The U.S. Women’s National Team beat Colombia 3-0 Sunday at Snapdragon Stadium in the second international friendly between the opponents in a span of four days.
San Diego players made an impact on the match, and two of them achieved personal milestones.
Forwards Mia Fishel, 22, a San Diego native who grew up 10 minutes from Snapdragon’s Mission Valley home, and Jaedyn Shaw, 18, a young star for San Diego Wave FC, scored their first career international goals.
Team captain Lindsey Horan added one of her own on a volley as goalkeeper Casey Murphy earned her 12th career shutout and fifth of the year.
Coming off Thursday’s scoreless draw between the two teams in Sandy, Utah, the U.S. was noticeably more aggressive and kept most of the play in Colombia’s half, pinning the visitors inside their defensive end.
The chippy game featured 27 fouls from Colombia – plus four yellow cards – and 20 from the U.S., but the Americans overcame the physicality to put the match away in the second half.
One of the best chances of the first half came in the 21st minute after a great run of combination play that culminated with a powerful shot on frame from Wave forward Alex Morgan near the top of the box.
The shot drew a one-handed save from goalkeeper Natalia Giraldo, but resulted in a hand injury that forced Giraldo out. Longtime Colombian goalkeeper Sandra Sepúlveda replaced her.
Colombia opened the second half with a pair of dangerous attempts in the 47th minute, but back-to-back saves by Murphy kept the U.S. in control.
The Americans regained momentum as Horan came close to scoring with a free kick in the 51st minute. The breakthrough came five minutes later when Shaw played a short corner to Emily Sonnett, who sent a cross into the middle for Fishel to finish with a header.
The U.S. struck again quickly, this time in the 62nd minute as defender Emily Fox sent a cross from the right wing toward the back post for Horan, who finished with a volley to beat Sepúlveda low and into the left corner.
The goal was Horan’s fourth of the year and the 30th of her international career. Horan also has 34 career assists, making her the 16th player in USWNT history to exceed both 30 international goals and 30 assists.
Youth took over on the team’s final goal. Forward Alyssa Thompson, 18, worked with Horan to force a turnover in Colombia’s defensive third and found fellow Shaw with a pass just inside the box. She finished with a chip over the goalkeeper to score her first career goal.
At 18 years and 343 days of age, Shaw is the 32nd teenager to score for the USWNT and the youngest player to do so for the U.S. since the 2016 Olympics.
Mallory Swanson (formerly Pugh) scored then, also against Colombia, at the age of 18 years and 102 days.
The team returns to action to finish 2023 with a pair of international friendlies against China PR, on Dec. 2 in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. and then again Dec. 5 in Frisco, Texas.
The USA, which is 12-0-4 on the year, will attempt to finish the year without a loss in regulation time.
