RIO DE JANEIRO _ The U.S. women's soccer didn't get a win Tuesday, but it did win its group after playing Colombia to a 2-2 tie in Manaus.
And while the draw will send the Americans to the quarterfinals with the least-challenging route to the gold-medal game, their trip might still be a short if they don't play better than they did in their group-play final.
Colombia came into the game with two losses and no goals, but a pair of free-kick goals from midfielder Catalina Usme ended both those streaks.
The first goal, from just outside the box in the 26th minute, bent around the wall, hit the grass just in front of U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo and skipped through Solo's legs. The second, a spectacular shot from a difficult angle to the right of the penalty box in the final minute, sailed over Solo and her leaping defenders to hit the side netting at the far post.
The United States, which got a first-half goal from Crystal Dunn and a second-half score by Mallory Pugh, will play again Friday in the quarterfinals against a third-place team, either Sweden or Australia. If the Americans win, they will advance to Rio, where the semifinals and final will be held.
But while the United States remained unbeaten in Brazil, it remained unimpressive as well, failing to take advantage of several chances to put the stubborn Colombians away.
The United States fell behind for the first time after midfielder Megan Rapinoe, making her first appearance in the tournament, was whistled for a foul just outside the U.S. penalty area midway through the first half. Usme made Rapinoe pay, confusing Solo with the left-footed shot the keeper couldn't corral.
The deficit lasted only 14 minutes, though, with Dunn tying the score by knocking home the rebound of a Carli Lloyd shot that Colombia keeper Sandra Sepulveda deflected off the crossbar.
The United States nearly took the lead six minutes into the second half on a torrid shot from Lindsey Horan from the edge of the penalty area, but Sepulveda, who played a splendid game, stood her ground to make the save.
However, Pugh didn't miss nine minutes later, collecting an errant pass on the right side of the area, dribbling across the front of the goal before pushing a left-footed shot past Sepulveda.
Usme's first chance to tie the score came on another free kick in the 77th minute, but her shot from distance, which cleared the outstretched hand of the leading Solo, skipped off the crossbar and over the goal.
She then beat Solo cleanly 12 minutes later.
U.S. Coach Jill Ellis promised to use a variety of lineups in the tournament, a concession to a difficult Olympic schedule that will force the two finalists to play six games in 17 days. And she made good on that pledge Tuesday, emptying her bench and giving midfielders Rapinoe and Horan, forward Christen Press and defender Ali Krieger their first starts of the tournament Tuesday.
Rapinoe, who hasn't played since undergoing knee surgery in December, proved immediately dangerous on the left wing, bending a cross into the box for Lloyd, who headed it off the crossbar in the third minute. That was one of three shots the Americans knocked off the goal frame in the first half.
Rapinoe later targeted Press with a pair of centering passes. Press sent the first over the bar and the second proved a step too long. Rapinoe was then denied on a shot by Sepulveda at the near post just after the half-hour mark.
Rapinoe came out in favor of Pugh in the 33rd minute.
