Fishel and Shaw score first goals for USWNT in victory over Colombia
Mia Fishel and Jaedyn Shaw both scored their first international goals and the United States defeated Colombia 3-0 on Sunday.
Lindsey Horan added a goal for the United States in the second of two exhibition matches against Colombia. The teams played to a scoreless draw on Thursday in Utah.
The United States will play just two more games this year – both of which will take place in early December against China.
The United States are expected to name a new head coach before those matches as the team prepare for the Paris Olympics next summer.
The Americans have been led for four games by Twila Kilgore, who was named interim head coach following Vlatko Andonovski’s resignation after the Women’s World Cup in August. The United States were eliminated in the round of 16 on penalties after a scoreless draw with Sweden, the earliest World Cup exit ever for the Americans.
Colombia, ranked No 22 in the world, advanced to the quarter-finals at the Women’s World Cup for the first time this summer. Las Cafeteras were finally stopped by England 2-1.
Colombia goalkeeper Natalia Giraldo had to leave Sunday’s match in the first half after she was injured while making a save from Alex Morgan’s shot. Girlado was replaced by backup Sandra
Sepulveda.
The match at Snapdragon Stadium was scoreless at the half, but the United States looked more dominant than in the first game.
Fishel, a San Diego native who plays club soccer for Chelsea, scored in the 60th minute on a header off a corner in just her second appearance for the United States.
“It was a dream,” Fishel said. I mean every little girl just dreams of being on this team, and to be here and to be able to score for this team, with my family and friends in the stands, it’s just amazing.”
Horan scored her 30th international goal in the 62nd minute with a welltaken volley. Shaw, an 18-year-old who plays for the San Diego Wave in the National Women’s Soccer League, added a goal in the 83rd. It was also her second appearance for the United States.
“It’s hard to believe that it even happened,” Shaw said. “I just saw Alyssa get the ball and I took off. She played me the absolute best ball ever and I just did what I could to tap it in.”
Colombia, who have also qualified for the Olympics, had not played since the World Cup before the friendlies against the United States.
Colombia’s players showed their support for fellow national team player Luis Diaz by holding his No 7 jersey during the national anthems before the match.
Diaz’s parents were kidnapped in Colombia on Saturday by gunmen in their city of Barrancas, near the Caribbean. The Liverpool winger’s mother was later rescued but his father remains missing, authorities said.