USA v Spain

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USA v Spain

Rapinoe Penalties Edge USA Past Spain

by Jeremy Ruane

Reigning FIFA Women's World Cup holders Team USA advanced to the quarter-finals of the competition in front of 19,633 fans at the Stade Auguste Delaune in Reims on June 24, two Megan Rapinoe penalties clinching a hard-earned 2-1 win over Spain to set up a mouthwatering clash with host nation France in four days' time.

"La Roja" went on the attack from the outset, Patri Guijarro's fierce drive being headed to safety by Becky Sauerbrunn inside the opening sixty seconds. When the USA launched their first attack four minutes later, Tobin Heath was brought down in the area by Maria Leon, prompting Hungarian referee Katalin Kulcsar to point to the penalty spot.

Rapinoe sent Sandra Panos the wrong way from twelve yards in the sixth minute, but just three minutes later, Spain were back on level terms, thanks to a defensive blunder brought on by terrific Spanish pressure.

Alyssa Naeher played the ball short to Sauerbrunn, who was instantly pounced upon by Lucia Garcia. The Spaniard was able to get the ball across to Jennifer Hermoso, who calmly chipped the ball over the stranded figure of Naeher from the edge of the area - 1-1.

The USA looked to get back on top straight from the kick-off, and an off-the-ball collision between Sam Mewis and Vicky Losada left the Spaniard with an eye injury which ultimately forced her departure from the pitch twenty minutes later.

After Rose Lavelle had swerved between two players then threaded a sumptuous defence-splitting pass through for Rapinoe - her shot was turned round the post by Panos, Irene Paredes blocked a shot from the US captain in the seventeenth minute after Heath had crossed to the near post upon evading two challenges.

The USA continued to press, Crystal Dunn sending a cross whizzing across the bows of the incoming Alex Morgan two minutes later, although it must be said the much-lauded striker was very well policed by Paredes and Leon throughout proceedings - the central defensive pairing were the rocks on which this tremendous Spanish performance was founded.

Around the half-hour mark, the European side regained the ascendancy. Virginia Torrecilla's super angled pass found Lucia Garcia racing in behind the US defence, prompting Naeher to race out of goal and head the ball clear on the edge of her penalty area.

Moments later, Leila Ouahabi spread play wide to Garcia, whose cross was plucked off the head of the incoming Alexia Putellas by Naeher as the Spanish put the world champions under a degree of pressure which they rarely have to face. Jorge Vilda's team will only improve from the experience of France 2019, make no mistake.

Rapinoe led the USA's response, dragging her shot from a Mewis pass past the near post. But Spain didn't bow down, and before half-time twice went

close through substitute Nahikari Garcia, who was the target of two crosses, one from either flank, but just failed to get on the end of either delivery.

Team USA came out with renewed vigour early in the second spell, with Heath and Lavelle thrashing shots over the bar before the hour mark, while Mewis battered the ball narrowly past the post from twenty-five yards five minutes later.

In between times, as if the USA needed reminding, Guijarro underlined how much Spain were right in this encounter, dashing through the inside right channel before lashing a shot across the diving figure of Naeher and just past the far post.

Nineteen minutes from time, referee Kulcsar pointed to the Spanish penalty spot for the second time, after adjudging that Torrecilla had clipped Lavelle in the area. It took an age before the Video Assistant Referee confirmed the official's decision, so much so that when they started their assessment, Morgan was preparing to take the penalty.

When they'd finished, Rapinoe was standing over the ball, and she made no mistake again, rifling the ball into the same corner of the net. Panos dived the right way this time, but the shot was struck with pace, power and precision - 2-1 USA.

Rapinoe's bid to complete her hat-trick in the 79th minute saw her curling effort flash across the face of goal, to which Spain responded via a free-kick, which Naeher plucked off the head of Guijarro.

Carli Lloyd was introduced off the bench for the final five minutes of the contest, and truth be told, she made more of an impact in the brief time she had on the park than Morgan had mustered in 85 minutes - a measure of just how well Leon and Paredes had double-teamed the striker.

The peak of Lloyd's participation in proceedings came in the 89th minute, when Heath's corner to the far post was grabbed off the stalwart's head by Panos as Lloyd flew in to head the ball home.

Seconds later, Naeher grabbed a Paredes header following Guijarro's ball forward, while in the midst of further Spanish pressure, Paredes executed the perfect air-shot - their last chance on a day Spain proved themselves to be every bit as good as the reigning world champions.

It's the USA who'll be taking on host nation France in the quarter-finals, however, a Friday evening encounter at the Parc des Princes which should see all 48,580 seats occupied - this will be a must-see match-up, make no mistake!

USA: Naeher; O'Hara, Dahlkemper, Sauerbrunn, Dunn; Lavelle (Horan, 89), Ertz, Mewis; Heath, Morgan (Lloyd, 85), Rapinoe (booked, 37) (Press, 90)

Spain: Panos; Corredera, Paredes (booked, 85), Leon, Ouahabi; Losada (N. Garcia, 32), Torrecilla (Caldentey, 83), Guijarro; L. Garcia, Hermoso, Putellas (Falcon, 78)

Referee: Katalin Kulcsar (Hungary)

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