Happy homecoming: Sophia Smith scores twice to lead U.S. Soccer team to win in return to Colorado

Fort Collins Coloradoan

COMMERCE CITY — It was a full-circle week for Sophia Smith.

She felt the keen sense of déjà vu as the team bus drove down Interstate 25 for practices.

Nearly every day when she was a kid developing into a soccer phenom, Smith and her parents went the same path, roughly an hour and a half from Windsor to Parker.

Now here she was, a 21-year-old nationally known soccer superstar, making a similar drive with the U.S. women's national team to training sessions at the Denver Broncos facility.

That led to game day, a Saturday friendly against Colombia about an hour from her childhood home.

Sophia Smith of the U.S. women's national soccer team challenges Colombia for the ball during a friendly game at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City on Saturday.

It all came to a perfect conclusion at a sold-out Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.

With two sections filled with family and friends, Smith scored the decisive two goals as the U.S. won 3-0.

“It was a dream come true,” Smith said. “Obviously, it’s a dream come true to play in front of family and friends, but to get two goals and win is amazing.”

The forward is one of the top young players in the world — ESPN calls her the No. 4 player in the world 21-and-under — and a rising star for the top-ranked national team in the world.

Her two goals Saturday were her fourth and fifth of 2022 for the U.S. It was her 16th match for the national team, and she now has six goals.

This game wasn’t just about that, though.

She estimates she had 40-plus tickets out for family and friends. Her parents and sisters watched, as did former teammates and coaches. Her grandparents were in the stands and finally able to see her play in-person for the U.S.

“It almost makes me cry,” Smith said. “They’ve never seen me play for the national team, so for it to happen here meant everything to me. I don’t have words for it.”

During the week leading up to the game, her family drove down to Denver to spend an off day with her for “much-needed family time.”

This week, Smith was a young adult enjoying a rare chance to see family and get a taste of home. But she's still a burgeoning superstar.

She is a star for the Portland Thorns in the NWSL (currently second in the league in goals). She’s been the front of the Nike website and has a billboard in Portland.

Jerseys with "Smith" on the back dotted the stands. Cheers for her introduction were some of the loudest of the night.

“That is the most rewarding, coolest thing about this whole journey, to see kids asking for autographs, looking up to her. To see her interaction with those kids, that is the coolest thing about this whole journey for me,” her dad, Kenny, said before the game.

Forward Sophia Smith (11) of the U.S. women's national soccer team controls the ball against Colombia midfielder Daniela Montoya (6) and midfielder Liana Salazar during an international friendly soccer match Saturday at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.

“It’s fun when she plays and she plays well, but at the end of the day, it’s about touching peoples lives and passing it on. That’s the biggest part for me.”

Smith was named Woman of the Match and was by far the creative force. She had a near-assist early on, then drew a first-half penalty kick (which fellow Coloradan Lindsey Horan took but had saved).

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The breakthrough came in the second half. In the 54th minute, the speedy forward outraced defenders to reach a through ball from Rose Lavelle and slotted through the goalkeeper's legs for a 1-0 lead.

She was back at it minutes later, taking another feed from Lavelle and coolly lifting a left-footed shot over the goalkeeper for a 2-0 lead.

She started on the left side of an attacking three and is becoming a cornerstone for the top-ranked team in the world. The Americans will soon be in Mexico for a key tournament to attempt to qualify for the 2023 World Cup and 2024 Olympics.

Smith is second in the NWSL in goals (with eight), behind national team star Alex Morgan (with 11).

She’s one of five players on the roster from Colorado or with Colorado ties. Fellow Coloradans Horan and Mallory Pugh started, and University of Colorado grad Taylor Kornieck came on to score in her debut.

Sophia Smith celebrates after scoring her second goal for the U.S. women's national soccer team against Colombia at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City on Saturday.

Also on the U.S. roster for Saturday’s match was Windsor’s Jaelin Howell, who was a youth teammate of Smith’s, and they’ve played together with the national team at various age levels. Howell did not dress for the match, but the crowd still cheered her on, with signs bearing her name. Smith and Howell both attended Fossil Ridge High School.

For Smith, it couldn’t have been a better first game in Colorado with the national team.

“It was surreal. I’ve always dreamed of being on the national team and being able to come home and play in front of my family and friends,” Smith said. “It was everything I could have imagined and more. It was a dream of a night.”

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