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The United States women’s national team defeated Colombia 3-0 on Saturday in Commerce City, Colorado, during the first of two friendlies. The game was frustrating at times for the USWNT as the team failed to score two penalties and missed a plethora of chances but ultimately got the job done.
In the end it was two perfect Rose Lavelle assists to Sophia Smith that unlocked the game for the USWNT. There’s a chance that Lavelle has laser vision because these two assists were about as good as it gets.
Rose Lavelle Assists vs Colombia
@roselavelle ➡️ @sophsssmith @USWNT takes the lead over Colombia pic.twitter.com/sCBDK8pZxK
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 26, 2022
She scores her 2️⃣nd goal of the match! pic.twitter.com/IfqCbmccXl— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 26, 2022
Smith and Lavelle are on opposite ends of the Cascadia rivalry with OL Reign and the Portland Thorns, but Smith said the chemistry between the two is rock solid and helped set up the goals.
“I love playing with Rose,” Smith said. “I’m always trying to build off of her and make runs off her knowing that she has the ability to provide those balls.”
Lavelle’s laser vision balls might only work on assists as Lavelle was unable to convert a penalty kick in the second half that would have made the score 3-0.
SECOND PENALTY SAVE OF THE MATCH BY COLOMBIA'S PEREZ pic.twitter.com/IEW2VtWDQN
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 26, 2022
Lavelle wasn’t alone in the penalty kick miss department as Lindsey Horan also saw her first half penalty kick saved by Colombia’s Catalina Perez. Horan was taken off at halftime.
Lindsey Horan's penalty is stopped by Colombia's Perez! pic.twitter.com/qy4Eumzwes
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 26, 2022
USWNT head coach Vlatko Andonovski said it was frustrating to see his team not covert from the spot but there won’t be any changes to who will be taking the penalties.
“A penalty kick is probably the best goal scoring chance you can have as team. We’re definitely going to work on that a little bit more.
“We still believe that both Lindsey and Rose are very good penalty kick takers. Remember the last penalty Rose took in the Olympics and she was very successful. I have no doubt that they’re going to be successful in the future as well,” Andonovski said.
The night would end on a sweet note for the USWNT and the 17,143-sellout crowd in attendance as Taylor Kornieck, who made her debut for the national team coming on in the 73rd minute, scored her first USWNT goal in the 90th minute.
@USWNT extends their lead to 3️⃣! pic.twitter.com/NfCV7MDFWq— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 26, 2022
The USWNT and Colombia will play again in Utah on Tuesday. After that the USWNT heads to Mexico for the Concacaf W Championship to seek qualification for the 2023 World Cup and 2024 Olympics.
