It's been 12 years since the United States last played in the World Cup final, but thanks to late goals from Abby Wambach and Alex Morgan, the wait is over as they beat France 3-1 in the semis.
Despite conceding an early goal, France dominated this encounter. They had more possession, controlled the midfield and had more shots on goal. The French seemed dangerous on every turn, but their inability to finish proved to be their undoing.
 |
| Wambach & Rapinoe celebrating the team's 2nd goal |
The United States got second wind with the inclusion of Megan Rapinoe, who came on for Carli Lloyd in the 65th minute. Rapinoe is clearly the team's "X-Factor", as her impact on the game was immediate. It was her creativity that led to the corner which resulted in Abby Wambach's goal. A few moments later, Rapinoe slipped a through pass to Alex Morgan, who finished with a clever chip over French goalie Berangere Sapowicz, to effectively seal the game.
While the United States run in this tournament is hardly surprising, you would never believe that they were in danger of missing out altogether. They beat Italy 2-0 (1-0 in each match) in a two-legged playoff fixture to secure their place; with Alex Morgan scoring an injury time winner in the crucial first leg.
It's all in the past, and the only thing that matters now, is that the U.S. are in a position to win their third World title; which would be a tournament best.
No comments:
Post a Comment