colombia Kicks Off World Cup Qualifying Campaign Against Peru
MEDELLรN, Colombia – โColombia’sโค women’s national teamโค begins it’s โquest for a fourth โFIFA Women’s World Cup โberth today โคagainst Peru in the opening match of the โขCONMEBOL Nations League. The encounter, held in Medellรญn, marksโข a pivotal start to the qualifying process for the 2027 tournament.
This Nationsโ League competitionโ serves as the primary pathway for Southโ Americanโข teams to secure automatic qualification for the expanded โ32-team World Cup.Colombia, having reached the quarterfinals in the 2023 edition in Australia and New Zealand, aims to build on that successโ and consistently compete onโฃ the global stage. Peru, under new leadership, presents a important early challenge.
Colombia boasts โa squad featuring established stars, including goalkeeper Katherine Tapia (Palmeiras), center backs Daniela Arias (Sanโ Diego Wave,โ USA) and โJorelyn Carabalรญ (Brighton, England), and influential midfielders Lorena Bedoya (Cruzeiro, Brazil), Ilana Izquierdo (Atlรฉtico San Luis, Mexico), and Leicy Santos (Washington Spirit, USA).โ Head coach Nelson Abadรญa emphasized the โimportance of this match, stating itโ will be a “head-to-head” battle against a Peruvian side persistent to become more competitive.
Peru arrives with a โขrenewed focus under Argentineโข coach Antonio Spinelli, who has promised a โ”drastic change” and “restructuring” to elevate the team’s performance.Spinelli’s first roster โขincludes new faces like โคgoalkeeper Mia Shalitโฃ (Hapoel,Israel),defenderโ Taylor โvogt โข(FSU Soccer,USA),and forwards Milena Tomayconsa โ(Sporting Cristal) and Sashenka Porras (Alianza Lima). key veterans such as goalkeeper Maryory Sรกnchez (Alianza Lima), defenderโ Mรญa Leรณn (Alianza Lima), midfielders Geraldine Cisneros (Universitario) and Claudia Cagnina (Bodo Glimt, Norway), and forward Pierina โNรบรฑez (levante, spain) will also feature โprominently.
Colombia’s previous World Cupโค appearances saw them eliminated โin the โคgroup stage in 2011 (Germany), reach the round of 16 in 2015 (France), โandโ achieveโ a quarterfinal finish in 2023 (Australia & New Zealand). The Nations League provides a crucial platform for continued growth and qualification for the next globalโฃ tournament.