The US Women’s National Team held on to beat England on Tuesday night by a 2-1 final score, qualifying them for the World Cup final in Lyon, France on Sunday afternoon.
The game was full of intense action and dramatic calls, but the US soldiered on top advance to their third consecutive World Cup final despite the absence of star forward Megan Rapinoe.
The US women grabbed an early 1-0 lead in only the 10th minute of the match when Rapinoe’s replacement, Christen Press, scored a header after a brilliant deep cross by Kelley O’Hara.
The lead didn’t last long, however, as Ellen White scored her 5th goal of the tournament with a cheeky back-heel kick that US goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher could simply do nothing to stop.
Despite giving up a goal, the USWNT immediately went back to work and pushed for a goal. Lindsey Horan played a floated ball into the box, and flamboyant superstar Alex Morgan scored the 13th goal of her World Cup career on her 30th birthday. She mocked England with a memorable celebration that will go down in the history books.
In the second half, controversy arose when an England goal was ruled offside after a VAR revision in 67th minute.
England had another chance to tie in the 84th minute after a foul on White in the box. England defender Steph Houghton stepped up to the line to take the penalty, but her weak shot was saved by a diving Naeher, and England simply couldn’t create any more good chances.
The final whistle blew, and the USWNT euphorically celebrated qualifying for its third consecutive final. They’ll look to wrap up their second straight World Cup win on Sunday in Lyon.
