Argentina comes back from 0-3 to knock Scotland out of World Cup
LE HAVRE, France — “Dare to Shine,” the perky, patronizing and officially trademarked slogan of this Women’s World Cup, is splashed on everything from posters and directional signage to the big blue buses the teams are using to get around the country.
Apparently Mother Nature didn’t get the memo, though, because the skies rarely have dared to shine since the U.S. team got to France two weeks ago. In the four days the Americans have been on the Normandy coast, there has been rain, hail, thunder, lightning and heavy leaden clouds.
Very little shine.
Scattered rain is again in the forecast for Thursday, although it is expected to stop a couple of hours before the U.S. takes the field to face Sweden in the final group-play match of the tournament. And while that could leave the pitch wet and slick, U.S. coach Jill Ellis said Wednesday that would be a good thing.
“We always water the pitch,” she said. “It actually helps when you want to play fast if there’s a little rain. (But) it doesn’t matter, rain or shine. The conditions, they are what they are.
“We’re used to playing on fast surfaces. So I think it’s good.”
PARIS — Argentina scored three goals in less than half an hour on Wednesday to split points with Scotland and keep alive their hopes of progressing into the knockout stages of the Women’s World Cup.
Scotland looked on course to secure its first World Cup win after scoring in the 19th, 49th and 69th minutes of the match in Paris.
Argentina however clawed its way back into the contest with goals in the 74th and 79th. Florencia Bonsegundo’s converted penalty deep into injury time officially put an end to Scotland’s World Cup run while reigniting Argentina’s hopes.
La Albiceleste, the first team to come back from 0-3 in tournament history, will now have to wait to see if the two points they have collected over three matches will be enough to earn a spot in the last 16 as one of the best third-placed sides.
England meanwhile defeated Japan in the other Group D clash in Nice, topping the pool with nine points.
Ellen White scored both goals for the Lionesses in the 2-0 win earning the player of the match award.
The newly signed Manchester City striker first found the back of the Japanese net in the 14th minute when she flicked the ball past goalkeeper Saki Kumagai. She scored her third goal of the tournament in the 84th off an assist from Karen Carney.
The Lionesses will next face a best third-placed team, which could be China, New Zealand, Cameroon, Chile or Thailand.
Japan will have the seemingly hard task of playing the winner of Group E, which could be either the Netherlands or Canada.