Colombia's star predicts win over U.S. because 'they like to talk so much'

Paul Logothetis | Special for USA TODAY Sports

Show Caption Hide Caption Women's World Cup preview: USA vs. Colombia USA Today Sports' Nancy Armour previews the first knockout round match for the USA vs. Colombia.

MONTREAL — Using Abby Wambach's face as a punching bag in their last meeting didn't fully satisfy Lady Andrade.

But Colombia's rising star is certain satisfaction will come when Las Cafeteras beat the United States in their Round of 16 meeting Monday.

"They belittle us. They think we're a team they're going to walk all over and it will be an easy game for them," Andrade said in an interview with USA TODAY Sports before leaning in to whisper her prediction:

"We're going to beat them since they like to talk so much."

Andrade has even predicted the outcome: In favor of Colombia by a score of either 2-1 or 1-0.

It is not a stretch to suggest Andrade and her teammates arrived in Canada with a chip on their shoulder — just about everyone expected them to be played off the pitch. But Andrade, a forward, has been the guiding force for 28th-ranked Colombia with two goals in three group stage games, including the winner in a shocking 2-0 win over third-ranked France.

There is no professional women's league in Colombia so the majority of its players work day jobs on top of their dedication to the sport.

The second-ranked Americans have the luxury of being full-time soccer players. Perhaps that's where the animosity stems from. Or flash back to the 2012 London Olympics, when Andrade was banned for two games for socking Wambach in the left eye away from the play.

"I hit her, what else I can say?" Andrade says with a laugh, not attempting to disguise the event from nearly three years ago. "If you look back at the video you'll see she hit me too, but we're Colombia so they don't want to review the whole episode."

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Colombia lost that match 3-0, just as it lost 3-0 to the Americans at the last World Cup. Andrade will not be concerned about retribution when the teams line up at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton.

"There's no revenge, these are things that happen in a game. I have received some intimidating messages, but that only helps to reveal my character when we get on the field," the 24-year-old said. "This time we will play a very different game and that won't happen again, and so they don't ban me again."

If beating France forced people to take notice of Colombia, imagine what a victory over the No. 2 Americans would do.

"There would be huge repercussions (with a win) because of what the U.S. symbolizes and what has been said about us there," Andrade said. "This team is more than motivated (...) we're thirsty for a victory."

Andrade's bold prediction comes with Colombia missing starting goalkeeper Sandra Sepulveda, who drew her second yellow card on Wednesday. Colombia will need to rely on physical play as it has during its run through the tournament, but Andrade insists her squad will let the Americans play physically while her team will emphasize technique and touch to prevail.

"They play very physically, taking a lot of shots, kicking out at you all the time," she said. "Colombia's game is nice to watch, we play with touch, movement, we look for spaces, we try to trick you, to use our skill to deceive you. I think they will have a hard time dealing with this."

There is one claim Andrade makes that certainly could prove true: If Colombia beats the United States, there's no stopping the South Americans.

"I think if we beat them we can beat any other team we come up against," Andrade said.

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