Colombia Edges Past Argentina 1-0 in 2026 SheBelieves Cup
COLUMBUS, OHIO (March 4, 2026) – Colombia secured a 1-0 victory over Argentina in the opening match of the 2026 SheBelieves Cup, presented by Visa, held Wednesday at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field, home of the Columbus Crew in Major League Soccer. This result marks a significant early win for Las Cafeteras in the prestigious tournament.
Rematch and Tournament Context
The match was a highly anticipated rematch of the 2025 Copa América Femenina semifinal. Both CONMEBOL teams entered the contest seeking their first points of the tournament after experiencing setbacks in their opening games. Colombia suffered a 4-1 defeat against Canada at GEODIS Park in Nashville, while Argentina lost 2-0 to the U.S. Women’s National Team.
First-Half Stalemate: Goalkeeping and Defense Prevail
The first half concluded without any goals, a testament to the strong goalkeeping performances and organized defensive strategies employed by both sides. Argentina’s goalkeeper, Lara Esponda, made a crucial save in the early minutes, denying a close-range attempt from Colombia’s Linda Caicedo. Colombia’s goalkeeper, Katherine Tapia, proved equally vital, making two key saves to prevent Argentina from taking the lead. In the 31st minute, Tapia thwarted a scoring opportunity from Agostina Holzheier, and later, a lunging save combined with resolute defending kept the scoreline level heading into halftime.
Caicedo Breaks the Deadlock
Colombia broke the deadlock in the 64th minute with a well-executed goal by Caicedo. The forward skillfully navigated past an Argentina defender and received a pass from Washington Spirit midfielder Leicy Santos. From inside the box, Caicedo curled a shot over the Argentina goalkeeper, securing a 1-0 lead and her first goal of the tournament. The U.S. Soccer Federation provides ongoing coverage of the SheBelieves Cup.
Match Details and Lineups
Match Report:
- Match: Argentina vs. Colombia
- Date: March 4, 2026
- Competition: 2026 SheBelieves Cup
- Venue: ScottsMiracle-Gro Field, Columbus, Ohio
- Kickoff: 3:37 p.m. ET
- Weather: 48 degrees and cloudy
Scoring Summary
| 1 | 2 | F | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ARG | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| COL | 0 | 1 | 1 |
COL – Linda Caicedo (Leicy Santos) 64th minute
Lineups
Argentina (ARG): 12-Lara Esponda; 4-Justina Morcillo (11-Carolina Troncoso, 46), 16-Evelyn Dominguez, 13-Sophia Braun, 6-Aldana Cometti (Capt.), 14-Milagros Martin; 10-Maricel Pereyra, 8-Daiana Falfan (20-Chiara Singarella, 77), 5-Vanina Preininger, 15-Maria Bonsegundo (18-Catalina Ongaro, 50); 19-Agostina Holzheier (3-Eliana Stabile, 77)
Substitutes not used: 1-Solana Pereyra; 2-Adriana Sachs, 7-Margarita Gimenez, 9-Martina del Trecco, 21-Abril de los Milagros Reche
Head coach: German Portanova
Colombia (COL): 12-Katerin Tapia; 16-Jorelyn Carabali, 3- Daniela Arias, 2- Manuela Vanegas; 4-Ana Guzman, 8- Marcela Restrepo (15-Wendy Bonilla Candelo), 6-Daniela Montoya (23-Gabriela Rodriguez, 66), 7- Manuela Pavi (11-Gracy Landazury, 66); 18-Linda Caicedo (20- Ilana Izquierdo, 85), 10- Leicy Santos, 21-Valerin Loboa (17-Maithé Lopez, 66)
Substitutes not used: 1-Catalina Perez, 5-Liced Serna, 9-Gisela Robledo, 13-Natalia Giraldo, 14-Mary Jose Alvarez, 17-Agostina Vargas, 19-Yirleidys Quejada Minota, 22- Daniela Caracas
Head coach: Angelo Marsiglia
Statistics Summary
| ARG | COL | |
|---|---|---|
| Shots | 9 | 12 |
| Shots on Goal | 3 | 3 |
| Saves | 2 | 3 |
| Corner Kicks | 4 | 2 |
| Fouls | 9 | 12 |
| Offside | 1 | 3 |
Misconduct Summary
COL — Manuela Vanegas (Caution) 90+2nd minute
Officials
- Ref: Natalie Simon (USA)
- AR1: Alicia Messer (USA)
- AR2: Kali Smith (USA)
- Fourth: Lauren Aldrich (USA)
The 2026 SheBelieves Cup continues with a match between the U.S. Women’s National Team and Canada at 6:45 p.m. ET at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field in Columbus. The game will be broadcast on TNT, truTV, and HBO Max in English, and on Universo and Peacock in Spanish.
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