San Diego (AFP) – Catalina Usme scored the game-winner as Colombia beat Australia 2-1 in the SheBelieves Cup on Wednesday in the curtain-raiser to the United States’s clash with Japan for the tournament title. Wendy Bonilla also scored for Colombia, who notched their first victory of the four-nation round-robin tournament after falling to both Japan and the United States.
Bonilla put Colombia up 1-0 on 15 minutes, seizing a long pass from Mayra Ramirez and racing forward to unleash a right-footed blast from just inside the penalty area across diving Australian keeper Teagan Micah. Colombia’s lead soon looked in jeopardy thanks to a string of defensive lapses, but Australia were unable to capitalize.
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Australia finally broke through in the 69th as Charlotte Grant’s cross found Hayley Raso at the far post, Raso’s shot from near the penalty spot deflecting past Natalia Giraldo and into the net. But Colombia regained the lead with a 73rd-minute strike from Usme, who fired a left-footed shot from outside the box that deflected off Clare Hunt and sailed over Micah.
The defeat at Snap Dragon Stadium in San Diego means that one year out from hosting the Asian Cup, the Matildas depart the United States with a disappointing three defeats in the 10th edition of the invitational competition. The United States, meanwhile, were seeking their sixth straight title when they take on Japan later Wednesday. Emma Hayes’s USA need a victory to claim the trophy while Japan, thanks to their better goal differential, can claim the crown with a win or a draw.
© 2024 AFP
