Ali Krieger, left, Lauren Holiday, center, and Alex Morgan celebrate a goal against Colombia at the Women’s World Cup on Monday. Jason Franson / The Canadian Press

EDMONTON, Alberta —It began as a fascinating match of the establishment against the insurgent, an evolutionary tug of war in women’s soccer, with the United States trying to maintain its hold as a traditional power and Colombia trying to break through to a new era of parity.

And for a half on Monday, Colombia held the Americans scoreless in their knockout round match at the Women’s World Cup with sturdy, fearless goalkeeper Catalina Perez, who is 20 and a sophomore at the University of Miami.

Then recklessness and inexperience trumped ambition for Perez, who was given a red card in the 47th minute for taking down Alex Morgan at the edge of the penalty area. Forced to play a woman down for the rest of the match, Colombia became vulnerable, and the U.S. prevailed, 2-0.

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Morgan and Carli Lloyd scored, and the U.S. defense expanded its shutout streak to 333 minutes.

The Americans, will face China in the quarterfinals Friday in Ottawa, Ontario, in a rematch of the 1999 Women’s World Cup final won by the U.S. on penalty kicks.

“We keep telling people that we haven’t peaked yet,” Lloyd said. “We still have a few more games for that.”

But the U.S. attack remained erratic. Abby Wambach missed a penalty kick on Monday, and victory came with a huge potential cost to the midfield.

Megan Rapinoe, the Americans’ most creative player, drew her second yellow card of the tournament in the 42nd minute after shouldering down Colombia’s Orianica Velasquez. In the 17th minute, the holding midfielder Lauren Holiday also drew her second yellow with a late, clumsy challenge. Two yellow cards result in an automatic one-game suspension, so Rapinoe and Holiday, each of whom is a starter, will have to sit out against China, which will have had two extra days’ rest.

“I feel confident in the players we have to come in and contribute,” U.S. coach Jill Ellis said about facing China without the pair.

Monday’s game was engaging on a number of levels, not the least of which was cultural.

The U.S. women are the beneficiaries of four decades of Title IX. Colombia’s players, meanwhile, grew up in a culture in which women were considered unfeminine simply for kicking a soccer ball.

“Parents, men, not wanting you to play — ‘this isn’t a woman’s game; you’re manly,’” Perez said before the match. “But I feel like we’re opening a new path for all of soccer to grow in Colombia.”

Through the first half Monday, Colombia played its familiar style, sitting back on defense, absorbing pressure and waiting patiently for a counterattack. Its No. 1 goalkeeper, Sandra Sepulveda, had been suspended after accumulating two yellow cards in group play, but Perez, her backup, was not intimidated by the moment. She parried three chances by the U.S. in the first 28 minutes.

“It’s a game I’ve played in my head thousands of times,” Perez said before the match. “It’s what has motivated me throughout my career.”

But the game changed dramatically in the 47th minute. Perez charged to the top of the penalty area and took down Morgan, who was sprinting to receive a pass from Rapinoe.

The referee, signaled for a penalty kick and flashed a red card. Perez was gone. In to replace Perez came Stefany Castaño, 21, a goalkeeper coach at tiny Graceland University in Lamoni, Iowa, and a recent graduate there.

Wambach’s kick sailed wide to the left, but Colombia was susceptible. In the 53rd minute, Morgan drove a low, angled shot from about 12 yards as Castaño left the near post unguarded. The ball ricocheted off her left forearm into the net, giving the United States a 1-0 lead.

In the 66th minute, Rapinoe was taken down in the penalty area, and the Americans went ahead by two goals when Castaño dived the wrong way on a Carli Lloyd penalty kick.

Also on Monday:

England 2, Norway 1: OTTAWA, Ontario — Lucy Bronze scored the go-ahead goal in the 76th minute, and England earned its first knockout-stage victory.