Daly learns to deal with having World Cup defeat ‘in her face’
The realisation of how much she had been annoyed by the United States’s World Cup win hit Rachel Daly the moment she stepped off the plane in Houston and it has followed her around every day since.
Daly was part of the England team narrowly beaten by the Americans in the semi-final in Lyon last July and has probably suffered more than anyone since because she plays her club football for Houston Dash and had to endure the US’S triumphalism.
However, what started as bitterness has morphed into something more positive for the versatile right-sided player, who will be asked to deputise for the injured Lucy Bronze against the US tomorrow night.
“Coming back to the USA after the World Cup was really frustrating because everything, everywhere, was about them winning,” Daly (right) said.
“There were billboards everywhere, walking into the airport the first thing I see is ‘Welcome home USA, World Cup champions’ and then they do the parades.
“It is kind of in your face
telegraph. co.uk/ twsnewsletter more, you can avoid it when you go home [to England], but for me it was literally everywhere. It was quite hard.
“But it was quite good for me to be able to see that and see how I want to move forward. I want to be on the receiving end of what they received next time around.
“It was really frustrating, but also you have got to respect that, I’m playing in their country and they went on and won the whole thing. So, you have to move on and know the only way is up from there.”
Asked whether there was likely to be any extra needle in the game against the Americans, which will launch the Shebelieves Cup tomorrow, Daly did not try to be diplomatic.
“I always want to beat everyone, whether it is USA or anyone,” Daly replied. “[But] It’s heightened because I’m here. I also play against these girls, week in and week out, so I don’t think it is that big of a fear factor for me.
“They are fantastic, but so are we. There’s no reason why we can’t go out and beat them.
“I guess for me there is a little bit of an edge because I’m here. We won this tournament last year and it was nice to win a tournament on their home soil.”