Despite USA edge, Colombia aim to make statement in Round of 16 match
EDMONTON, Alberta --
When it comes to great rivalries in U.S. women's soccer history, nations that rate are China (the 1999 World Cup final opponent); Norway and Germany (all those pioneer-years matches) and a smattering of Brazil and Sweden.
When it comes to bitter rivalries, U.S. midfielder Megan Rapinoe calls the relationship with Canada more than a little chippy. The no-love-lost aura between the North American rivals stems largely from the 2012 Olympics, when the U.S. earned several calls to help set up a U.S. semifinal win over their broken-hearted Christine Sinclair & company.
Now, it seems, Colombia want to get in on the action -- any way possible. Sucker punches have been thrown, as have bulletin board barbs that will make us all wonder how Abby Wambach will respond.
Maybe for Colombia, whose women toil at day jobs and play soccer for an underfunded federation, it is just too great an opportunity to not lash out at Wambach and the Americans as a way to demand some respect. Colombia did not compete internationally until 1998 and are making only their second World Cup appearance. Las Cafeteras have, by now, announced themselves to the world as being a threat and apparently like the sound.
The question: Was Lady Andrade looking for respect from the U.S. or from the entire world? After all, what better way to make a statement about your pride and confidence than to claim, as Andrade did this week, that, basically, the U.S. are big, bad front-runners that "belittle" their opponents.
This from a star player who disgraced her team by hitting Wambach in the eye in Colombia's 3-0 loss to the U.S. at the London Olympics.
The U.S. , on Monday at Commonwealth Stadium, will face a 28th-ranked Colombian side that apparently doesn't care about inciting the wrath of the No. 2-ranked team.
"I wouldn't poke Abby," was all U.S. coach Jill Ellis had to say on Andrade's curious tongue lashing against the U.S.
Colombia have earned the right to feel emboldened. They're in this knockout round largely courtesy of their 2-0 win over France -- one of the biggest upsets in Women's World Cup history. It's a cautionary tale for the U.S., just as it was for France.
Colombia proved disruptive to France by taking the lead in the 19th minute when Yoreli Rincon made a quick turn in the midfield, splitting two French backs with a pass to Andrade who put it in the net ahead of French goalkeeper Sarah Bouhaddi. For all the skill and style that Colombia possess, they seemed eager to get under France's skin -- an effort aided by a deliberate handball in the box by Daniela Montoya that should have given France's star striker Eugenie Le Sommer a penalty kick and an immediate red card for Montoya. It was not spotted by the officials, however.
France was rattled, and wound up seeing their star midfielder Louisa Necib yanked from the next start for France. But France learned from Colombia, drilling Mexico 5-0 to show why they have been a superior team this year, racking up a 10-win record in qualifying and outscoring opponents 54-3. The French clearly carried that mentality into their overwhelming 3-0 victory over Korea Republic.
The question for the U.S. is whether they can, against Colombia and after a very challenging trio of games in group play, find that next gear? France came right out after their big letdown and drilled Mexico and Korea Republic. Likewise, the U.S. must look at what Germany is capable of doing, having easily run through Sweden, 4-1, in their Round of 16 match.
What Colombia are trying to insist is that they don't intend to be speed bump in the U.S. World Cup aspirations -- with good reason. Colombia possess technically gifted players in Andrade, Montoya, Rincon, Diana Ospina and Catalina Usme. They are very good on the counter.
"I think they're a good transition team, slightly different in terms of how they transition because they're trying to pull your back line vertically. The other teams are trying to get in behind as fast as they can," Ellis said.
One critical difference in this match will be that Colombian goalkeeper Sandra Sepulveda will not play due to yellow card accumulation. That will mean either Stefany Castano or Catalina Perez will get the start -- a personnel change that U.S. striker Alex Morgan calls an advantage to the U.S.
With Morgan's return, it will likely lead Ellis to start her again paired with Wambach. The tandem worked well against Nigeria and Morgan got several good looks at the goal during her 66 minutes. With Sepulveda out, the eternally determined direct style of the U.S. and their advantage on set pieces, the Morgan-Wambach combo should be an advantage.
However, Andrade was quoted as almost mocking the difference in style between the U.S. and Colombia. She said that Colombia relies on beautiful, technical soccer to win the day, though she left out the handballs and sucker punches. At any rate, Colombia is a quality side that is eager to show they can exploit the U.S.'s weaknesses. That won't be easy against the U.S. back line, but they will be patient and get their strikes.
"They get a lot of numbers behind the ball. That's what they do very, very well. They're very hard-working, and when they win it, they're very sophisticated in how they play out of pressure," Ellis said.
The U.S. may feel less pressure now that they have reached familiar World Cup territory. They've never gone out before the semifinals and are now eyeing the road forward. But given the U.S. travails on uncorking a multi-goal-scoring attack, Colombia has every right to question why the U.S. are the heavy favorites to move on.
