ORLANDO, Fla. (Jan. 18, 2021)—The U.S. Women’s National Team opened its 2021 slate with a 4-0 victory against Colombia as reigning U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year Samantha Mewis netted her first career hat trick while her sister Kristie Mewis added a late goal. The pair becomes the first sisters to score in the same match for the USWNT.
The USA will face Colombia again on Friday, Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. (ESPN2), once again at Orlando’s Exploria Stadium.
It was a dominant performance to start the year as the USA held Colombia without a shot while putting up 22 of its own. The U.S. didn’t waste any time finding the back of the net in the new year as Megan Rapinoe teed up Mewis to put the USA on the board in just the fourth minute of play.
Several more dangerous opportunities quickly followed as forward Lynn Willlams fired two shots in the ensuing minutes. The USWNT kept the pressure on Colombia in its own defensive half, ferociously winning the ball back quickly whenever possession was lost. The aggressive play kept the Colombia defense on its heels as Las Cafeteras had trouble clearing the ball around goal, but the steady hands of goalkeeper Sandra Sepulveda kept things from getting out of hand in the first half.
After a number of chances were handled by Sepulveda, the U.S. broke through again in the 33rd minute. Lindsay Horan sent a booming cross to the far post where forward Carli Lloyd headed it back across goal to Mewis, who fired home a close-range header to double the American advantage.
Head coach Vlatko Andonovski made one change at halftime, bringing on forward Catarina Macario for her USWNT debut after she was approved to represent the USA last week.
Things got going quickly after the break as Horan drew a penalty just 11 seconds after the second-half kick-off. Mewis stepped up for the ensuing shot and sunk the penalty to complete her hat trick.
Andonovski made four more substitutions down the stretch in the midfield and at the outside back spots while the USWNT continued to threaten, sending services into the box and looking dangerous on set pieces. Macario sparked a number of attacking opportunities in her debut.
Samantha wasn’t the only Mewis to light up the scoreboard for the USA as sister Kristie, a second-half substitute, scored a goal of her own in the 85th minute. While her tally against the Netherlands in November set a record for the longest stretch between goals in USWNT history, Kristie Mewis’ third international goal was her second in two games after a long layoff from the WNT, this time set up by Lloyd’s second assist of the night after a nifty dribbling run in the left side of the penalty area.
While Colombia gained a bit more possession late in the game, the USA defense kept things calm in front of goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, who recorded her eighth-straight shutout and the 38th of her international career.
GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN
USA – Samantha Mewis (Carli Lloyd), 33rd minute: Midfielder Julie Ertz played Horan deep on the left wing, where she teed up a looping cross to the far post. Forward Carli Lloyd got her head on the ball and sent it back across the goal to Mewis lurking near the opposite post. The six-foot midfielder directed a powerful header to the opposite corner for her second goal of the game. USA 2, COL 0
USA – Samantha Mewis (Penalty Kick), 47th minute: Receiving the ball in the left side of the box off of the opening kick-off, a Colombia defender clipped Lindsey Horan and forced the referee to point to the penalty spot. Mewis lined up for the kick with the opportunity for a hat trick and hit her shot low and hard into the left corner for her third goal of the game. USA 3, COL 0
USA – Kristie Mewis (Carli Lloyd), 85th minute: From the left flank, Lloyd drove into the box and eluded a Colombia defender as she dribbled towards the end line. She then a sent a cross the near post where Mewis just outside six-yard box and Mewis one-timed it with her preferred left foot just inside the left post the final goal of the night. USA 4, COL 0
The USWNT improved to 6-0-1 all-time vs. Colombia. The U.S. has outscored Colombia 24-2 in their seven meetings and Monday night marked its sixth shutout of Las Cafeteras.
The USA is riding a 33-game unbeaten streak and has scored two or more goals in 29 of those games.
The U.S. also is unbeaten in its last 49 home matches, including 44 wins and five draws. The run has seen the USA outscore its opponents 173-27, including a margin of 43-3 during its last 11 matches on home soil.
U.S. head coach Vlatko Andonovski is 12-0-0 in his first 12 games, extending a record for best start for a head coach in USWNT history. Pia Sundhage holds the second-best start for any head coach in USWNT history with 10 straight victories.
Samantha Mewis’ three goals marked her 19th, 20th and 21st career international goals. She’s the 30th player in USWNT history to hit 20 goals.
Samantha and Kristie became the first pair of sisters to score goals in the same game for the USWNT. The USA’s last five goals have come from the Mewis sisters, including tonight’s four and Kristie’s goal against the Netherlands in November.
Alyssa Naeher recorded her 38th career shutout. She’s kept a clean sheet in her last eight appearances for the USA, the longest streak of her international career.
With 90 minutes played tonight, Becky Sauerbrunn moved into 13th place all-time in minutes played for the USA with 13,940. She passes her childhood idol and long-time USWNT captain Carla Overbeck. This was Sauerbrunn’s first match since officially being named team captain.
Megan Rapinoe earned her 169th cap and returned to the U.S. roster for the first time since March of 2020. Her assist on the game’s opening goal marked the 68th of her international career.
Carli Lloyd returned to the U.S. roster for the first time since the 2020 SheBelieves Cup after recovering from a knee injury that kept her out of all the 2020 NWSL action as well as the last two USWNT events. She is the USA's all-time active caps leader with 295 and has moved past Mia Hamm into third all-time in career caps. Her two assists bring her career total to 60.
Match: U.S. Women’s National Team vs. Colombia
Date: January 18, 2021
Competition: International Friendly
Venue: Exploria Stadium; Orlando, Fla.
Attendance: 2,042 (Limited Attendance)
Kickoff: 7 p.m. ET
Weather: 57 degrees; clear
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
USA 2 2 4
COL 0 0 0
USA – Samantha Mewis (Megan Rapinoe) 4th minute
USA – Samantha Mewis (Carli Lloyd) 33
USA – Samantha Mewis (Penalty Kick) 46
USA – Kristie Mewis (Carli Lloyd) 85
USA: 1-Alyssa Naeher; 5-Kelley O’Hara (23-Margaret Purce, 72), 7-Abby Dahlkemper, 4-Becky Sauerbrunn (Capt.), 19-Crystal Dunn (14-Emily Sonnett, 72); 8-Julie Ertz, 3-Samantha Mewis (16-Rose Lavelle, 64), 9-Lindsey Horan (22-Kristie Mewis, 64); 6-Lynn Williams, 10-Carli Lloyd, 15-Megan Rapinoe (29-Catarina Macario, 46)
Subs not used: 24-Jane Campbell, 25-Sophia Smith,
Head coach: Vlatko Andonovski
COL: 12-Sandra Sepulveda; 2-Kelly Ibarguen, 16-Jorelyn Carabali, 3-Daniela Arias, 15-Orianica Velasquez (14-Ingrid Guerra, 77); 8-Jessica Caro, 21-Liana Salazar (7-Maria Camila Reyes, 67), 11-Caralina Usme (capt.), 18-Manuela Pavi (23-Nancy Acosta, 46), 10-Gisela Robledo (19-Kelly Caicedo, 89), 9-Kena Romero (20-Linda Caicedo, 46)
Subs not used: 1-Natalia Giraldo, 22-Valentina Gonzalez
Head coach: Nelson Abadia
Shots: 22 / 0
Shots on Goal: 11 / 0
Saves: 7 / 0
Corner Kicks: 5 / 2
Fouls: 11 / 11
Offside: 4 / 2
COL – Manuela Pavi (caution) 23rd minute
COL – Kena Romero (caution) 40
Referee: Karen Abt (USA)
AR1: Kathryn Nesbitt (USA)
AR2: Brooke Mayo (USA)
4th Official: Danielle Chesky (USA)
U.S. Soccer Insiders Woman of the Match: Samantha Mewis