USA vs Colombia: Who is the Winner?

The USMNT lost 5-1 to Colombia in the match
The US men’s national team lost 5-1 to Colombia in an international friendly match held in preparation for the 2024 Copa America. The attendance of 55,494 was the second-highest attendance ranking for a US Soccer-controlled USMNT match held in Washington, DC.
Colombia’s opportunism in front of goal and ruthlessness in punishing American mistakes made the difference on a hot afternoon at Commanders Field in Landover, Maryland, in the first of two practice matches the US will play before hosting the 48th edition of the Copa America.
The match between the teams ranked 11th (USA) and 12th (Colombia) by FIFA was played at a fast pace in front of 55,494 fans and produced scoring chances at both ends. The visitors showed more skill early and a potential U.S. comeback — sparked by Tim Weah’s 58th-minute goal that halved the gap — was snuffed out by a Colombian onslaught.

The balance of play was relatively even, but Colombia’s penalty-area ability separated the two sides at halftime. U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter swapped World Cup goalscorers early in the second half, sending on Hazie Wright in place of Pulisic. And the Coventry City player made an immediate impact, missing a promising header in the 50th minute and then challenging the Colombian rearguard off Gio Reyna’s pass moments later.

The U.S. had struck back just before the hour mark. Reyna and Wright were involved in the buildup, but Weah did the bulk of the work, finding Balogun on the right and then working hard to meet the return pass for a well-placed finish. It was Weah’s sixth USMNT goal and his first since a friendly win over Uzbekistan in September 2023.

But the hosts’ performance didn’t last long. Several substitutions by both teams in the second half affected the coordination on the field. U.S. goalkeeper Matt Turner kept his team in the game with a diving save from Colombia captain James Rodriguez in the 64th minute. Then the dam burst in the 77th minute when the U.S., hoping to build momentum in search of an equalizer, was penalized three consecutive times after losing the ball in its own half.