European champions England sealed their third consecutive Women’s World Cup semifinal on Saturday, taking advantage of Colombia’s mistakes to win the final quarterfinal match in Sydney, Australia, 2-1.
The South American team still took the lead, in the 44th minute, on a ‘goal’ by Leicy Santos, a brilliant ‘hat’ for ‘her highness’ Mary Earps, but her ‘fairy tale’ was betrayed by two misses individual .
At the ‘top’ of the break, at 45+6 minutes, goalkeeper Catalina Pérez dropped a harmless cross and allowed Lauren Hemp to tie the game and, in the second half, at 63 minutes, central defender Daniela Arias missed a cut and allowed Alessia Russo to remain isolated and decide the match.
In the final stretch, Colombia, one of the sensations of the competition, in a journey that included a spectacular 2-1 win against Germany in the group stage, still tried to restore equality, but failed to score again.
Bedoya Durango had the best opportunity, with a shot from outside the area that did not end up in the back of the English goal due to an excellent defense by Mary Earps, in the 71st minute.
The ‘eleven’ of the Dutch Sarina Wiegman is, therefore, for the third time in the semifinals, 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 emphatically beat France 7-6, on penalties, after 120 minutes without scoring, in Brisbane.
In the third game of the ‘quarters’, Cortnee Vine was the ‘heroine’ of the ‘Matildas’, converting the 20th serve of the ‘lottery’, in which the Australians missed three attempts, two of them to seal the ‘ socks’ ‘ in advance, and the Gauls four.
Australia has thus secured its best performance in World Cups, after three consecutive losses in the quarterfinals, in 2007, 2011 and 2015, against Brazil, Sweden and Japan, respectively.
On his side, France, a semifinalist in 2011, ‘tomba’ for the third time in a row in the ‘fourths’, repeating 2015 (defeat against Germany, also without a penalty shootout) and 2019 (2-1 defeat against the United States, at home).
In the semifinals, the ‘Matildas’ face England in Sydney, on Wednesday, at 11:00 a.m. (in Lisbon), a day after Spain and Sweden decided the first finalist, in Auckland, New Zealand, at 9 a.m. :00 hours. (in Lisbon) on Tuesday.
Regardless of what happens in the semifinals, it is already certain that the ninth Women’s World Cup will see the birth of a new champion, on August 20, along with the United States (four titles), Germany (two) and Japan and Norway. (both) already ‘fallen’.
Source: TSF
