The U.S. Women’s National Team clinched a spot in the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup quarterfinals, thanks to a pair of penalty-kick goals from Megan Rapinoe.
Rapinoe scored in each half to hand the USWNT a 2-1 Round of 16 win over Spain, earning her SBI USWNT Woman of the Match honors. It was Rapinoe’s first two-goal performance at this summer’s tournament, which now gives her three goals in total.
Her first came seven minutes in as she sent goalkeeper Sandra Panos the wrong way, blasting home into the bottom-left corner.
After seeing Spain equalizer not long after, the USWNT continued to press for a winning goal after halftime. Rapinoe scored her second of the day in the 76th-minute, this time sneaking her penalty kick underneath Panos and into the bottom-right corner.
Rapinoe also finished the match with eight won duels, a perfect 2/2 in tackles, and one interception. She also completed 78% of her passes on the day.
The USWNT’s depth continued to shine as Rapinoe was the latest to play the hero for Jill Ellis’ side. Up next is a date with hosts France in Paris in the quarterfinals on Friday.
What did you think of Rapinoe’s performance? Was this her best performance in the World Cup so far? Do you expect more goals from her the remainder of the tournament?
Share your thoughts below.
Frankly, I thought this was the poorest game of the Cup for the US. Good attacking work down the right flank; solid center of the field play (but expected), a horrible erro by the defense, virtually zero penetration down the middle or from the left. Spain deserves credit but the US attackers made a lot of poor decisions although not a lot of errors The tactical error by Spain was to engage in so much fouling, some (IMHO) deserving of a red card. They paid. Good for the women enduring that.
Far to be a good soccer player, she’s a 110% trouble maker.
Penalties aside, I thought Rapinoe played quite poorly. I actually wondered if she was carrying an injury because she looked sluggish, touch was off, mistimed runs, etc. Thought the same of Morgan, I can’t understand why the manager waited so long to sub them off. Thought Lavelle looked like our best attacker by far, constantly driving by defenders, playing beautiful line-splitting passes. Rapinoe wasted a Lavelle throughball that looked like the best chance of the game. Mewis was also impressive.
JB! – I thought the same, watching today’s match. @ the 60’, I was like “Sub in Lloyd, sub in Horan!” Why coach Ellis didn’t sub, in similar fashion, like the Sweden match? I still give, ‘Woman o the match!’, to Rapinoe because of what Bill, pointed out. There was not a lot of shots on goal, both teams! Even though, Dunn had to cover Rapinoe’s back on defense the whole match.
I agree, she didn’t look as dangerous and crisp as she usually does.
I thought she’d be the first sub out for sure. Lalas said at halftime they were wasting the space around her & I thought she’d be more effective in the second half but she didn’t have a great game..
While she struggled most of the match attempting to make crossing passes against Spain’s top defender, her PKs were textbook and just what the doctor ordered for a team who was off their mark with shots on goal. In fact, the U. S. only had one (1) shot on goal the entire match if you don’t count the PKs. And Spain, which is more of a defensive team, only had one (1) shot on goal the entire match. Thus, if not for the PKs, there would have been only two (2) shots on goal combined for both teams total, the entire match!!!!!
I hope that the rest of the U. S. Team was watching how Megan executed her PKs. I say that because poor PKs have cost the U. S. both an Olympic Gold and W/C Championship. PKs are simple and easy if you put them in the right spot. From 12 yards out, its tough to miss a target 24 feet wide. But we have done it to many times in the past!!!
Agreed. Down toward the post with pace is practically an unsaveable penalty, especially in the women’s game *braces for hate from the masses* and no, I’m not advocating for smaller goals…lol.