We have a few hours before the Revs get their Fourth of July tilt underway, so until then, a few Women’s World Cup semifinal takes from yours truly…
You get a hammy, you get a hammy, and you get a hammy…
As we all know, Megan Rapinoe missed Tuesday’s semifinal with England thanks to what was reported as a hamstring injury. There was some panic, but let’s just remember how deep the US women are when it comes to attacking talent.
Rapinoe’s hamstring issue does not concern me as much as Rose Lavelle’s. Rapinoe’s hammy happened at the tail end of the France quarterfinal a week ago, so it’s had some time to heal — more time than Lavelle’s. And you can’t help but feel gutted for Lavelle, who had a sensational match against England — between the filthy ‘meg of an English defender to some blistering shots from just outside the penalty area — up until then.
The interesting thing about Rapinoe’s “benching:” she would have been able to play enough to be considered for penalties -- if Jill Ellis is to be believed -- had England equalized and sent their semifinal to extra time and penalties, so I suspect she will be A-OK for Sunday morning.
Sauerbrunn and Dahlkemper were absolutely exposed by Ellen White three times
You know how in Midweek Kick I had warned about how England would use the width? Well, I forgot to mention how Ellen White, the Manchester City Women’s starlet and former Arsenal and Chelsea Ladies product, can go straight up the middle.
And look what she did: she scored, unmarked, up the middle — only Abby Dahlkemper had her head on a swivel, so what was Becky Sauerbrunn doing? — to pull the Lionesses level after 19 minutes. She caught them flat-footed on the goal that was disallowed for offside — and yes, it was offside; if that’s not offside, then Crystal Dunn wasn’t offside against the French — and then again getting into the box for the play which would ultimately be deemed a penalty.
So seriously, the center-halves need to play so much better and just be aware of who’s nearby, because White almost single-handedly brought that match to extra time.
Take a bow, Alyssa Naeher
Guessing right on the penalty — and staying on her line — as well as another save at the other end in the first half thoroughly protected the Americans’ 2-1 lead Tuesday, and the Bridgeport, Conn. native and former two-time Boston Breaker is turning into SuperWoman.
With only a few goals against in this tournament, it feels like she has overcome a group stage flub against Chile. She is, without a doubt, the best American goalkeeper that’s active right now, bar none, of either gender.
Morgan’s goal was simply sublime
Christen Press, who replaced Rapinoe in the XI, opened the scoring with a 10th-minute header that had Carly Telford out of position. Fantastic to see such a hard worker get a deserving goal.
After White pulled level, the Yanks responded in the only way the Yanks could have responded. A nice diagonal ball from the defending third to Press saw her lay it off to Lindsay Horan.
And then, Horan put a soft volley into the box, and Alex Morgan — on her 30th birthday, no less — put her noggin to good use and walloped it in. It was a brilliant move which should get the Sports Illustrated cover next week.
And I will admit that with that move, I may have screamed because it was just so unexpected — but such good football.
Another unexpected thing? Groenen’s Final-punching goal for the Netherlands
Even if you had given me really good odds in my favor, I wouldn’t have taken them that Jackie Groenen, the 24-year-old Dutch winger, who will soon play her club football for the Manchester United Women, would score for the Netherlands.
After all, Groenen had only scored twice at the international level before Wednesday. I would have put money on Viv Miedema or Shanice van de Sanden scoring the winner.
But you can’t argue with 1. The build-up, or 2. The passion on her face after she scored. The unlikeliest of goal-scorers putting the dark horse into the Final?
JACKIE GROENEN! THE NETHERLANDS LEAD IN EXTRA TIME! #FIFAWWC pic.twitter.com/rD1mbZ327J
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 3, 2019