Sam Mewis' Hat Trick Propels US Women's National Team Past Colombia in Friendly

Thanks to a hat trick by Sam Mewis, the United States women's national team cruised to a 4-0 victory over Colombia in a friendly at Exploria Stadium in Orlando, Florida, on Monday.

It was a family affair as Kristie Mewis tacked on a fourth goal in the 85th minute to put an exclamation point on a comprehensive win.

The U.S. finished with 22 total shots and 11 shots on target. Colombia didn't register a single shot.

This was the USWNT's first match since beating the Netherlands 2-0 in November. The team hadn't hosted a fixture since the conclusion of the SheBelieves Cup last March.

The squad remains perfect under coach Vlatko Andonovski, winning all 12 matches after he succeeded Jill Ellis to improve upon what was already a team record for the 44-year-old.

While the USWNT players started to report for training camp on Jan. 9, a level of rust can be expected after going months without competitive action together. The U.S. wasn't lacking much sharpness to open Monday's match, though, as the first of Mewis' three goals came in the fourth minute.

Lindsey Horan found Megan Rapinoe down the left flank with a through ball, and Rapinoe's low cross allowed Mewis to measure up her left-footed shot past Sandra Sepulveda.

The 28-year-old used her head to double the United States' lead in the 33rd minute. Carli Lloyd knocked the ball across goal to set her teammate up with a straightforward finish.

Mewis completed the hat trick from the penalty spot in the first minute of the second half after Horan was fouled in the 18-yard box.

The Mewises will grab the headlines, but the match was also notable for serving as the debut for 21-year-old Catarina Macario.

A native of Brazil, Macario moved to San Diego in 2012 and was a star at Stanford prior to moving on to the pro ranks, signing with Lyon. Last week, FIFA gave her the final approval to represent the U.S. at the international level.

Almost immediately upon stepping onto the pitch to open the second half, Macario made her presence felt:

Andonovski is not only keeping an eye on the Summer Olympics this year but also the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. Longtime stalwarts Lloyd (38) and Rapinoe (35) probably won't be making the trip to Australia and New Zealand, while Alex Morgan, Tobin Heath and Christen Press will all be in their mid-30s.

Even though the USWNT isn't lacking in attacking talent, Macario figures to be a big part of the team in the years ahead.

What's Next?

The USWNT has one more tuneup friendly against Colombia on Friday before the SheBelieves Cup kicks off in February.