Rapinoe puts boots to critics
Outspoken U.S. captain connects twice to lead Americans into World Cup semis
Megan Rapinoe responded to her critics and a hostile crowd at the Parc des Princes stadium the way she always does: by leading the United States women’s soccer team to victory.
On a night when Rapinoe was public enemy No. 1, booed every time she touched the ball by the majority of the 45,595 in attendance, the product of Redding, Calif., stuck it into the net twice to give the U.S. a 2-1 victory against host France in a Women’s World Cup quarter-final encounter Friday.
With the win, the U.S. moves on to face England in a semifinal on Tuesday in Lyon. France is done.
Rapinoe scored five minutes into the contest, bending a free kick in through a maze of legs, and then added a second marker an hour later by finishing off a counterattack as France pushed for the equalizer.
Wendie Renard gave France some hope with a goal in the 81st minute. The host also had a late penalty claim on a handball in the box that was ignored by the controversial video assistant referee system.
It was the second consecutive game in which Rapinoe scored twice. She finished off a pair of penalties in the second round against Spain.
Meanwhile, the second semifinal will be set Saturday when the Netherlands faces Italy and Germany takes on Sweden, which knocked Canada out of the competition.
Facing a storm of criticism for her goal celebration in a 13-0 win against Thailand in the opener, and having President Donald Trump attack her on Twitter for not wanting to visit the White House if the Americans win the tournament, Rapinoe, 33, again displayed why she’s among the best female players in the world.
Alex Morgan won a free kick at the edge of the penalty area after she was held back by French fullback Griedge Mbock Bathy, who was booked for the foul.
Rapinoe stepped up to take the free kick to a chorus of boos, and promptly bent the ball in through a sea of legs in the penalty area, past goalkeeper Sarah Bouhaddi.
As is usually the case, the outspoken Rapinoe got the last laugh.
The early goal forced the host team to push forward, which made room in behind for the bigger, faster Americans to try to exploit.
The French offensive strategy consisted of trying to get Kadidiatou Diani down the right wing, but U.S. fullback Crystal Dunn was having none of it.
Dunn made a number of impressive tackles, and even when she looked beat, was able to display impressive recovery speed to cut off French attacks.
The U.S. had a good chance to increase its lead when Rapinoe cut across the top of the box and found Morgan, whose hard, low shot was hit right at Bouhaddi.
France’s best chance of the half fell to Diani, who got to the end of a cross in the 46th minute, but mistimed her header. The ball hit her shoulder and bounced wide. Early in the second half, Sam Mewis came close to increasing the U.S. lead as her shot from the top of the box had to be palmed away by Bouhaddi. The rebound was kicked away.
In the second half, France turned up the heat on an already scorching hot night with the temperature at 31 C at kickoff. Urged on by a partisan crowd, France attacked in waves, looking for the equalizer.
Eugenie Le Sommer had a great chance 12 minutes into the second half when a cross fell to her at the corner of the six-yard box.
The French midfielder, however, was only able to hit the side of the net with her shot.
Rapinoe increased the lead in the 65th minute, finishing off a counterattack started by Morgan.
Tobin Heath attempted to cross the ball to Mewis, but the ball was played behind her and rolled to Rapinoe at the far post, who tapped it in to put the U.S. up by two goals.
The Americans looked like they had increased their lead to three goals just under 15 minutes from the end when Heath finished off another slick counterattack, but the goal was waved off as offside.
France pushed to get back in the game and continued to generate chances until Renard headed home a free kick crossed into the box with about 10 minutes to go, making for a wild finish.
With five minutes to go, a cross into the box hit the arm of American defender Kelley O’Hara, but a penalty wasn’t awarded. and VAR didn’t even intervene.
On a night when Rapinoe was public enemy No. 1, booed every time she touched the ball by the majority of the 45,595 in attendance, she stuck it into the net twice.