Penalty kick save helps Rapinoe-less Americans advance
LYON, France — With Alex Morgan’s cheeky tea-sipping celebration and a postgame mobbing of goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, the United States has moved a step closer
U.S. 2, England 1
to successfully defending its latest Women’s World Cup title.
Morgan scored the go-ahead goal, and Naeher preserved the 2-1 semifinal victory over England by smothering a late penalty kick Tuesday night.
The top-ranked United States will now face the winner of Wednesday’s semifinal between the Netherlands and Sweden in the Americans’ third straight appearance in the World Cup title match.
Christen Press — who started with Megan Rapinoe out with a hamstring injury — put the United States up early, but Ellen White’s goal tied it before 20 minutes had passed. Morgan’s sixth goal of the tournament came before the break, and on her 30th birthday. She hadn’t had a goal since she scored five in the team’s 13-0 rout of Thailand to open the tournament.
After her goal, Morgan pantomimed a sip of tea on the field.
“I feel like this team just has had so much thrown at us, and I felt that we didn’t take the easy route to the final this tournament, and that’s the tea,” she said.
White’s goal was also her sixth, but Morgan has the edge for the tournament’s Golden Boot with three assists. White appeared to score her seventh in the 69th minute, but video review determined she was offside, and the Americans in the crowd of 53,512 at Stade de Lyon roared.
Another video review went against the United States late in the game when it determined Becky Sauerbrunn had fouled White in the penalty area. England captain Steph Houghton’s penalty shot was stopped by a diving Naeher in the 84th minute.
It was the first penalty kick saved by a U.S. goalkeeper in regular time at the World Cup. At the final whistle, the team mobbed Naeher in front of the goal in celebration. Rapinoe gave her a bear hug.
The mild-mannered goalkeeper was asked afterward if it was the biggest save of her life. “Probably up there, yeah,” she said, smiling.
“It’s a special team and everybody fought hard tonight for all 90 minutes. Players on the field, players on the bench, ready to come in and make differences,” Naeher said. “Obviously, Christen coming in and starting tonight and scoring a great goal was huge for us. And I think it’s just a testament to the team.”
England coach Phil Neville said: “No words that I can say tonight will make them feel any better.”
Rapinoe suffered a minor hamstring injury late in the second half against France, which she said she didn’t expect would keep her out of the final. Coach Jill Ellis said there was an outside chance that she could have taken a penalty if the match against England had come to that.
England started Carly Telford in goal instead of Karen Bardsley, who was out with a hamstring injury. Bardsley had shutouts in both of the team’s knockout round matches. Telford started in the team’s group stage match against Argentina.
England had shut out its last four opponents, but the United States attacked early as expected — the Americans have scored within the first 15 minutes of all of their games in France.
Press delivered first, scoring on a header off a long cross from Kelley O’hara that sailed over Telford’s outstretched arm.
Shortly after, Beth Mead served the ball to White, who got between the U.S. center backs for the finish to pull England even.
The United States pulled ahead when Lindsey Horan found Morgan in front of the net for the header.
“We had to make changes this game, but we have such a deep team and we have people who are able to get the job done, no matter what,” O’hara said. “That’s one of the coolest parts about this team. We really do top to bottom have such a strong team.”