USWNT October 2023 Friendlies: USA 0-0 Colombia - improvement is needed after a dull showing

The USA met up with Colombia in Sandy, Utah as the two sides faced off for the second set of meetings since last year. For the Americans it would be a chance to take on a tough, rising opponent coming off of a good showing in the World Cup. Colombia came to town wanting to show that they could hang with the big teams as they had earlier in the summer.

The USA lined up in a 4-3-3 in typical fashion.

Colombia meanwhile set up in a 4-2-3-1 with a healthy mix of players in Spain, Germany, England and South America representing the squad.

In the end, Colombia came ready for the USA and stoped the Americans from causing much trouble for the South Americans. Las Chicas Superpoderosas made it difficult for their opponents to move the ball into the attacking third. In the times that the Americans did get nearby the 18, there was not much the team could do in terms of finding passes into dangerous areas. The visitors were also effective at defending set pieces and managed to contain the Stars and Stripes on the counter.

That would be the story of the match and Colombia would come away with a well won draw against a tough opponent. The USA wouldn’t have any reason to feel hard done by the result as they lacked creativity in breaking down Colombia or effectiveness at scoring off of set pieces.

GIFS OF NO GOALS BECAUSE IT ENDED IN A 0-0 DRAW

The first half saw the USA try and break down Colombia, but time and again the team in yellow withstood the attempts by the Americans to get into good attacking positions. Colombia also managed to keep up with the USA in terms of possession as both teams were around 50% for the half.

The USA somewhat came to life toward the end of the half as it began making headway to set up shop around the Colombia 18 yard box. This would pay off when Colombia conceded a corner. After an initial foul inside the box resulting in a yellow card before the kick, the set piece was eventually sent in. An overzealous play saw Lynn Williams pulled down in front of the Colombia goal resulting in a penalty.

Luckily. for Colombia, Alex Morgan smashed her shot into the post and though she gathered her rebound, her second effort was well over the bar.

That play would sum up what was an unexciting and lackluster first half from the USA. At the half Naomi Girma would come out for Becky Sauerbrunn as she continued her comeback with the national team.

The USA worked their first really dangerous chance of the match from open play when Williams found Morgan sprinting into the box. Sadly, Morgan’s shot went over the bar.

A trio of changes in the 67th minute would see Morgan come out for Ashley Hatch, Andi Sullivan step aside for Savannah DeMilo, and Crystal Dunn exit for Casey Krueger.

Hatch nearly put the USA ahead a few minutes after coming on when she gathered a long ball from Williams inside the box.

There would be another change with Sophia Smith coming in for Trinity Rodman in the 76th minute as a fresh attacker was brought it. The changes wouldn’t make a difference for the USA in the end as a goal proved elusive in the end.

Once the match reached stoppage time, Colombia demonstrated their effectiveness at time wasting and kept the rest of the game disjointed and goalless. In the end, the match would end at 0-0 with the USA needing to go back and figure out how to do more in the attack than rely of set pieces or the occasional counter to get a result this weekend.