Megan Rapinoe stars as USA hang on in thriller to beat France and reach World Cup semi-final against England
She began the week upsetting a president and ended it crushing an entire nation as Megan Rapinoe scored twice to dump France out of their own World Cup.
Her celebrations oozed defiance, as well as joy. It will be one of the enduring images, arms out, chest out, chin in the air, expression smug. Rapinoe; equal opportunities campaigner, scourge of Donald J Trump, face of a peaceful protest and a World Cup sensation. She is the symbol of something powerful, at home and abroad, on a football pitch and well away from it.
When Rapinoe announced after the win over Spain, that she would refuse an invitation to the White House as long as Trump resided in it, the purple-haired forward sparked a war of words with one of the world’s most powerful men and also one its most prolific tweeters. She was not fazed.
When she took to the pitch against France, she was taking on one of the best football teams in the world with home advantage and a boisterous, partisan crowd roaring them on. She was not perturbed.
The French will not take defeat well, especially as they felt they should have had a penalty late on when the ball hit Kelley O’Hara’s arm. Now they must watch other European nations try to defy American ambition.
That unenviable task of foiling USA’s quest for a fourth World Cup will fall to England first. The special relationship is about to turn a little sour in the build up to that semi-final in Lyon.
“I admire England’s confidence,” added Rapinoe. "If you’re at this stage of the tournament, they should be confident about winning the World Cup, they are one of the most powerful nations, in great form, we like a bit of confidence in the US.
“I’m motivated by people who, like me, are fighting for the same things. I take more energy from that than from trying to prove anyone wrong. That’s draining on yourself. But for me, to be gay and fabulous, during Pride month at the World Cup, is nice.”
USA are big and strong and powerful. They would love to crush England’s dreams as cruelly as they did to France. You cannot help but admire them, just as you could not fail to appreciate this special night for the women’s game.
It was the sort intoxicating sporting occasion that lingers in body and mind. It was everything we had hoped it would be, in a sweltering, sticky Paris, with a capacity crowd, inside a stadium that throbbed with noise, hummed with excitement and tingled with tension.
This was the big one. Host nation versus strongest nation, French finesse and flair pitched against American athleticism and power. A clash of styles, a heavyweight encounter, a collision on the surface that would be felt like two tectonic plates hurtling into each underground.
These games can so often fizzle out, they so often meander into an anti-climax, but this was more like an earthquake. The aftershocks will be huge, the hosts are out, the Americans march on, Rapinoe’s second goal coming at the end of a sustained period of French domination.
After falling behind, this was a test of character, an examination of the French team’s resolve. Every tackle, every pass, every bit of skill, sparked applause.
The home crowd willed them to score, roaring every charge forward, but the USA defence was superb and with Eugenie Le Sommer hopelessly out of form, America’s goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher was protected, allowing Rapinoe to score her second, on the break, after Tobin Heath’s cross had evaded everyone rushing to the near post.
France were heading out. Wendie Renard pulled one back with a header. It set up the sort of tense, stomach tumbling finale the contest deserved.
No more host nation :-(
4 - The host nation has been eliminated at the quarter-final stage in each of the last four Women’s World Cup tournaments – China in 2007, Germany in 2011, Canada in 2015 and France in 2019 have all fallen at this stage. Groundhog. #FIFAWWC#FRA#FRAUSApic.twitter.com/sdzDNs16Nn
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 28, 2019
Great Britain qualify for the Olympics
Somehow, for reasons I'm not quite sure I understand, USA's win tonight means that Team GB will definitely have a team at the Olympics in 2020.
Olympic qualification sealed.. ✅
TOKYO 2020 ����— Toni Duggan (@toniduggan) June 28, 2019
Having researched it, I can now confirm why. If France had won tonight then there would have been four European teams in the semi-final and there are only three places allowed at the Olympics. Thus, USA's win means England and two of Italy, Holland, Germany, and Sweden will also qualify for 2020.
Do England have a chance?
Hope Solo reckons it'll be a tighter game than the last time England played USA, in which the Americans ran out easy winners, but as impressive as England have been, they haven't played anyone nearly as good as the USA. Morgan, Heath and Rapinoe will cause real problems for the back four, the midfield is hard as nails too and could dominate and the full-backs are both rapid. The best bet for Phil Neville might be focusing on setplays because as we saw with Renard's goal tonight, they make mistakes.
France players look gutted
Henry doesn't want the USA players touching her but they're all trying to hug her anyway.
FULL TIME!
They've done it! The USA are in the semi-final of the World Cup! And they will play England. Good luck England, you're going to need it.
90 mins+4 - France 1 USA 2
France keep knocking the ball out for throw-ins, USA absolutely don't mind. France trying to force the ball forward when there's no option available. Morgan carries the ball up the right wing and is bundled over. USA take their time setting up the free-kick - everyone stays back.
90 mins+2 - France 1 USA 2
USA are hiding the ball in the corner now. Press spots a chance to steal the ball back when France win it and O'Hara joins in on the opposite wing then goes to keep it in the corner. Jill Ellis is ordering her players not to join in attacks, she wants everyone behind the ball.
90 mins - France 1 USA 2
Renard has just hit pass of the evening, slicing a perfectly weighted long pass out to the opposite wing. The move keeps going, France have players waiting on the edge of the box... a shot at goal! Saved. Pressure building!
88 mins - France 1 USA 2
Rapinoe is subbed off for Press. The USA needed some legs.
86 mins - France 1 USA 2
Majri controls a switched pass brilliantly, faces up to the defender and dribbles at her before hitting a cross into the box and it comes off O'Hara's hand! Jonathan Pearce goes full Robot Wars and starts yelling
IT HIT HER HAND IT HIT HER HAND IT HIT HER HAND IT HIT HER HAND like the crowd of women in beards who queue up to stone someone in the Life Of Brian. Anyway, the replay shows that O'Hara's hand is by her side so there's no way it's a penalty.
84 mins - France 1 USA 2
The momentum is with France and the crowd are making it sound really exciting. Dunn has to slide in to block Cascarino, who just come on as a substitute.
Another corner. Majri will whip it in... but Henry heads wide for a goal kick.
GOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLL!!!!
RENARD SCORES!
France 1 (Renard 81')USA 2
USA defended that free-kick zonally but had to have someone man-marking Renard there. She's the best header of a ball in the entire team!
80 mins - France 0 USA 2
Free-kick to France near the USA box, wide left. Renard looks primed ready to attack this one.
79 mins - France 0 USA 2
Le Sommer falls over as a pass is sent her way and that should start the USA attack but Heath has passed inside to nobody! Henry takes the ball and launches an effort from distance... but it's well saved low at the near post. There was a lot of power in that one.
Le Sommer is in position moments later to volley a shot (at head height, so how is that allowed?) which is tipped over the bar.
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAL - disallowed
Brilliant goal by the USA. Morgan links it all with a brilliant touch and turn, threads the pass through to an overlapping Dunn who finds Heath inside the area. She finishes with a perfect first time shot but the lines(wo)man has spotted an offside. Apparently this is offside and VAR has managed to work that out within seconds, rather than the four hour debacles we've had in this tournament so far.
75 mins - France 0 USA 2
Diani siezes on a loose pass from Mewis and bursts up the right wing, winning a corner. USA are worried about Renard and Mbock but so far the delivery from set pieces hasn't been near to finding either... and this latest is another example of that. Time is starting to run out for France, USA are sat with three centre-backs, smashing it long towards Rapinoe to chase on the left wing.
72 mins - France 0 USA 2
GUAVIIIINNNNN! Heads wide. And she's offside. She gets heaps of power on headers but this one, redirecting a cross from wide right, isn't close.
Henry has gone down off the ball holding her face. She's taken a bit of an elbow to the chin but definitely isn't injured... and as nobody reacts or seems to care, Henry gets up. Maybe she's remembered that VAR exists and will get those types of things right.
69 mins - France 0 USA 2
USA have switched to a 5-4-1 now, they're happy to defend and counter. France have to open up to get back in the game!
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLL!!!!!!
RAPINOE HAS A SECOND!
France 0 USA 2 (Rapinoe 65')
All of a sudden France are opened up! Morgan controls a hard-hit pass, runs towards goal, dribbles inside and then threads a pass behind the defence! Heath runs onto it and drills the cross low, it misses the first player inside the box but sits up perfectly for Rapinoe at the back post!
64 mins - France 0 USA 1
If there were a red alarm built on top of the USA goal, it would be going absolutely mental right now. France are all over them, so much pressure, relentless pressing and USA are just having to get rid and then prepare for the next wave of attack.
Lindsay Horan is coming on for Lavelle, who hasn't been able to influence much in this half.
There's a drop ball because O'Hara has been winded. Henry takes it, chips in and the header is fired at goal! Saved. A USA defender has been absolutely wiped out with that header and some France supporters have started to boo USA players who go down injured.
61 mins - France 0 USA 1
Look at that sky. It's like you're there! Mmmmm. French sky.
Jill Ellis has just told her players to go to a 4-5-1. They need to see this spell of France possession out.
60 mins - France 0 USA 1
Rapinoe tries to break but France are staying high up the pitch and pressing in numbers close to the USA box. Diani uses her feet well to go round the outside of the full-back, gets to the box, keeps going, the ball si crossed to the back post, the goalie dives and is nowhere near it but the ball has spilled loose to Le Sommer inside the box! IT'S AN EMPTY NET!
Why.... has she gone for the near post there? Le Sommer hits the side netting at the near post when the entire goal was open. Sure enough it's a tight angle but that's clearly where the chance was to shoot.
And Diani is away again! She's finally involved in the game and it takes the rapid racing Dunn to catch up and block a shot. All France at the moment.
57 mins - France 0 USA 1
Ertz puts in the best challenge of the day with a powerful, well timed slide tackle to win a 50/50 in the middle of the park. Commentators always go nuts for slide tackles in the final third but that one didn't get the appreciation it deserves.
France are right in this. Le Sommer pulls out wide left and a long pass finds her in space, from where she wins a corner. The crowd's getting louder.
54 mins - France 0 USA 1
Lindsey Horan and Morgan Brian making friends with an alpaca #USApic.twitter.com/1OtI0uyC8g
— Footballers with animals (@ftbllrswanimals) June 28, 2019
53 mins - France 0 USA 1
Le Sommer tries to twist and turn her way past defenders and into the box but doesn't quite have the pace to get all the way. France have woken up and are playing some nice football now.
Henry tries a powerstrike volley from miles out but it's blocked, France are higher up the pitch and win the second ball and Henry gets another chance to shoot! Deflected wide for a corner. There's a goal coming.
The corner is chipped in a straight line, Le Sommer attacks it! And heads miles wide.
50 mins - France 0 USA 1
A corner is whipped in and France scramble it away. Plenty of bodies falling over in the area but VAR hasn't decided to call anything back (hopefully because it's not clear and obvious). Would be mightily annoying if VAR have only figured out how it's meant to be used at the quarter-final stage of this World Cup.
48 mins - France 0 USA 1
OOOOOHHHH that's close. USA have started the second half set to 11 and Mewis fires a low shot from distance across the goal that the goalie has to dive to save. Then the follow up is blocked by the keeper's feet at the near post! The corner is dealt with but Henry is winded somewhere in the stramash and play is stopped for a bit.
KICK OFF 2
And we're back.
Diving is bad
Two dives in the first-half of France-USA, neither punished. Women's football doesn't need to be more virtuous than men's, and players don't need protecting from the laws. Simulation = booking.
— Paul Hayward (@_PaulHayward) June 28, 2019
It's not really surprised me that a referee hasn't gotten everything nailed on in this game. Some of the officiating in the World Cup has been awful. It's a difficult job, sure, and no I don't ever want to have to do it... but come on. The ref in England vs Cameroon lost control of the match. Anyway, the referee here set a precedent when she didn't book Majri early on for diving so she can't really start now.
This guy is here
The ex-president.
France need to wise up
France haven't got into this game. Too many players are floating around not taking responsibility - Henry has been poor, Le Sommer has barely done a thing, Diani only started tracking back in the final 15 minutes. It needs a shakeup at halftime, probably an [aggressive] "Show me something else in the second half". Should get a few greens that way.
HALF TIME
Great game. Really high quality, a goal, no VAR (!!!!) and played at a fast tempo. So far this is the game we were hoping for and there is definitely more to come in the second half.
45 mins - France 0 USA 1
Rapinoe is on the ball again! This time Diani comes back to actually help out and she has to keep doing that because Torrent is petrified of the USA winger. This time nothing untoward happens to the France goal.
42 mins - France 0 USA 1
Heath stands over a free-kick wide right, sends the ball into the area and Mewis heads over while under heavy attention of a few massive centre-backs.
40 mins - France 0 USA 1
Ow. Majri has just been car crashed to the floor. O'Hara goes for the tackle, Majri spins and runs full on into the defender, crumpling to the floor like a puppet without a hand inside it. That's a dreadful simile. Is it even a simile? I'm not sure. Anyway, Majri is still alive, which is important.
37 mins - France 0 USA 1
Heath isn't having a great game. A few touches haven't quite worked and most of the play has been on the opposite wing. It looks like USA have gone to a 4-4-2 or 4-5-1 out of possession. France are getting impatient and keep forcing passes forward which aren't on... and so they're giving the ball away every time. USA sitting off the ball, waiting for France to come onto them so they can counter.
Renard goes down with a big yell as Morgan's boot goes somewhere near hers... but Morgan tells the referee "I didn't touch her! She's faking!"
34 mins - France 0 USA 1
Alex Morgan hasn’t looked 100% the last two games. Looks like she’s playing through a lot of pain. Hope she’s okay, USWNT needs her. #WWC2019
— Julie Stewart-Binks (@JSB_TV) June 28, 2019
The game turns momentarily into Aberdeen vs Hearts as both sides kick it long to each other and then just head it back several times.
32 mins - France 0 USA 1
Morgan looks a bit shaken but the replay shows that the injury has come from a football hitting her on the face. She's acting as though she's about to throw-up but there really doesn't seem to be anything that would have caused an injury so severe. I think I've lipread her saying "I just need a minute".
30 mins - France 0 USA 1
France's one-touch buildup is helping them beat the USA press - one pass has just taken about six players out of the game and they have to do a lot of running to get back and defend. Dunn slides in to give away a corner.
Majri takes it... but she can't find any of the big defenders to get a header on goal and the USA get a free-kick for offside.
Morgan has gone down off the ball and looks to be struggling.
27 mins - France 0 USA 1
Henry's not having a great game. She tries to spread play out to the left to the runner but pulls it horribly short and is lucky USA don't intercept and counter.
Morgan is dropping deep between the two wingers when USA are out of possession and is staying near the two USA holding midfielders, something which seems to be affecting their buildup play.
The USA bench has just held a sign up with a big '41' written on it, shown to all the players. I can only assume that's a tactical instruction. Which must then mean USA have memorised at least 41 different setups. Hmmmm.
24 mins - France 0 USA 1
USA are winning the ball in France's half now, the home side don't quite look settled yet. That said they are definitely growing into the game and now Torrent is forward to take a throw-in... and Henry ends up offside from the first pass after that. Poor.
22 mins - France 0 USA 1
Rapinoe goes down clutching her shin as though she's been kicked off the park but Henry doesn't seem to know what's up with her. The replay shows there was nothing in it but you'd think the referee will now believe France are actively having digs at Rapinoe because she is absolutely destroying her right-back. Torrent has just screamed at Diani to comes back and do some defending.
19 mins - France 0 USA 1
Some absolutely brilliant passing on display from France, switching play, killing high balls dead and then first time passes inside to keep the move going.
18 mins - France 0 USA 1
This is better from France. They're getting some joy when they pass up the left wing but another quick move ends after a lovely turn on the edge of the box doesn't create enough space for the shot, USA get the ball forward instantly and Rapinoe is in behind the defence! The goalkeeper comes miles off her line and slides in, getting to the ball first. Rapinoe can't get up in time to win it back and the ball is punted out for a throw. Then Mewis takes the ball on into the box, a challenge comes in and she throws herself to the floor! That's a clear dive. Booooooo.
15 mins - France 0 USA 1
France get some passes together and get an early cross in from the corner of the box. Le Sommer is in the box and gets a header at goal but can't put enough power on it to beat the goalkeeper.
Rapinoe is back on the ball on the left, cuts inside and finds Morgan, who takes a touch and then shoots across goal on her left but hasn't quite caught that one properly. Easy save.
Torrent has had enough of Rapinoe and gives her a dunt from behind with a slide tackle.
12 mins - France 0 USA 1
France have a throw-in but it's intercepted and pushed forward in an instant by USA. Rapinoe is at it tonight. USA taking their time in buildup, passing around, then sprinting as soon as they beat the press, which hasn't proven particularly difficult so far.
9 mins - France 0 USA 1
Rapinoe gets away with a foul throw, something which has been common to every team in this World Cup. To the point that I wonder whether the referees have just stopped bothering calling players up on it.
USA win a corner. Rapinoe takes it... but puts too much rocket fuel in the delivery and puts it out for a goal kick.
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLL!!!!
IT'S GONE IN!
France 0 USA 1 (Rapinoe 5')
Rapinoe thumps the free-kick low towards the near post, it flies through bodies and legs and the goalkeeper can't react in time to block! The ball nestles in the net and that's a big goal.
5 mins - France 0 USA 0
Morgan tries to run away from the last player but she's held back by Mbock Bathy who is booked for it. USA have a free-kick just left of the box, Rapinoe stands over it.
3 mins - France 0 USA 0
Hmmmm. That's not cool. O'Hara slips while trying to tackle Majri and Majri just falls to the floor, clearly diving. Book her now. BOOK HER. BOOOOOOOK HER!
The referee doesn't.
1 mins - France 0 USA 0
Rapinoe is able to run at the left back early as France's narrow shape is beaten by a lobbed pass over the top. Rapinoe dribbles inside and Ertz arrives in space... SHOOOOTS! Saved! Great start by USA.
KICK OFF
HERE WE GO!
In case you were wondering what Alexei Lalas thinks
This is wonderful. #FRAUSA ����⚽️
— Alexi Lalas (@AlexiLalas) June 28, 2019
Battle of the anthems
Rapinoe doesn't even acknowledge the national anthem and I think that's great. She's already said she won't go to the Whitehouse should the team be invited.
The stadium is absolutely packed, doesn't sound like there are tooooo many loud Americans there but the cameras are showing us that there are.
Aaaaand France is a giant singalong. That support could be what France need to gain an edge tonight.
How the teams will look
France are almost definitely a 4-2-3-1, which means they can defend with a five across the midfield and use the powerful players at their disposal. Henry is superb and can control the game.
Alex Morgan tends to drop a little deeper - Hope Solo has just slagged her off, saying if the opposition gets physical then Morgan disappears from the game - which might change the shape in buildup. She needs to be at the head of the arrow in attack though or crosses from wide will be sent in to nobody.
The teams are really well matched.
Hope Solo thinks France are the best team
Hope Solo says she's wearing her stars and stripes tonight but believes France are the better team. However, she also points out that individuals often make the difference in tense knock-out games. For that reason, I'm sure USA will win this evening.
Starting lineups
France
Bouhaddi, Torrent, Bathy, Renard, Majri, Henry, Thiney, Bussaglia, Diani, Gauvin, Le Sommer.
Subs: Durand, Perisset, Tounkara, Karchaoui, Geyoro, Laurent, Bilbault, Asseyi, Cascarino, Debever, Clemaron, Peyraud-Magnin.
USA
Naeher, O'Hara, Dahlkemper, Sauerbrunn, Dunn, Lavelle, Ertz, Mewis, Heath, Morgan, Rapinoe.
Subs: Harris, Pugh, Brian, Horan, Lloyd, Krieger, Davidson, Sonnett, Long, McDonald, Press, Franch.
Bon soir!
Welcome to our liveblog for France vs USA, the two best teams in the tournament (IMO) so far and both a potential winner of the entire thing. This could either be great or incredibly dull. Will the two teams go for it and treat us to a breathless and pulsating attack vs attack exhibition of skill, flair and speed? Or will they be so worried about making the one fatal mistake which could decide the tie that it ends up looking like Portugal vs Mexico from The Simpsons?
I have no idea but what I can confirm is the outcome of the match is massive. The France support demand... no - make that expect their team to win the World Cup and the pressure of that is starting to tell on the players, who are apparently somewhat entirely mentally fatigued by the whole thing.
Not the USA. Oh no. They're revved up and ready to go and so confident that some of their players plan to wear flip-flops for the game, as evidenced by Megan Rapinoe below. What a hilarious joke. You're welcome.
That would be madness. Imagine playing football in flip-flops? My word. What a crazy world that would be!
In other news, France are really good at football so regardless of how knackered they are, they're going to do some damage tonight at some point. USA have so many good players I'd imagine their second XI could go pretty far in the World Cup and it's just about getting the right mix tonight. Tobin Heath has been brilliant, Alex Morgan knows how to score, Sam Mewis and Julie Ertz have also impressed. Honestly, the entire team is great.
France aren't bad either. Amandine Henry and Wendie Renard are in great form.
The match kicks off 8pm and you can follow all the action with us right here.
