Titled European champions England sealed their third consecutive semi-final in the Women’s World Cup this Saturday, taking advantage of Colombia’s mistakes to win the final game of the quarter-finals, played in Australia’s Sydney, 2-1.
The English will now compete with Australia for a place in the final of the tournament.
The South American team took the lead in the 44th minute with a beautiful goal from Leicy Santos, a brilliant hat-trick for Mary Earps, but their fairytale was betrayed by two individual failures.
On top of the break, after 45+6 minutes, goalkeeper Catalina Pérez dropped an innocent cross and allowed Lauren Hemp to tie the game and in the second half, after 63 minutes, central Daniela Arias missed a cut and allowed Alessia Russo was isolated. and decided to meet.
In the last part, Colombia, one of the sensations of the competition, in a journey with a spectacular 2-1 win against Germany in the group stage, still tried to restore the tie, but failed to score again.
The best chance was for Bedoya Durango, with a shot from outside the penalty area that went just short of the back of the England goal through an excellent defense from Mary Earps in the 71st minute.
The ‘eleven’ of the Dutch Sarina Wiegman is therefore in the semi-finals for the third time, a stage in which England fell in 2015 (1-2 with Japan) and 2019 (1-2 with the United States).
In the third attempt to reach the final, the English, European champions in 2022, will face co-hosts Australia, who dramatically defeated France 7-6 after going 120 minutes without a goal in Brisbane.
In the third game of the ‘quarters’, Cortnee Vine was the ‘heroine’ of the ‘Matildas’, converting the 20th kick of the ‘lottery’ in which the Australians failed three attempts, two of which were to seal the ‘socks ‘. ‘ in advance, and the Gauls four.
Australia has thus secured its best-ever performance in World Cups, following three consecutive quarter-final falls, in 2007, 2011 and 2015, against Brazil, Sweden and Japan respectively.
For its part, France, semi-finalist in 2011, “falls” for the third time in a row in the “quarters”, a repeat of 2015 (defeat against Germany, also in the penalty shoot-out) and 2019 (defeat 2-1 against the United States, at home).
In the semi-finals, the ‘Matildas’ face England (in Lisbon) at 11am on Wednesday in Sydney, a day after Spain and Sweden determine the first finalist, in Auckland, New Zealand, at 9am. (in Lisbon) on Tuesday.
Regardless of what happens in the semifinals, it is already certain that the ninth Women’s World Cup on August 20 will see the birth of a new champion, namely the United States (four titles), Germany (two) and Japan and Norway. (both one) already ‘fallen’.
Source: DN
