USA women crush Colombia to reach quarters
Reuters - Saturday 28 July 2012, 19:52
The United States women's team
secured their place in the quarter-final stage of the Olympics
football tournament in confident style on Saturday with a 3-0 win
over Colombia.
Goals from Megan Rapinoe, Abby Wambach and Carli Lloyd at
Hampden Park earned the Americans victory after was a scrappy
and at times physical clash.
A superbly-struck 25 yard goal from Rapinoe put the U.S.
ahead in the 33rd minute although Colombia keeper Sandra
Sepulveda will be disappointed she didn't do better with a shot
that was hit high but at the center of her goal.
The physical nature of the game threatened to go too far
with an incident in the 38th minute when Wambach appeared to be
struck in the face by Lady Andrade but the clash was missed by
the Greek referee.
Colombia were hard working and determined but the nearest
they came to an equaliser was an ambitious 40 yard effort from
Catalina Usme but U.S. keeper Hope Solo was alert and reacted
well.
After the break the game deteriorated as a spectacle with a
series of petty fouls but the Americans made sure of the three
points with two goals which illustrated their superiority.
Wambach scored her 140th international goal in the 73rd
minute with a low shot into the corner after a smart exchange
with Tobin Heath.
The tall forward then blasted a 20 yard strike against the
crossbar but the U.S. got their third when at the end of a smart
exchange of passes, Rapinoe found Lloyd who made no mistake with
a confident finish.
The United States now face North Korea in their final game
in group G at Old Trafford, Manchester, on Tuesday where they
will hope to secure top place in the group.