A star Cup goalie has some Boston ties
Of the Women’s World Cup quarterfinalists, Colombia has emerged as the biggest surprise. The Cafeteras have exceeded expectations by advancing in the elimination phase, the only South American team besides Brazil to do so.
Now comes a more difficult test, as Colombia meets England in Sydney Saturday. Colombia ambushed Germany in the group stage, signaling a warning to the English.
Reaching this point is a major accomplishment for a team that entered the tournament with only one victory in two previous World Cup appearances. In recent years, the Colombians have invested in women’s soccer via a professional league, also playing host to the 2022 Copa America Feminina and finishing runnerup in bidding to Australia/New Zealand for this World Cup.
Colombia gained the final of Copa America, falling, 1-0, to Brazil on a penalty kick, and also losing coach Nelson Abadia to a red card. Linda Caicedo, 18, was named player of the tournament and has displayed her scoring ability with two goals in the World Cup.
But Colombia might not have advanced without a defense that has surrendered only two goals — none in the run of play — backed by goalkeeper Catalina Perez.
And Perez might not have been available if not for New England Mutiny managing director Joe Ferrara, who coaxed her out of retirement to play for the United Women’s Soccer team in Ludlow while she was working in a Boston bank in 2019.
“Cat would’ve been drafted by the NWSL but she got hurt [anterior cruciate ligament] right before the draft,” Ferrara said. “She was in Boston and had given up any hopes of playing soccer any more. She took an internship with one of the banks and was going the route of the financial world.
“I met with her in Boston and convinced her to come play with the Mutiny. I said, ‘Why don’t you play for us? You’ve got your whole life to work.’
“She didn’t have transportation, so I had to drive in and pick her up, or she took the train to get to training. After that season, she ended up going to Fiorentina for a couple years then to Spain. The bank was paying for her internship, and she had to give back all the money when she decided to continue her [playing] career.”
Perez, 28, now with Werder Bremen in Germany, was born in Bogota and grew up in Boca Raton, Fla. She began the 2015 World Cup as Colombia’s backup keeper, earning the starting role as Sandra Sepulveda was suspended. In a Round of 16 match against the US, Perez was red-carded after a clash with Alex Morgan in the 47 th minute and Colombia lost, 2-0.
Four years later, after performing for the University of Miami and Mississippi State, Perez found her way to the Mutiny.
“She did great with us,” Ferrara recalled. “That year, we won the division and got knocked out in the conference championship.”
Now, the women’s soccer world is watching Perez. In Group H play, Colombia clinched advancement by blanking South Korea, 2-0, then upsetting Germany, 2-1, after an 89th-minute Alexandra Popp penalty kick equalized.
In their final group game, the Cafeteras lost, 1-0, to Morocco after Perez saved a penalty kick, Anissa Lahmari converting on a rebound. In the Round of 16, Colombia won, 1-0, over Jamaica, a team that included sisters Alysson and Chantelle Swaby, who played three seasons with the Mutiny.
“Neutral,” Ferrara said of his rooting interest in the Colombia-Jamaica match. “It was bittersweet; one or two was moving on, the other not. But it was great to see.”
The Mutiny concluded their 24th season with a 4-2-2 record, then lost, 4-3, to Lancaster (Pa.) in the UWS playoffs. The Mutiny, who started in 1999 as the Springfield Sirens, play at Ludlow’s Lusitano Stadium, managed by the Gremio Lusitano club, which has fielded soccer teams since 1922.
“It is rewarding to see players continue and move on to bigger and better things,” Ferrara said. “Players come here from different places and they love the atmosphere and the way they are treated here.”
Several national teamers, as well as future Boston Breakers and other NWSL players, have competed for the Mutiny. Five ex-Mutiny players were listed on this year’s World Cup rosters: Perez; the Swaby sisters; US midfielder Kristie Mewis; and Canadian goalkeeper Lysianne Proulx.
The Mutiny receive no compensation for player development.
“Cat’s an extreme circumstance, but we have players such as Kate Howarth, our all-time leading scorer, who ended up with the Orlando Pride in the NWSL,” Ferrara said. “US Soccer is tracking development of players who have moved on from clubs to a professional career and they will be getting compensation. It is a new policy that is in its infancy and it’s too young for us to see the fruits of it yet.”