U.S. Women Win But Lose Rapinoe And Holiday For Quarterfinal Match

— -- EDMONTON, Alberta -- Not too long after the start of Monday's game between the United States and Colombia -- around the time, in fact, that the referee blew her whistle and reached for her pocket as Lauren Holiday extended a hand in a peace offering to the player fouled -- dark clouds replaced the blue skies under which the game began.

Despite some moments of concern, it did not turn out to be a meteorological omen of doom for the favorite. Not on this night, at least.

Friday might be another matter.

Challenged in the first half by a team that, for whatever else Colombia lacked, played with all the joy of competition that at times seems absent alongside its superior athleticism and single-minded purpose, the United States advanced to the quarterfinals with a 2-0 victory. But on a night when both were beacons in an attack still closer to third gear than fifth, the U.S. women lost midfielders Lauren Holiday and Megan Rapinoe for Friday's game against China, after both received yellow cards for the second time in this tournament.

The two players who are first and second on the team in chances created this tournament showed their class in the win. And they showed why they will be so missed in the next game.

"I thought Lauren was fantastic," Tobin Heath said. "I think she's an unsung hero on our team. Her work ethic and just her ability and her vision on the field is tremendous. I don't think she gets enough credit for what she does for this team and her leadership qualities. ... And obviously, Pinoe has been one of our stars this tournament so far in her ability to create and be dangerous."

Holiday was the first to go in the book in the 17th minute. Trying to close down Colombia's Yoreli Rincon after an American turnover, Holiday arrived late and made contact with Rincon's feet. Perhaps Rincon's going airborne helped sell the referee on the degree of contact, but Holiday's first foul of the game drew the card. To her immense credit, she played superbly over the next 73 minutes, knowing there would be no quarterfinal for her, regardless of the outcome.

"I didn't think about it the rest of the game," Holiday said. "It was unfortunate that it happened, and I think it was a weak yellow card, in my opinion. But I think we have a great team, [and] we have a lot of people that can step up."

It is nevertheless the worst possible time to lose Holiday, just as one of the most talented players on the roster was turning in her best performance of the tournament.

Only moments before the yellow, Holiday pinged a low iron of a pass worthy of Jordan Spieth across the field on a diagonal and placed it on Meghan Klingenberg's foot. A decent cross from the outside back went for naught, but it was the kind of moment Holiday didn't have -- didn't really have the opportunity to have -- in the first three games. Her presence in the game only grew once a formation change in the second half pushed her higher up the field and closer to the role at which she excels in club soccer.

"Heck yeah," Holiday said when asked if it was fun to spend some minutes in a more advanced role. "I had so much fun. Obviously, I didn't get the ball as much as I wanted to, but it was fun. It was fun to play in that 10 spot and to be higher up the field."