By Larry Brown
Hope Solo admitted to using stalling tactics during a penalty kick in the US’ 2-0 win over Germany in the Women’s World Cup semifinals on Tuesday.
One of the most critical moments of the match came in the 59th minute when Julie Johnston committed a foul inside the box that led to a penalty kick for Germany. Celia Sasic, who was the tournament’s leading scorer, took the PK for the Germans and missed it to the left, keeping the game scoreless.
Solo admitted after the match that she did everything possible to stall prior to the kick in order to get in Sasic’s head. Though she would not reveal her entire strategy because the team still has one more game, she did concede that she played mind games.
“You do what you can. I did the stall tactic — it worked,” Solo said in an interview with FS1.
Solo walked around the net, pointed at the referees and her teammates, and she took a long drink of water prior to the kick.
What Hope did is the soccer goalie’s version of icing the kicker — and it worked. Sasic picked the correct corner, but she pulled the kick wide to the left.
For Solo, she continues her head-to-head dominance over Nadine Angerer. It was her fifth shutout this tournamt.
Hope Solo continues her head-to-head dominance over Nadine Angerer. #FWWConFOX pic.twitter.com/LRtqIqzTTe
Adding up Solo's success, Carli Lloyd's goal, and the two breaks the USWNT got from the referees, that was the difference in the game.
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