Photo from Google Images
I’ll admit it, I’m not a huge soccer fan. I’ll never understand a sport where you can run for 90 minutes and have a game end in a tie or null (0-0). When I played growing up, we never ended a game in a tie. EVER! When it comes to watching soccer, I’m a keep playing until someone wins kind of sports fan. But as soon as the United States is playing on the world stage, I love watching soccer! And unless the men’s teams play shirtless, the women’s game is more entertaining to watch.
The United States Women’s National team is ranked as the number one team in the world and they have been dominating the World Cup in France. As the defending World Cup champion, the United States is on a mission to win back-to-back World Cup titles for the first time in U.S. history. They started the group rounds torching Thailand 13-0, crushed Chile 3-0, and beat Sweden 2-0. In the round of 16, team USA beat Spain 2-1. In the quarter-final they beat France 2-1 and in the semi-final they beat England 2-1 and set the internet on fire!
England is ranked number three in the world and was team USA’s toughest match. The news that U.S. star, Megan Rapinoe would not be starting broke during the pre-game coverage. She had scored the last four U.S. goals and was not listed on the injury list. She was dressed on the sideline, but not warming up with the team indicating that she was either benched or hurt. The speculation of her not playing was everything from President Trump benched her for her comments early in the week about not going to visit the White House if they win the World Cup to she didn’t want to play for America anymore. (After the game we learned she was dealing with a hamstring injury and we know Megan loves the stars and stripes.)
England forward Nikita Parris was very vocal to announce that “nobody fears America”. This set a tone for team USA to get more-gritty and show their “arrogance” was just a show of pure talent. Teams may act like they do not fear the United States, but this team will make you respect the United States.
It felt like Hope Solo would be the U.S. goalkeeper forever. Solo retired and no one knew the new keepers name. But after Tuesday’s game, we all know who Alyssa Naeher is. She didn’t win the game, she alone saved the game. Naeher had never started a World Cup or Olympic game before this World Cup. She saw little action during the group rounds as the U.S. dominated on offence. In the 84th minute mark, Naeher saved a penalty kick from England’s Steph Houghton that would have tied the game. Her instinct, her knowledge of Houghton’s PK patterns, and with the entire world watching, Naeher dove to her right to protect the U.S. lead and let freedom ring once again in America.
Beating England just two days before Independence Day and on Alex Morgan’s 30th birthday, it was only fitting that Morgan scored the winning goal on a perfectly timed header that was star spangled awesome. It was the celebration that brought the war of 1812 to real life on social media. Morgan pretended to sip a of cup tea with her pinkie finger raised. It was hands down the cutest bleep you to England’s Nikita Parris. Morgan was gracefully flexing on a country that has tried to suppress all the shine from the red, white and blue. Parris and her teammates were choking on the tea as the team in red, white and boo-hoo.
“We play a hard game, and that’s a confident game — not an arrogant game. We have a lot of noise around this team, and it doesn’t affect this team. So we’re just . . . drinking our tea!” said Morgan after the game.
Alyssa Naeher and Alex Morgan simply re-declared America’s independence from the UK giving America another reason to have a tea party.
Team USA will play the Netherlands on Sunday at 11:00am for the World Cup Championship.