Sophia Smith unlocks USWNT offense in 3-0 win over Colombia

By Laken Litman
FOX Sports activities Author

COMMERCE CITY, Colorado – Of their first tuneup match forward of the CONCACAF W Championship, which serves as qualifying for each the 2023 World Cup and 2024 Olympics, the U.S. Girls’s Nationwide Crew on Saturday beat Colombia 3-0.

This was the primary of two friendlies towards Colombia with the second coming Tuesday night time in Salt Lake Metropolis (10 p.m. ET on ESPN).

Whereas the U.S. assault was unable to make the most of scoring alternatives within the first half, in traditional type, they finally wore down Colombia and scored three targets within the second. Sophia Smith had a brace and Taylor Kornieck added one in her senior nationwide crew debut. 

“The primary focus for us will likely be last third mixtures, creating area and executing the alternatives that we create,” coach Vlatko Andonovski mentioned within the postgame concerning what he needs the crew to work on forward of its subsequent sport in three days. 

Listed here are three takeaways from the match.

First cap, first objective

Midfielder Taylor Kornieck scored in her first senior USWNT cap. The 23-year-old entered the match within the 73rd minute and received her head on a Megan Rapinoe free kick to clinch the 3-0 win for the U.S. in stoppage time.

“I used to be so excited, so excited,” Kornieck mentioned after the sport. “I believe the very first thing I mentioned was I can’t really feel my legs. However no, it simply means every part to me. It’s been my dream ever since I used to be a bit of woman. And scoring wasn’t part of the plan, however it’s an excellent perk.”

At 6-foot-1, Kornieck is the tallest discipline participant to ever seem in a USWNT sport, beating out Sam Mewis by one inch. Naturally, this makes her the right goal in set items. It additionally makes her an ideal form of teammate for Rapinoe to maul in celebration, which is strictly what she did.

“Clearly having a goal like that’s ridiculous,” mentioned Rapinoe, who made her first USWNT look since final October. “I used to be like, no f—ing method that is gonna occur. Like, first cap? That is excellent. And clearly it was my first sport again shortly, so it was a really particular second for her and a particular second for me as properly to be part of it.”

Kornieck knew forward of time she would earn her first cap — Andonovski had been glad together with her coaching this previous week and needed to ensure she performed a couple of minutes in a sport like this forward of qualifying. That did not cease pre-game jitters and nerves from setting in, though Kornieck mentioned a pep speak from San Diego Wave teammate Alex Morgan helped calm her nerves.

“We needed to offer her minutes to get via some stress, nerves and anxiousness of a primary cap,” Andonovski mentioned. “As a result of we imagine that we’ll want her once we’re within the match and what we noticed from her is just about what we hope to see from Taylor. Little touches to hurry up the play and dominate within the field and aerial challenges as properly.”

Assault will get stepping into second half

It took some time for the U.S. assault to construct chemistry and discover its rhythm. Colombia’s backline sat in, and goalkeeper Catalina Perez performed lights out regardless of harmful scoring alternatives from Smith, Mallory Pugh and Rose Lavelle.

“It’s irritating, however generally these video games simply take time,” Rapinoe mentioned. “I believe that’s the important thing, particularly in a few of these early [upcoming] CONCACAF video games, to not get annoyed and form of persist with the method, work out the place the area is. It’s not transitional in any respect, so you’ll be able to’t actually get out and run the play. 

“However I nonetheless assume we have to do quite a bit higher job understanding the place the area is and shifting in teams to unlock that area. Towards groups like that, it’s a must to do it as a bunch.”

When Smith, a Colorado native, scored her first objective within the 54th minute, she fell to her knees and threw up her arms in celebration. And aid.

“We would have liked that first objective to form of get issues going,” mentioned Smith, who performed a full 90 minutes.

Each of Smith’s targets have been assisted by Lavelle, who doesn’t get sufficient credit score for successful balls on protection after which creating performs just like the targets she arrange for Smith.

“I believe Rose was unbelievable,” Andonovski mentioned. “We noticed that once we discover Rose within the areas the place she will course of the ball fast and switch and go ahead, she’s unbelievable. She will be able to break a line on a dribble, she will open up the sport for us and clearly she’s very inventive and has the power to seek out one of many forwards which can be on the sphere in good scoring alternatives.”

Andonovski not anxious about missed PKs

It was a bodily match, which bodes properly for the U.S. forward of the CONCACAF W Championship (July 4-18). However the U.S. uncharacteristically missed two penalty kicks, with Perez making huge saves on pictures from Lindsey Horan and Lavelle.

Andonovski is not anxious although and mentioned Horan and Lavelle are the USWNT’s prime selections to take PKs.

“Yeah, it’s most likely the very best scoring alternative you’ll be able to have as a crew,” Andonovski mentioned. “However that’s a part of the sport and provides credit score to the goalkeeper. I assumed she did an excellent job. Two good saves and we’re positively going to work on that a bit of bit extra and we nonetheless imagine that each Lindsey and Rose are excellent penalty kick takers.”

Andonovski referenced Lavelle making an important penalty kick throughout final summer season’s Tokyo Olympics in a dramatic quarterfinal shootout towards the Netherlands, which helped the U.S. advance to the semifinal match.

“I’ve little doubt they’ll achieve success sooner or later,” Andonovski mentioned.

Laken Litman covers faculty soccer, faculty basketball and soccer for FOX Sports activities. She beforehand lined faculty soccer, faculty basketball, the U.S. Girls’s Nationwide Soccer Crew and the Olympics at Sports activities Illustrated, USA As we speak and The Indianapolis Star. Her first e book, written in partnership with Rizzoli and Sports activities Illustrated and titled “Sturdy Like a Girl,” was revealed in spring 2022 marking the fiftieth anniversary of Title IX.

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