US beats Colombia 2-0 to advance to quarterfinals

Led by Hope Solo in goal, the USA defense has more than made up for the team’s offensive struggles.

It was a costly 2-0 victory to advance to the quarterfinals for the US women’s soccer team. As the team took advantage of an early second half red card that sent starting Colombia goalkeeper Catalina Perez off the field, they also lost both Megan Rapinoe and Lauren Holiday for their next game against China on Friday.

In the team’s opening contest against Australian both Rapinoe and Holiday were dealt yellow cards and both picked up their second in the first half against Colombia. Shannon Boxx also did not play because of a leg injury and looks like she’ll be doubtful for the China game as well.

Despite the victory, the United State still have to figure something out with their attack, even more now with key players set to miss their next game.

Sydney Leroux’ struggles the first three games led to her not even playing against Colombia. She will have to play against China, though. What was nice to see was Alex Morgan playing at an elite level. She pressures Colombia the entire game and in the 53rd minute scored a goal. She also set up Christen Press perfectly on a header but Press was unable to control the ball with no defender anywhere near her.

Carli Lloyd also punched in a penalty goal in the 66th minute. She has played pretty much perfect through the team’s first four games.

Abby Wambach has really been struggling, though. Early in the first half she thought she had scored her second goal of the World Cup but was clearly off sides. After Perez was ejected from the game for her hard slide in a one-on-one situation against Morgan, Wambach lined up for a penalty kick against an ice cold Sandra Sepulveda but missed the net entirely, wide left.

The saving grace for the US has been their back line. With Hope Solo positioning them from the goal, the USA defense has been really perfect the entire World Cup and make them a tremendous threat to continue winning games.

If the offense gets going, they would be the clear favorites to run away with the title of Champions of the World. They’ll have some work to do in practice before their game against China. The team will probably go with Morgan and Leroux up front with Wambach coming off the bench and a midfield of Lloyd and Tobin Heath in the middle with Press and Morgan Brian on the outside.

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Corey Johns

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You could say Corey was born to become a sports journalist. His father won a national championship coaching college soccer. His mother is a baseball fanatic who hasn't missed seeing an Orioles game since 1983 (literally, sometimes it's annoying). His great uncle was a big-time boxing promoter and his maternal grandfather was once a department head at the Baltimore Sun. Basically, sports and journalism run through his blood. He played just about every little league sports there was when he was a kid and was a multi-sport athlete in high school; even playing in the first-ever high school sanction Rugby game in the country. Eventually he retired from sports as an undefeated Maryland state Rugby champion as a high school senior. Perhaps lack of athletic talent has more to do with the retirement, but he will tell you that it more had to do with a great desire to jump right into media. Upon his graduation from University of Maryland, Baltimore County as a triple communications major, Corey started the So Much Sports network and has continued to grow his websites and continues to work to make them premier sports media outlets.

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