USA survive early scare in nervy Group of Death victory over Australia
Megan Rapinoe may have gotten a yellow card, but she knew how to get the last laugh on the referees and on Australia as the United States women’s national team opened their Women's World Cup campaign with a 3-1 victory on Monday night at Winnipeg Stadium.
Rapinoe saved the day for the U.S. not only by scoring two goals en route to the 3-1 win over the Matildas -- she created those goals. Her work was much needed, given the futility the U.S. showed in trying to launch the ball into captain Abby Wambach.
Instead, on this important first-game win, Wambach’s head wasn’t needed and her back was saved. Rapinoe, with her own great contributions to the U.S. national team over the years and her own World Cup scoring history, was by far the most capable playmaker and scorer.
Rapinoe joked that she had whipped out “my best Messi impression -- a much slower version of it.’’
But even with her goal-scoring theatrics, the star U.S. midfielder wasn’t terribly impressed with the overall effort. “I don’t think we played that well today. We’re better than we played today.
“We’re a bit nervous, first game of the World Cup and pressure and all that. Hopefully we’ll settle it,’’ she said.
They’ll take the win and the three points, but as opening statements go on the world’s biggest stage, this was not exactly what the U.S. had in mind. Without the work of goalkeeper Hope Solo to make a slew of tough saves, the result could have been very different.
“Our team, it takes some time for us to get our feet under us and really get rolling. We have some young players and there are so jitters, but even without young players it takes some time for us to find our groove. So I was kind of expecting that to weather the storm and we played a little bit more comfortable in the second half,’’ Solo said.
“Obviously it’s not good enough but it’s not where you start it’s where you finish so as long as we settle in I think we’ll be just fine. The teams in our group are very good, Sweden and Nigeria as well which they showed today so I think it’s going to be a tough group.’’
Now the U.S. heads into Friday night’s game against rival Sweden (live FOX, FOX Sports Go, 8 p.m. ET), who faltered at the hands of Nigeria in their opening match, a 3-3 draw. While Sweden fell into complete disorganization against a thrilling Nigerian side, Pia Sundhage will make every attempt to push the Swedes into form, since expectations are high that Sweden, like the U.S., will make it out of Group D match play.
For the U.S., it took until late in the second half to push the Australians aside. In the 78th minute, Rapinoe on the left side worked her way into clear space and drilled home her second goal of the night, a 22-footer that sent the American-friendly crowd into gasps of relief. Prior to that, you could hear the groans and cries of disbelief through most of the second half from frustrated legions of U.S. fans who had flown in or trundled across the border to see Wambach & Co. take on Australia in this latest World Cup.
It was a startling wake-up call and welcome to the "Group of Death." The Americans, searching for their first World Cup title since 1999, may have been restless and eager to get into the mix of this 2015 Women’s World Cup, but after Monday’s hard-fought win over Australia and impending games against Sweden and Nigeria, the next four weeks until the July 5 finale will feel like another 16 years ... if they can even survive.
Rapinoe scored the emphatic first goal for the U.S. in the 12th minute to give the Americans the fast and early lead they desperately sought. Yet Australia was there to match the U.S. every step of the way, particularly with their own attack. The Matildas scored the equalizer in the 27th minute. Lisa De Vanna was left unmarked in front of the box and unleashed a blast that beat Solo in the left corner. It was the Matildas striker’s 34th goal in what was her 100th cap for Australia.
The Aussie equalizer was set up by a poor clearance by the U.S. defense, which allowed Australia to get off several patient passes inside the box before Michelle Heyman found De Vanna open in front of the goal. But for a large part of the middle of the game, before Rapinoe created that third U.S. goal, it was almost as if Australia were toying with the Americans, running counter attack breakaways when the U.S. failed to launch their direct longballs squarely into the box.
The more aggressive Australia got, the more the U.S. faltered. In the 56th minute, midfielder Lauren Holiday was given a yellow card after slide tackling and tripping De Vanna, who was on her way on a breakaway. Australia was there to match the U.S. every step of the way, particularly with their own attack. The U.S. finally opened up a 2-1 lead in the 61st minute when Sydney Leroux drove up the right side and, instead of taking her patented deep wide-angle shot, she pulled up and lashed a pass over to Christen Press who slid the ball easily by Australia goalkeeper Melissa Barbieri.
Meanwhile, Solo -- making her third World Cup appearance in a career of controversy -- proved once again, and in a matter of minutes, why she is on this U.S. team. With Australia out of the blocks fast, she punched away what what looked to be a goal by Emily Van Egmond, tipping the ball up over the crossbar.
“You know it’s hard to get lifted as a goalkeeper because you’re waiting for the next shot, the next play. We went up and then they ended up tying it up so I have to remain level the entire time. I actually thought that it was going to hit my gloves and still hit the net so I was more relieved than anything,’’ Solo said.
She did it again when Samantha Kerr was alone in the box and ripped a chest-high shot.
Alex Morgan, the star striker who has been out of action for the U.S. all spring with a bruised bone in her knee, saw her first action since the Algarve Cup in Portugal in March. Morgan came on for Leroux in the 79th minute and said she felt good and was eager to get more playing time.
Morgan called Solo’s work on the night critical to the U.S. victory.
"Hope's saves were huge, especially the volley from the cross. I don’t know if any other goalkeeper in the world would save that one. that was pretty amazing to see her save our butts a couple of times in this game
This was not the kind of night the No. 2-ranked team in the world may have wanted. It wasn’t as easy for the U.S. as it was for some of the other World Cup contenders. While Germany enjoyed a 10-0 thrashing of Cote d’Ivoire and Norway walked through Thailand in their Group B openers, the Group of Death lived up to its billing. Nothing’s going to be easy about amassing points in this group that features the U.S., Sweden, Australia and Nigeria.
But the U.S. earned their points and a date with Sundhage and the suddenly desperate Swedes on Friday.
