce, 13-Alex Morgan, 15-Megan Rapinoe.
USWNT subs (12): 18-Casey Murphy (GK), 21-Aubrey Kingsbury (GK), 5-Kelley O'Hara, 19-Emily Fox, 4-Becky Sauerbrunn, 22-Kristie Mewis, 20-Taylor Kornieck, 27-Sam Coffey, 25-Jaelin Howell, 9-Mal Pugh, 6-Trinity Rodman, 7-Ashley Hatch.
USWNT players not in squad (3): Alana Cook, Andi Sullivan, Sophia Smith
MORE: How long might Catarina Macario's injury keep her out?
Colombia hasn't played a competitive match in years, with the last one taking place in the 2019 Pan American Games. It has played five friendlies so far this year with four draws and Saturday's 3-0 loss to the USA.
The South American nation is preparing to host the Copa America Femenina (July 8-30) and will hope to come away with some positives from Tuesday's match, namely, can manager Nelson Abadia's team find a way to keep the Americans scoreless at the half for a second straight match?
The starting lineup looks to keep the five-defender setup with a single change in each sector of the field from the last match: at defender (Viviana Acosta), in midfield (Diana Ospina) and at forward (Elexa Bahr). They'll still need another big match from goalkeeper Catalina Perez.
Colombia starting lineup (5-3-2, left to right): 1-Catalina Perez (GK) — 2-Manuela Vanegas, 20-Monica Ramos, 19-Jorelyn Carabali, 14-Viviana Acosta, 17-Carolina Arias — 5-Lorena Bedoya, 4-Diana Ospina, 6-Daniela Montoya — 10-Leicy Santos, 23-Elexa Bahr
Colombia subs (12): 12-S. Sepulveda (GK), 13-K. Tapia (GK), 3-Daniela Arias, 22-D, Caracas, 16-M. Morales, 7-G. Huertas, 21-Liana Salazar, 8-A. Castaneda, 15-T. Ariza, 11-Catalina Usme, 18-L Caicedo, 9-M. Ramirez
MORE: Why the USWNT struggled against Colombia in Colorado
The match from Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah, will kick off at 10 p.m. ET (8 p.m. MT) and will be televised in the United States on ESPN, which can also be streamed on fuboTV, which offers a free trial.
