Fini for France. Finals for USA

United States 3 : 1 France

By Kara McDermott

The US women have done something the men failed to do in last year’s World Cup: take the momentum of a momentous game and use it to advance for the first time since 1999 into the finals of the World Cup. France gave them plenty to worry about, but with two late goals, the US was able to avoid extra time and secure their place in history again.

This was a game of midfielders. Early possession for both teams was focused in the middle third of the field with a few dalliances on the offensive thirds. France was effective at closing down on the US early, not allowing the US to space to be dangerous.

A corner kick in the 6th minute nearly opened the board up for the US. Lauren Cheney sent the ball right on to Abbie Wambach’s head at far post, but her attempt went wide and high.

France answered in kind. In the 8th minute, US defender Shannon Boxx got a hard clear off of her head from a corner kick, but the ball found its way back to French start Lousia Necib who powered a shot back to the goal. Hope Solo, established goalkeeping hero, confidently tipped the ball over the crossbar.

The US transitioned quickly. Carli Lloyd, who set up Megan Rapinoe to serve the assist in the equalizing goal against Brazil on Sunday, once again utilized her outside midfielder with a clever back heel pass to Heather O’Reilly running down the left side. O’Reilly beat her defender with speed and had plenty of space to serve a perfect low cross to Cheney posted in front of the goal. Cheney lightly redirected the ball to split the defender and goalkeeper Berangere Sapowicz into the far right post.

The run of play was back and forth through the midfield. France struggled to penetrate the penalty box, moving the ball up to the offense well, but suffering from disorganization on the top of the box. The US defense was solid getting in front of the ball, holding the offside line and double-teaming to prevent playmaking by France.

The 29th minute featured a series of crosses back and forth in front of the French goal, causing some consternation to the side that for the most part was controlling the run of play.

France nearly equalized in the 32nd minute. Necib took a free kick deep on the left side; instead of going right for the goal, she faked out the defense by passing backwards away from the wall to set up Sonia Bompastor. She bombed a shot to the far right post and was denied only by the crossbar.

France came out in the second half with more energy and vigor than the US squad, pressuring them early and putting them on their heels in the opening minutes.

That pressure paid off in the 55th minute. Bompastor shot long from outside the box. Gaetane Thiney looked to be running on to the ball to head near post, keeping Solo positioned in the center of the goal. But the ball went past her, took a tricky bounce and went past Solo into the far post to tie up the game.

The US struggled to build rhythm with their possession. They got a fantastic opportunity in the 70th minute. Megan Rapinoe, who subbed out Lloyd just five minutes earlier, took a free kick from the center about 10 yards off from the box. Sapowicz struggled to catch the slick ball and it deflected a few feet forward from her. Alex Morgan ran onto the ball to finish the sitter, but hit it into the keeper.

The substitutions by US coach Pia Sundhage turned out to be brilliant. Rapinoe added a definite spark on the left side and Morgan, who replaced Amy Rodriguez, had the fresh legs to allow the US to send balls forward. The game began to turn towards the US’ favor again.

In the 79th minute, Wambach left unmarked flew over the defensive line to head in a corner kick taken by Cheney. The goal, reminiscent of her saving grace goal against Brazil, put the US ahead and brought Wambach’s World Cup goal total to 12, tying American legend and pioneer Michelle Akers.

But France was not done yet. They answered quickly in the 81st minute with a quick cross to Le Sommer, whose diving header went wide.

The US transitioned right off of the goal kick. Rapinoe received the ball in the offensive third, tapped it forward between the French defenders to a running Morgan. She took the ball deep on the left side of the goal and with three defenders closing and Sapowicz sliding out, she took a touch and then lightly chipped over the keeper for the go-ahead goal in the 82nd minute.

This line would hold despite more pressure from the French side. Altogether, France had the advantage of possession (55%) and outshot the US 25(8) to 11(5). But, just as in their quarterfinal game against England where they outshot their opponent by a staggering 33 to 7, they could not finish their shots. Many came from long attempts, but Solo had the read on most. The score line does not represent just how well France played against the US, but such is the cruelty of the sport.

No matter what happens now for Les Bleues, they will finish higher than any other French women’s team in their history. However, they still have a chance to medal when they take on the loser of the semi-final match between Japan and Sweden.

The US will take their storied grit and determination and will look to finally recapture that moment on the top again.

The final match takes place Sunday, July 17 at 11:45 am PT.

Kara McDermott writes from her favorite World Cup venue, the Attic. She also has a blog, Waving the Rave.