HOUSTON — In the opening match of the SheBelieves Cup, the United States women’s national soccer team secured a 2-0 victory against Colombia, thanks to goals from Catarina Macario and Ally Sentnor. This win marked an extension of the U.S. team’s unbeaten streak to 21 games since their last defeat to Mexico on February 26, 2024. During this impressive run, they have outperformed their competitors with a score differential of 43 goals to 10, while also recording 13 shutouts, culminating in another solid performance from goalkeeper Jane Campbell on Thursday night.
Macario opened the scoring in the 32nd minute after receiving a well-executed cross from Yazmeen Ryan. She made no mistake with her right-footed strike, sending the ball past Colombia’s goalkeeper Katherine Tapia. Reflecting on her goal, Macario expressed, “I don’t remember much, but when I saw the ball go to Yazmeen, I spotted a gap and knew I had to take my chance. She delivered an excellent ball, and fortunately, I was in position to finish it.” This goal was particularly significant for Macario as it was her first international net buster in almost three years, following her recovery from a torn ACL sustained in May 2022, which kept her from participating in the Olympic Games the previous year.
“I’m just overjoyed to be back on the field and playing again,” Macario continued. “Scoring is wonderful, but just being able to compete again is what makes me the happiest. It feels like it’s been quite a while, and I hope the next goal comes soon.” Her coach, Emma Hayes, who has had the opportunity to train Macario at Chelsea, expressed her pride in both the player’s perseverance and her performance during the match. “Seeing how hard she worked through her recovery makes this moment special,” Hayes said. “She was in the right place at the right time, demonstrating the instinct she has around the goal, which helped secure our first goal of the match.”
Sentnor contributed to the team’s efforts by netting her first international goal in the 60th minute. She unleashed a right-footed shot from outside the penalty area, flawlessly placing it in the upper right corner of the net. Almost adding a second, Sentnor’s attempt in the 74th minute was well-saved by Tapia. “I couldn’t be happier,” she stated. “Scoring means everything to me, especially being on the field with players I have always looked up to. It truly feels like a full-circle moment.”
In the match, Sam Coffey received medical attention after being struck in the face during the sixth minute but managed to return to the game shortly after. Jenna Nighswonger came close to scoring as well, hitting the crossbar with her attempt from a corner kick taken by Lindsey Heaps in the 19th minute.
Looking ahead, the U.S. team is scheduled to face Australia on Sunday in Glendale, Arizona, followed by a match against Japan on February 26 in San Diego. Meanwhile, Colombia will compete against Japan on Sunday, also in Glendale, before taking on Australia on February 26. In another notable match on Thursday, Japan triumphed over Australia with a convincing 4-0 scoreline in the opening match of the SheBelieves Cup.
