Yanks win with class after scary first half

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This article was published 09/06/2015 (4083 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

CLASS emerged from the evening half of the opening-day doubleheader of the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup at Investors Group Field.

It decided the contest, in fact, 3-1 in favour of the U.S. over Australia before an announced crowd of 31,148.

Two goals from Megan Rapinoe helped the Americans, who looked to be in a life-and-death struggle with a 1-1 deadlock at the half.

“A couple of bits class in the end; Rapinoe changed the game, and (Sydney) Leroux,” said Australian coach Alen Stajcic. “So they deserved their victory and I’m really proud of our players for our performance but it’s not enough.

“We need to regroup and improve for the next game and learn from this game.”

Stajcic had many reasons to like his side — especially given the pluck and the attack shown in Monday night’s first half — but when Leroux deftly set up Christen Press for an easy goal at the 60-minute mark, and then Rapinoe went for a long run down the left side and a wonderful smash back into the right half of the net at 77 minutes, that was that.

“Megan thrives in these big games, big moments,” said U.S. coach Jill Ellis. “She’s got ice running through her veins but a lot of passion inside of her. She’s a game-changer and that’s what makes her special.

“I think sometimes when you have teams that are neutralizing each other, you look for those special players to step up. I think we’ve got quite a few of them but certainly tonight she did.

“She had a tremendous impact on the game for us.”

The result put the U.S. in control of Group D after its first day of games, with three points.

Rapinoe, the 29-year-old from Redding, Calif., was hardly worked up about the effort after its conclusion.

“Little bit of a shaky game for us, especially the first 30,” she shrugged. “Hope (Solo) came up absolutely huge for us, three saves that I don’t think anybody else in the world could make.

“I think we settled in a little bit more. A little choppy but I think you could tell we were a little bit nervous.”

Those were only part of the explanation of the first half, when Rapinoe struck on a deflection off an Australian defender at 12 minutes, but the Aussies countered with a sweet set-up converted by Lisa De Vanna 14 minutes later.

In that half, the Australians forced Solo to be excellent.

Samantha Kerr’s blast from the centre of the field was nicked by a leaping Solo, then off the cross-bar, in the 21st minute.

“I think we’re better than we played today and got caught kind of going a long when we needed to settle it down,” Rapinoe said. “A bit nervous the first game of the World Cup, lots of pressure and all that.”

Stajcic rejected the idea that the Australians paid too much respect to the Americans.

“I thought the players had a lot of belief they could win today and I thought that showed in the first half,” he said. “I said we’d come out at them and attack and not sit back and not let America dictate the game and I thought we did that.

“So that’s why I’m really pleased with the effort and the spirit and the execution. A couple of fantastic saves (by Solo) and they win you games, don’t they.”

tim.campbell@freepress.mb.ca