The U.S. Women’s National Team scored four first-half goals and three in the second, each flurry in a span of 12 minutes, to defeat Colombia 7-0 in front of a record crowd of 21,792 on a cold night at Pratt & Whitney Stadium.
Wednesday night’s crowd set a new record for an all-women’s soccer event in Connecticut, besting the previous mark of 18,870 that watched the USA play Germany at the same venue on Oct. 23, 2012.
Forward Crystal Dunn kicked off the scoring in the 27th minute with a quick touch and shot from the middle of the box past Colombia goalkeeper Catalina Perez. Allie Long notched her first international goal five minutes later in her first WNT start since 2014. Seventeen-year-old winger Mallory Pugh and co-captain Carli Lloyd assisted each other within a span of six minutes, both scoring from close range to give the WNT a 4-0 lead heading into the half.
Midfielder Tobin Heath continued to pour in the goals in the second half with a well-executed volley off a Dunn cross in the 62nd minute. Three minutes later Long notched her second goal of the match, and first career brace, on a header assisted by Julie Johnston, who was celebrating her 24th birthday. Christen Press rounded out the scoring with an impressive curling right-footed shot from the top left corner of the box, which bent around Colombia goalkeeper Catalina Perez and into the right corner for her 32nd career score.
Hope Solo extended her all-time USA record for U.S. goalkeeper caps (194) and shutouts (98) and is now two shutouts away from becoming the first goalkeeper in U.S. history to reach the century mark.
The USA and Colombia complete the two-game series of friendlies on Sunday, April 10 in Chester, Pennsylvania (2 p.m. ET, ESPN).
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