ENGLAND 1, USA 2
Alex Morgan scored the winning goal as the USA beat England 2-1 after Ellen White had cancelled out Christen Press’s early opening goal but that was before the late drama in Lyon.
After a dramatic finale it was a penalty miss by Steph Houghton that cost England the chance of Extra Time against the Americans.
Embed from Getty ImagesWhite thought she had equalised again but was adjudged to be marginally offside by a VAR decision, and VAR was to prove even more dramatic after England were awarded a spot kick after another review but captain Steph Houghton saw her penalty saved.
Millie Bright was sent off late on for a second booking as England chased the equaliser in vain and were beaten again in a semi-final.
England battled valiantly throughout but the Americans made the most of a tactical switch by England manager Phil Neville that didn’t come off.
Neville made three changes in all to the side that beat Norway 3-0 in the quarter final.
Carly Telford replaced Karen Bardsley after the Manchester City goalkeeper sustained a hamstring injury in Norway game.
More surprisingly, Neville named Rachel Daly and Beth Mead in a highly aggressive and fast side, leaving out Toni Duggan and Fran Kirby and switching to a 4-4-2.
Megan Rapinoe injured?
More surprisingly, American manager Jill Ellis left out left winger Megan Rapinoe without explanation sparking rumours that she was injured.
The USA went for a more energetic line-up with Rose Lavelle and Christen Press.
And the USA pressed high, wide, and intensively early on, trying to force errors out of England as they outnumbered them in midfield.
Lavelle nutmegged Millie Bright but her shot was turned away by Telford at close range.
There were several close calls before Press headed the USA into the lead from six yards out within 10 minutes after Tobin Heath’s deep cross found the winger in space with Bronze caught napping.
The goal continued the American record of scoring within 12 minutes of every match so far at this World Cup.
Lavelle fired a shot wide as England reeled but the Lionesses steadied the ship, got Keira Walsh on the ball and spraying passes around including one cross field pass which found Mead on the left flank.
Ellen White levels the scores with England’s first shot
Ellen White converted their first chance when Mead’s precision cross found her in space seven yards out and she turned the ball in off the back post with her right foot to briefly go top of the Golden Boot chart with six goals.
Becky Sauerbrunn almost scored an own goal as Walsh’s distribution caused the Americans problems.
But the USA were ahead again after Alex Morgan celebrated her 30th birthday by scoring her sixth goal of the tournament with a looping header to beat Telford again after Lindsey Horan’s cross found her 8 yards out and nipping between Steph Houghton and Demi Stokes on the half hour.
Alyssa Naeher clawed away a long range strike from Walsh as England tried to level again quickly.
Julie Ertz fired wide as the Americans continued to find space in the England midfield and continued to threaten after the break.
White tried an overhead kick early in the second half after a free kick was nodded back into the area by Bright.
Kirby was belatedly introduced after 58 minutes, replacing Mead, but Telford almost played England out of the game, handing Press the ball with an undercooked pass out of defence which the USA winger curled high wide with Lavelle waiting for a square ball.
Mistakes were creeping into England’s play after the break but the Americans were hit the an injury blow to Lavelle who had to come off injured and was replaced by Sam Mewis.
England thought they had levelled again through White after Walsh picked out Scott whose flick was drilled past Naeher by her City team mate in the 68th minute but a VAR check showed a marginal offside.
Jade Moore replaced Walsh as Scott was given licence to roam further forward after the offside blow with the USA defending deeper and switching to a back 5 to try and see the game out.
Steph Houghton misses crucial penalty to level the scores again for England against USA
England had a penalty shout seemingly turned down after Kirby’s slide rule pass found Demi Stokes whose cross reached White who went down with a touch from Sauerbrunn.
Carli Lloyd was introduced during the VAR check for the penalty against White which dramatically ended with the referee overturning the decision.
Captain Steph Houghton took up the ball but Naeher went the right way and saved the weak spot kick with 6 minutes to go.
There was further agony for England as Bright was sent off for a second booking.
Georgia Stanway was Neville’s final throw of the dice but despite 7 minutes of injury time England could not find a way past the Americans who had long shut up shop.
England will now have a Bronze medal play off on Saturday against the losers of the Netherlands v Sweden Semi Final but can find comfort in the fact that Great Britain have already qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
MATCH STATS – England 1, USA 2
England Women: Telford, Bronze, Houghton, Bright, Stokes, Scott, Walsh (Moore 71), Daly (Stanway 89), Parris, Mead (Kirby 58), White
England Women Subs Not Used: Bardsley, Earps, Greenwood, Taylor, Duggan, Williamson, McManus, Carney, Staniforth
Booked: Bright 40 (foul on Alex Morgan), Parris (foul on Lloyd 90+5)
Sent off: Bright 87 (second yellow card for foul on Alex Morgan)
Goal: White 19, [Houghton missed pen 84]
USA Women: Naeher, O’Hara (Krieger 88), Dahlkemper, Sauerbrunn, Dunn, Lavelle (Mewis 65), Ertz, Horan, Heath (Lloyd 80), Morgan, Press
USA Women Subs not used: Harris, Franch, Pugh, Brian, Davidson, Sonnett, Rapinoe, Long, McDonald
Booked: Horan 47 (foul on Lucy Bronze), Sauerbrunn 83 (foul on Ellen White)
Goals: Press 10, Morgan 31
Att: 53,512