Women’s World Cup: US beat England in dramatic semifinal

England 1-2 US
(White 19′ – Press 10′, Morgan 31′)

The US are heading back to the World Cup final after beating England in a dramatic, exciting and controversial semifinal.

An early goal from Christen Press, who was a surprise starter ahead of Megan Rapinoe, gave the US a deserved early leader but England quickly responded. A great cross from Beth Mead was met by Ellen White, who superbly guided the ball in off the far post.

It wasn’t long before the US were ahead again though. Lindsey Horan dinked a ball into the box and Alex Morgan met it perfectly to head home.

Keira Walsh tested Alyssa Naeher from range, but the US keeper made a brilliant stop to keep out the swerving effort.

An exciting game peaked when Ellen White thought she had scored the equalizer just after the final hour mark, but the VAR had other ideas as White was found marginally offside.

Just over 10 minutes later, there was more drama as White missed a chance in the box to sweep home an equalizer. The VAR stepped in though, and deemed White had been fouled in her attempt to try and score. England captain Steph Houghton stepped up but her penalty was saved by Naeher.

England’s frustration boiled over, and Millie Bright picked up a second yellow for a poor challenge. The US used their experience to see out the seven minutes of added time and return to the final of a competition they’re now favorites to defend.

Steph Houghton missed a penalty for England with six minutes to go

As it happened:

FULL TIME

THE USA ARE BACK INTO THE WORLD CUP FINAL!

90+5′ Moore goes for goal from range, but there were better options available. England looking desperate now.

90+2′ Forgot to mention, in all of that VAR drama, that Carli Lloyd came on for Tobin Heath back there. The US are sat deep, with Ertz now into the heart of defense. England are all in attack now too. Time is running out.

90′ Seven minutes of added time…

88′ RED CARD! Bright gets a second yellow for a bad tackle on Morgan. England down to 10 with time running out. The US bring off O’Hara, Ali Krieger is on. Experience for the US as they look to see this one over the line.

85′ Steph Houghton, the England captain steps up, and sends it low towards the left corner but Naeher makes the save! Drama!

85′ PENALTY TO ENGLAND!

80′ VAR! More drama. There’s a VAR check on whether White was fouled just before she missed the ball. Sauerbrunn is running back and White’s leg clips hers… After a long look the referee decides on a penalty! Wow! 

79′ CHANCE! Kirby unlocks the US defense, the cross comes across low to White but she misses the ball. Huge chance, and one she normally takes.

76′ Tobin Heath goes down, and so there’s time for an unofficial drinks break. England’s last chance to regroup.

72′ Jade Moore is on for a tiring Keira Walsh. England trying to find another answer now, although shrugging off that VAR decision won’t be easy.

67′ VAR! A wonderful touch from Scott puts White through in behind the US defense. The striker is clinical and finishes it coolly into the bottom corner. What a goal! Somewhat against the run of play, but no problem. Or so it seems. A VAR check comes in, and it turns out White is offside by centimeters. Goal disallowed. That’s that. Questions will be asked about whether that’s what the game is about, but they’ll be for another day.

65′ This is a loss. Lavelle seems to suggest her hamstring is gone and so has to come off, Sam Mewis replaces her. Lavelle has had quite the game, so perhaps that will open a door for England. The US have a free kick, on the right-hand just outside the box. Heath flies it in, but Telford judges it well enough and gathers. What have England got left?

63′ Stokes does brilliantly to hold up Heath and win a goal kick. England are working hard and are doing all they can to stay in the game, but they are struggling to pass it out of the back against a relentless US team.

60′ Phil Neville makes a change, and it feels the right time. Beth Mead makes way, and Fran Kirby comes on. The Chelsea midfielder is nicknamed “mini Messi”, although she does her best not to talk about that much. In truth, she’s just Fran Kirby and that’s brilliant enough. Mistake by Telford puts Morgan in, but instead of passing to a teammate she goes alone and curls wide. That could and perhaps should have been the game right there.

55′ Ertz dummies White, which sees the England striker slide tackle the air that Ertz leaves behind. The US are starting to swagger a bit. Lavelle goes on a mazy run that ends in the box after a late stumble.

50′ England get a free kick, Bright wins it at the back post. The header is back into the spot, White somehow gets a touch to it but it’s soft and awkward and so Naeher can claim it easily enough. Tensions rise a bit, as Naeher goes down as White chases. It seems a bit unnecessary. Then Ertz puts in a strong challenge.

46′ The US get us restarted.

HALFTIME

What a game this is. The US have shown their quality in front of goal, and in so many other areas of the pitch too. The decision to drop Megan Rapinoe looks a good one. England took a while to get into the game, but the equalizer was superb. The US got another though, and it was deserved. England have work to do, but so long as it’s only one goal between them they have a chance. They have to do better in the air, and spread it wide more when in possession.

44′ Tobin Heath is so strong, and so agile. The attack down her wing doesn’t come to anything though, and when Crystal Dunn sells a teammate short down the left, England are in. Bronze surges forward, and wins a corner. Jill Scott is free, but can’t guide the header goalwards. A chance there…

39′ Lavelle is faster with the ball than Walsh is without it as the US continue to threaten, even if tentatively at times. This packed stadium is playing its part, creating a good atmosphere. Great to see so many filled seats too. Bright gets booked for a loose elbow on Morgan. Ouch. Horan wins the header from the resulting free kick, but it goes over.

33′ CHANCE! Again, as much as England are being pushed out of this game they are trying to stay in it. Keira Walsh unleashes from range, but Alyssa Naeher makes an outstanding save to keep the swerving shot out. Great shot, great save and this is such a great game.

31′ GOAL! 2-1 USA (Morgan) Another superb header and the US are ahead! Neat passing in the final eventually leads to Lindsey Horan dinking a ball in for Alex Morgan, who times her run well to head past Telford, who took a step and then tried to step back. Again, not great from England’s perspective.

29′ Mead gets a chance to shoot in the box, but slips. Then Mead sends a cross in that Sauerbrunn tries to clear but slices and it goes just past the far post. That could have gone anywhere. Blimey.

25′ Bronze goes up for a header and clashes with Alex Morgan. No malice in it. The US striker stays down, Lavelle gets a shot away but Telford parries strongly. The game takes a break for Morgan to receive treatment before we continue. This is one exciting semifinal.

19′ GOAL! 1-1 England (White) Out of nowhere, England are level! A beautiful ball out wide to Beth Mead, and she crosses perfectly into the space in the US box where no one is – no one other than Ellen White that is. The Man City striker connects brilliantly to guide the ball in off the far post. A superb finish, and in truth a superb team move. What a goal – and what a game we have now!

15′ England are trying to get back into the game, but passes keep going astray. The US still look more dangerous in front of goal though. Rose Lavelle cuts inside and then fires over. She has looked superb so far in this game, and at the tournament in general.

10′ GOAL! 1-0 USA (Press) Kelley O’Hara whips in a cross that Lucy Bronze, at the back post, underestimates, and Christine Press rises highest at the back post to power in a header at the near post. An unstoppable header, but not great from England’s defense. Not a great start for England.

6′ The US float in a free kick, but it evades everyone. England exposed there, though. Dangerous start from the US.

3′ An end-to-end start. Tobin Heath has shown her pace early, and that could be a problem for England. Then Lavelle nutmegs Bright and gets the shot away, but Telford saves. Suddenly England look shaky as the US apply the pressure early. The speed and the quality of the decision making is just noticeably faster and better.

1′ England get us underway! Will they overcome their semifinal hurdle?

Time for the anthems

Quite a few England fans in the stadium tonight. Nervous faces. The England players, on the other hand, look focused. Then comes the US anthem, and with no Megan Rapinoe in the starting eleven, almost everyone is singing  – captain Alex Morgan isn’t (in unity with Rapinoe, who is also a part of the leadership group). There are a lot of US fans in the stadium tonight.

TEAMS!

Some big, big news out of the US camp. Megan Rapinoe is not in the starting line-up. It looks like an injury-enforced decision, but that is unclear. Perhaps it is also tactical, which would be a huge call given her success so far. Christen Press starts in her place.

As for England, Karen Bardsley is injured and so Carly Telford steps in. Bardsley picked up a knocked against Norway and can’t play. Fran Kirby and Toni Duggan are dropped for Beth Mead and Rachel Daly.

USA XI: Naeher – Dunn, Sauerbrunn, Dahlkemper, O’Hara – Lavelle, Ertz, Horan – Press, Morgan, Heath

England XI: Telford – Bronze, Houghton, Bright, Stokes – Daly, Mead, Scott, Walsh – White, Parris

England vs. USA

The Americans are looking to defend the trophy they won in Canada in 2015 while England are set to appear in their third consecutive semifinal at a major tournament. 

The teams have faced each other several times at the annual SheBelieves Cup in the United States in recent years, with a 2-2 draw helping England win the latest edition of the tournament. However, England and the US haven’t faced each other at the World Cup since 2007, when the Americans won 3-0 in the quarterfinals.

The winners of Tuesday evening’s contest will advance to Sunday’s final against either Sweden or the Netherlands, who face each other on Wednesday.

Article source: https://www.dw.com/en/women-s-world-cup-us-beat-england-in-dramatic-semifinal/a-49440681?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf