USWNT defeats Colombia 3-0 as Mia Fishel and Jaedyn Shaw score first career goals

SAN DIEGO, Calif. – The U.S. Women’s National Team beat Colombia 3-0 in the second international friendly between the two in the span of four days.

Twenty-two-year-old forward Mia Fishel, a San Diego native who grew up 10 minutes from Snapdragon Stadium, and 18-year-old forward Jaedyn Shaw, who is a young star for the San Diego Wave that plays its home games in the stadium, scored their first career international goals. Team captain Lindsey Horan added one of her own on a brilliant volley as goalkeeper Casey Murphy earned her 12^th career shutout and fifth of the year to lead the team to victory.

Coming off the scoreless draw between the two teams on Thursday, the U.S. was noticeably more aggressive in the attack and did well to keep most of the play in Colombia’s half, pinning the visitors inside their defensive end for most of the match. It was a chippy game that featured 27 fouls from Colombia – plus four yellow cards – and 20 from the USA, but the Americans did well to deal with the physicality and put the match away in the second half.

Ending October on a high note! ? pic.twitter.com/YsYKiX7TMT

— U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team (@USWNT) October 30, 2023

The USA had a few decent chances early on led by efforts from Horan with headers inside the box and quality set piece services from midfielder Savannah DeMelo, but all of them were either saved or went just off frame. One of the best chances of the first half came in the 21^st minute after a great run of combination play by the U.S. that culminated with a powerful shot on frame from San Diego Wave forward Alex Morgan from near the top of the box that drew a great one-handed save from goalkeeper Natalia Giraldo. The save resulted in a hand injury that forced Giraldo to be replaced by longtime Colombian ’keeper Sandra Sepúlveda.

Colombia opened the second half with a pair of dangerous attempts in the 47^th minute, but back-to-back saves by Murphy – who delivered when called upon — kept the U.S. in control. It didn’t take long for the Americans to regain momentum as Horan came close to scoring once again with a free kick in the 51^st minute. The breakthrough finally came in the 56^th minute when Shaw played a short corner to Emily Sonnett who chipped a cross into the middle for Fishel to finish with a well-placed header.

Energized by the opening goal, the U.S. found its rhythm and struck again quickly, this time in the 62^nd minute as defender Emily Fox sent a cross from the right wing toward the back post for Horan, who finished with a picture-perfect volley to beat Sepúlveda low and into the left corner. The goal was Horan’s fourth of the year and the 30^th of her international career. Horan also has 34 career assists and becomes the 16^th player in USWNT history with both 30+ international goals and 30+ assists.

The USA put a bow on the night with a glimpse of the future as 18-year-old forward Alyssa Thompson worked with Horan to force a turnover in Colombia’s defensive third and found fellow teenager Shaw with a pass just inside the box. Shaw took a touch and finished with a poked chip over the goalkeeper to score her first career goal. At 18 years and 343 days of age, Shaw is the 32^nd teenager to score for the USWNT and the youngest player to score for the USA since Mallory Swanson (formerly Pugh) scored against Colombia at the 2016 Summer Olympics at 18 years and 102 days of age.

The USWNT will return to action and finish the 2023 schedule with a pair of international friendlies against China PR, first on Dec. 2 at DRV PNK Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. (3 p.m. ET; TNT, Universo, Max, Peacock) and then again on Dec. 5 at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas (7 p.m. CT; Tru TV, Universo, Max, Peacock).

The USA, which is 12W-4D-0L on the year, will be working to finish 2023 without a loss in regulation time.

GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN:

USA – Mia Fishel (Emily Sonnett), 56^th minute: Jaedyn Shaw played a short corner for Sonnett from the right side and she sent a cross deep into the box to Fishel, who jumped to meet the ball with a strong header down and across the goal line on the bounce from six yards. USA 1, COL 0

USA – Lindsey Horan (Emily Fox) 62^nd minute: Fox received the ball on the right wing and set herself up to send a cross toward back post where Horan met it with a perfect full-volley to beat the goalkeeper low into the left corner from about 10 yards out. USA 2, COL 0

USA – Jaedyn Shaw (Alyssa Thompson) 83^rd minute: Thompson won a tackle and dribbled the ball into Colombia’s defensive third before finding Shaw just inside the top of the box. Shaw took a touch to set herself up for a great finish with a nifty chip over the goalkeeper. USA 3, COL 0

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

• San Diego native Mia Fishel scored in her second career cap. Her first career goal for Chelsea FC, which she scored just days after making her USWNT debut on Sep 24, was also a header.
• Emily Sonnett’s assist to set up Fishel’s goal was her first of 2023 and the sixth of her career.
• Horan’s goal marked her fourth of 2023 and moves her into a tie with Trinity Rodman for second-most this year.
• Emily Fox’s assist to set up Horan’s goal marked her second career assist and first of 2023.
• Jaedyn Shaw’s goal marked the first of her career, while Thompson’s assist to set her up was also the first of her career.
• Shaw is the 32nd teenager to score for the USA and the first since Trinity Rodman scored against Uzbekistan on April 12, 2022, at age 19.
• The last time the USWNT had two players score their first career goals in the same night came against Colombia on January 22, 2021, as Catarina Macario and Midge Purce scored their first international goals.
• Overall, 20 of the USA’s 31 total goals in 2023 have been scored or assisted by a player under the age of 25.
• The match was the USWNT’s first at Snapdragon Stadium and the team holds an all-time 8W-1D-0L record in San Diego.