Colombia's Olympic Journey Concludes In The Quarterfinals

Saturday, August 3

Ilana Izquierdo (COL), Catalina Perez (COL)

10:00 AM

Mississippi State

Women's Soccer: Colombia vs. Spain (Quarterfinals)

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Colombia's Olympic Journey Concludes In The Quarterfinals

August 03, 2024 | Soccer, Olympic Games

By: Lance Pardue, Communications Fellow

PARIS, France – In an electrifying quarterfinal matchup, Colombia faced Spain in a historic matchup for both countries. The match was deadlocked 2-2 at the conclusion of regular time, with goals from Leicy Santos in the 52nd minute and Mayra Ramirez in the 12th minute for Colombia. Spain's goals from Jennifer Hermoso in the 79th minute and Irene Paredes in the 90'+7 minute sent the match to extra time. Ultimately, no time given was enough and the quarterfinals was decided in a penalty shoot-out, where Colombia fell 4-2, marking a heartbreaking end to their historic run.

Colombia's all-time Olympic record now stands at 1-7-2, having not advanced out of the group stage in their previous two appearances. The quarterfinal match against Spain was the first meeting between the two nations at this level.

Ilana Izquierdo subbed on just before halftime and played 75 minutes. She took one shot in the final moments of stoppage time at the end of regulation. Colombia became the first team to score twice against Spain in the Olympic Games. They led the match for 85 minutes before ultimately falling in the penalty shootout. Had Colombia held on to its 2-0 lead, it would have been just Spain's second loss of 2024 (Czech Republic, July 12, 1-2) while ranked No. 1 and their first loss to a South American side since 2017 (Brazil, June 10, 1-2). Colombia is the first side to take Spain to extra time since the Netherlands did so in August 2023 (Spain, 2-1).

Ranked No. 22 in the FIFA world rankings, this was Colombia's highest ranking since the system was established in 2003. Despite Spain's top ranking, this year marked their Olympic debut, and they had only conceded one goal through three matches. Colombia emerged as the top third-place team in the group stage and was one of two to advance to the Olympic quarterfinals along with Brazil. This achievement followed their best finish at a major international tournament, reaching the quarterfinals at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup and being three-time runners-up at the Copa America.

Izquierdo has now started seven of Colombia's last eight matches and played 254 of 390 minutes in the Olympic tournament. Izquierdo totaled three shots in the tournament, most notably she narrowly missed over the bar in the 53rd minute of the then-scoreless match against Canada. Catalina Perez missed the tournament with an injury sustained in training.

Izquierdo and Perez were the first pair of MSU athletes to compete together in a team sport at the Olympics. Mississippi State was one of 12 schools with multiple soccer players in the Olympics, with Florida (CAN), Florida State (USA), Penn State (USA), Stanford (USA), and West Virginia (CAN) also having athletes competing as teammates for the same nation.

Ilana Izquierdo became the 11th student-athlete in Mississippi State history to compete in an Olympic Games while still an active student-athlete or immediately following their final year of eligibility. She was the first active student-athlete in a team sport since B.J. Wallace played baseball for the USA at the 1992 Barcelona Games. Izquierdo was also the fourth-youngest player on Colombia's women's soccer roster and the 21st-youngest in the tournament.

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