USA defeats Spain 2-1 in Women’s World Cup Round of 16
REIMS, France – The U.S. Women’s National Team defeated Spain 2-1 in front of 19,633 fans at Stade Auguste-Delaune to advance to the quarterfinal round of the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
In humid, 85-degree heat, the USA battled a physical Spain side that conceded two penalty kicks, both of which U.S. captain Megan Rapinoe swept home to earn the Americans the deserved win.
The U.S. moves on to a highly-anticipated showdown with World Cup host France in the tournament quarterfinals on Friday. Kickoff at Parc des Princes in Paris is set for 3 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on FOX and Telemundo.
U.S. head coach Jill Ellis made one change to the starting lineup that defeated Sweden 2-0 in the USA’s previous game with Julie Ertz returning to her defensive midfield position. Her installation played a big role in the match as she claimed 21 of the USA’s 79 total duels won in what at times was a bruising game that saw Spain commit 18 fouls to the USA’s four.
The USA opened the scoring in the 7th minute after Tobin Heath got on the end of a longball over the backline and was taken down in the penalty area by Mapi León as she cut toward goal. Rapinoe, wearing the captain’s for the second time this tournament, stepped to the spot and dispatched the penalty kick with aplomb for the early 1-0 lead.
Spain equalized just two minutes later when Lucía García poked the ball away from U.S. defender Becky Sauerbrunn in the back and it rolled straight to Spain’s star striker Jenni Hermoso. U.S. goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, who had played the pass to Sauerbrunn, was caught off her line and Hermoso curled a shot from the penalty arc into the top right corner to level the match at 1-1.
The teams traded opportunities until halftime with the U.S. racking up the advantage in shots and possession but was unable to break the deadlock. In the second half, the U.S. defense held Spain to only a pair of shots, neither of which were on target, while Naeher did well coming off her line to punch away a handful of dangerous crosses into the box.
With fifteen minutes remaining and tensions growing, Rose Lavelle set up the winning kick when she was fouled in the Spain penalty area while chasing down a loose ball. After Hungarian referee Katalin Kulcsar consulted with her VAR team to confirm the penalty kick, Rapinoe once again delivered from the spot. Her shot to the lower left corner past a diving Sandra Paños proved to be the winner in a gritty 2-1 triumph for the Americans.
Next on the Schedule: The USA faces tournament host France in the Quarterfinals on Friday, June 28 at 3 p.m. ET at Parc des Princes in Paris.
Broadcast information: FOX, Telemundo
Social: Twitter, Instagram (@ussoccer_wnt) and Facebook
Goal Scoring Rundown:
USA – Megan Rapinoe (Penalty Kick), 7th minute: Tobin Heath got on the end of a long Abby Dahlkemper pass over Spain’s backline on the right flank and raced past one defender before being brought down by Mapi León in the penalty area. On the ensuing spot kick, Rapinoe sent Spain goalkeeper Sandra Paños diving the wrong way while coolly placing her shot in the lower left corner for her second goal of the tournament. USA 1, ESP 0 [WATCH]
ESP – Jenni Hermoso (Lucía García), 9th minute: Garcia poked the ball away from Becky Sauerbrunn after an ill-advised outlet pass and the ball landed at the feet of Hermoso just outside the penalty arc. She took a few touches to set up her shot and then lifted the ball over a stranded Alyssa Naeher into the top right corner. USA 1, ESP 1 [WATCH]
USA – Megan Rapinoe (Penalty Kick), 76th minute: Rose Lavelle was fouled in the box while chasing down a bouncing ball. After the VAR confirmed the call, Rapinoe again stepped to the spot and sent a low drive past the outstretched hand of Sandra Paños into the lower left corner. USA 2, ESP 1 [WATCH] FINAL
Additional Notes:
- Megan Rapinoe scored her second and third goals of the 2019 World Cup. She now has 47 in her career, which moves her into 13th place on the all-time U.S. scoring list past Julie Foudy and into a tie with Heather O’Reilly and Tisha Veturini for 12th place all-time.
- The opening goal was the USA’s fourth goal in the opening 15 minutes of this WWC. France, with three, the only other country with more than one goal in the opening 15 minutes of matches.
- The U.S. is now 2-0-0 all-time against Spain.
- Spain’s goal is the first the USA has conceded in World Cup play since the second half of the 2015 final against Japan – a span of 317 minutes. It is also the first goal the U.S. has conceded in its last eight games. The teams last concession came in its 5-3 win vs. Australia on April 4 – a span of 648 minutes.
- The match against Spain tied Jill Ellis for most games coached in U.S. history with April Heinrichs (124). She will set the record against France on June 28 in Paris.
– U.S. Women’s National Team Match Report –
Match: U.S. Women’s National Team vs. Spain
Date: June 24, 2019
Competition: 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup – Round of 16
Venue: Stade Auguste-Delaune; Reims, France
Kickoff: 12 p.m. ET (6 p.m. local)
Attendance: 19,633
Weather: 85 degrees, sunny
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
USA 1 1 2
ESP 1 0 1
USA – Megan Rapinoe (Penalty Kick) 7th minute
ESP – Jennifer Hermoso (Lucia Garcia) 9
USA – Megan Rapinoe (Penalty Kick) 76
Lineups:
USA: 1-Alyssa Naeher; 5-Kelley O’Hara, 7-Abby Dahlkemper, 4-Becky Sauerbrunn, 19-Crystal Dunn; 8-Julie Ertz, 3-Samantha Mewis, 16-Rose Lavelle (9-Lindsey Horan, 89); 17-Tobin Heath, 13-Alex Morgan (10-Carli Lloyd, 85), 15-Megan Rapinoe (capt.) (23-Christen Press, 90+7)
Substitutes not used: 2-Mallory Pugh, 6-Morgan Brian, 11-Ali Krieger, 12-Tierna Davidson, 14-Emily Sonnett, 18-Ashlyn Harris, 20-Allie Long, 21-Adrianna Franch, 22-Jessica McDonald
Head Coach: Jill Ellis
ESP: 13-Sandra Paños; 7-Marta Corredera, 4-Irene Paredes (capt.), 16-Maria Leon, 3-Leila Ouahabi; 6-Vicky Losada (22-Nahikari Garcia, 32), 14-Virginia Torrecilla (9-Mariona Caldentey, 84), 12-Patri Guijarro; 17-Lucia Garcia, 10-Jennifer Hermoso, 11-Alexia Putellas (21-Andrea Falcon, 78)
Substitutes not used: 1-Dolores Gallardo, 23-Maria Quiñones, 2-Celia Jimenez, 5-Ivana Andres, 8-Marta Torrejon, 20-Andrea Pereira, 15-Silvia Meseguer, 18-Aitana Bonmati, 19-Amanda Sampedro
Head Coach: Jorge Vilda
Stats Summary: USA / ESP
Shots: 10 / 4
Shots on goal: 2 / 1
Saves: 0 / 0
Corner Kicks: 3 / 2
Fouls: 4 / 18
Offside: 2 / 2
Misconduct Summary:
USA – Megan Rapinoe (caution) 37th minute
ESP – Irene Paredes (caution) 85
Officials:
Referee: Katalin Kulcsar (HUN)
Assistant Referee 1: Katalin Torok (HUN)
Assistant Referee 2: Sanja Rodak (CRO)
Fourth Official: Anne-Marie Keighley (NZL)
Budweiser Woman of the Match: Megan Rapinoe
