Catarina Macario, Ally Sentnor score, USWNT beats Colombia 2-0 in SheBelieves Cup

HOUSTON (AP) — Catarina Macario and Ally Sentnor scored goals and the United States beat Colombia 2-0 in the SheBelieves Cup opener for both teams on Thursday night.

The U.S. extended its unbeaten streak to 21 matches since losing to Mexico 2-0 on Feb. 26, 2024. The U.S. has outscored its opponents 43-10 in that span with 13 clean sheets after goalkeeper Jane Campbell added another one Thursday.

Macario found the back of the net in the 32nd minute, taking a cross from Yazmeen Ryan in the middle of the box and firing a right-footed shot past goalkeeper Katherine Tapia.

“I don't remember much,” Macario said about the goal. “I just know that someone played the ball into Yazmeen, but I just saw a big gap and was like ‘Ok, this is my job.’ ... She played a tremendous ball, and I just knew I had to be there. Thankfully, it went in the goal.”

It was Macario's first international goal in nearly three years since she scored in a 9-0 win over Uzbekistan in April 2022. She suffered a torn ACL in May 2022 and missed the Olympics last year due to right knee irritation.

“I'm just happy to be out there playing again to be honest,” Macario said. “It's such a joy to be able to score as well, but most importantly, I'm just happy to be playing. I'm thrilled to have gotten the goal. It does feel like it's been awhile. Hopefully, it won't be as long until the next one.”

Coach Emma Hayes, who coached Macario at English club Chelsea, said she was happy for Macario.

“I felt pride because of how long she had been out and how hard it had been for,” Hayes said. “And also because I thought she played well. It would be the first time in the half that we attacked the box quickly, and she was in the right place at the right time. She has an instinct in and around the goal, which was demonstrated with the goal.”

Sentnor scored the first career international goal in the 60th minute, launching a right-footed shot from above the half-circle and into the upper right net. Sentnor nearly had a second goal in the 74th minute, but her right-footed shot was saved.

Sentnor said she was “over the moon.”

“It means the world,” Sentnor said. “I am playing beside people I've grown up idolizing and watching on the field, so being out here playing is a full circle moment.”

Sam Coffey was down on the turf for several minutes after taking a clear attempt from Colombia off the face in the sixth minute. After receiving attention from the trainer, Coffey sprinted to the sidelines before returning in the ninth minute.

Jenna Nighswonger took a corner kick from Lindsey Heaps in the 19th minute and hit the her shot off the crossbar.

The U.S. plays Australia on Sunday in Glendale, Arizona, before facing Japan on Feb. 26 in San Diego.

Colombia plays Japan on Sunday in Glendale before facing Australia on Feb. 26 in San Diego. Japan beat Australia 4-0 in the first game of the SheBelieves Cup on Thursday.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

United States defender Tara McKeown (4) moves the ball in front of Colombia forward Mayra Ramirez (9) during the SheBelieves Cup women's soccer tournament, Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Colombia defender Yirleidis Minota, left, blocks out United States forward Yazmeen Ryan, right during the SheBelieves Cup women's soccer tournament, Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

United States forward Michelle Cooper (21) moves the ball in front of Colombia defender Ana Guzman (4) during the SheBelieves Cup women's soccer tournament, Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

United States defender Emily Sonnett (14) slide tackles against Colombia forward Mayra Ramirez, right, as midfielder Lindsey Heaps (10) looks on during the SheBelieves Cup women's soccer tournament, Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

United States defender Emily Sonnett, right, falls on the attempted steal from Colombia forward Mayra Ramirez, left, as defender Emily Fox (23) looks on during the SheBelieves Cup women's soccer tournament, Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

United States defender Jenna Nighswonger (5) keeps the ball in-bounds in front of Colombia forward Manuela Pavi (7) during the SheBelieves Cup women's soccer tournament, Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

United States forward Ally Sentnor (9) falls as she battles for the ball with Colombia defender Carolina Arias (17) during the SheBelieves Cup women's soccer tournament, Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

United States forward Ally Sentnor (9) gets her scoring goal kick past Colombia defender Angela Baron (14) during the SheBelieves Cup women's soccer tournament, Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

United States forward Catarina Macario (20) pushes between Colombia defender Carolina Arias (17) and midfielder Marcela Restrepo, right, during the SheBelieves Cup women's soccer tournament, Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

United States forward Catarina Macario (20) blocks out Colombia midfielder Marcela Restrepo, right, as defender Carolina Arias (17) looks on during the SheBelieves Cup women's soccer tournament, Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

United States defender Emily Sonnett (14) slide tackles against Colombia forward Mayra Ramirez, right, as midfielder Lindsey Heaps (10) looks on during the SheBelieves Cup women's soccer tournament, Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

United States defender Emily Sonnett, right, falls on the attempted steal from Colombia forward Mayra Ramirez, left, as defender Emily Fox (23) looks on during the SheBelieves Cup women's soccer tournament, Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

United States defender Jenna Nighswonger (5) keeps the ball in-bounds in front of Colombia forward Manuela Pavi (7) during the SheBelieves Cup women's soccer tournament, Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

United States forward Ally Sentnor (9) falls as she battles for the ball with Colombia defender Carolina Arias (17) during the SheBelieves Cup women's soccer tournament, Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

United States forward Catarina Macario (20) pushes between Colombia defender Carolina Arias (17) and midfielder Marcela Restrepo, right, during the SheBelieves Cup women's soccer tournament, Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

United States forward Catarina Macario (20) blocks out Colombia midfielder Marcela Restrepo, right, as defender Carolina Arias (17) looks on during the SheBelieves Cup women's soccer tournament, Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

ALEPPO, Syria (AP) — First responders on Sunday entered a contested neighborhood in Syria’ s northern city of Aleppo after days of deadly clashes between government forces and Kurdish-led forces. Syrian state media said the military was deployed in large numbers.

The clashes broke out Tuesday in the predominantly Kurdish neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud, Achrafieh and Bani Zaid after the government and the Syrian Democratic Forces, the main Kurdish-led force in the country, failed to make progress on how to merge the SDF into the national army. Security forces captured Achrafieh and Bani Zaid.

The fighting between the two sides was the most intense since the fall of then-President Bashar Assad to insurgents in December 2024. At least 23 people were killed in five days of clashes and more than 140,000 were displaced amid shelling and drone strikes.

The U.S.-backed SDF, which have played a key role in combating the Islamic State group in large swaths of eastern Syria, are the largest force yet to be absorbed into Syria's national army. Some of the factions that make up the army, however, were previously Turkish-backed insurgent groups that have a long history of clashing with Kurdish forces.

The Kurdish fighters have now evacuated from the Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood to northeastern Syria, which is under the control of the SDF. However, they said in a statement they will continue to fight now that the wounded and civilians have been evacuated, in what they called a “partial ceasefire.”

The neighborhood appeared calm Sunday. The United Nations said it was trying to dispatch more convoys to the neighborhoods with food, fuel, blankets and other urgent supplies.

Government security forces brought journalists to tour the devastated area, showing them the damaged Khalid al-Fajer Hospital and a military position belonging to the SDF’s security forces that government forces had targeted.

The SDF statement accused the government of targeting the hospital “dozens of times” before patients were evacuated. Damascus accused the Kurdish-led group of using the hospital and other civilian facilities as military positions.

On one street, Syrian Red Crescent first responders spoke to a resident surrounded by charred cars and badly damaged residential buildings.

Some residents told The Associated Press that SDF forces did not allow their cars through checkpoints to leave.

“We lived a night of horror. I still cannot believe that I am right here standing on my own two feet,” said Ahmad Shaikho. “So far the situation has been calm. There hasn’t been any gunfire.”

Syrian Civil Defense first responders have been disarming improvised mines that they say were left by the Kurdish forces as booby traps.

Residents who fled are not being allowed back into the neighborhood until all the mines are cleared. Some were reminded of the displacement during Syria’s long civil war.

“I want to go back to my home, I beg you,” said Hoda Alnasiri.

Associated Press journalist Kareem Chehayeb in Beirut contributed to this report.

Sandbag barriers used as fighting positions by Kurdish fighters, left inside a destroyed mosque in the Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood, where clashes between government forces and Kurdish fighters have been taking place in the northern city of Aleppo, Syria, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)

Burned vehicles at one of the Kurdish fighters positions at the Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood, where clashes between government forces and Kurdish fighters have been taking place in the northern city of Aleppo, Syria, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)

People flee the Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood, where clashes between government forces and Kurdish fighters have been taking place in the northern city of Aleppo, Syria, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)

A Syrian military police convoy enters the Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood, where clashes between government forces and Kurdish fighters have been taking place in the northern city of Aleppo, Syria, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)

Burned vehicles and ammunitions left at one of the Kurdish fighters positions at the Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood, where clashes between government forces and Kurdish fighters have been taking place in the northern city of Aleppo, Syria, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)