England 2-1 Colombia (Hemp 45+’, Russo 63’| Santos 44′)
SYDNEY — Colombia brought the cauldron.
“Triumph over adversity” has become England’s unofficial motto at this tournament and it proved timely once again as they reached the last four with a draining – but crucially, convincing – 2-1 victory at Stadium Australia.
Here was the brutalism England knew to expect, until a moment of wonder left the Lionesses staring down the barrel of their earliest World Cup exit since 2011. Alex Greenwood watched Leicy Santos with one eye on her right boot, waiting for the moment she would strike.
Mary Earps was too far off her line, close enough to her front post that when the shot came in dipping, she was left floundering.
Yet the hope in match-ups like this is that quality will always prevail. England had dominated and would have deserved their equaliser regardless, even if it was gifted by a horrible mix-up.
Keira Walsh began by picking out Lucy Bronze. As Alessia Russo brought it down, Jorelyn Carabali and Catalina Perez both came for it, the goalkeeper inadvertently pushing the ball onto her centre-back’s feet and back again. Lauren Hemp, alive to it, was still celebrating her goal from six yards out when Sarina Wiegman took the opportunity to reorganise, ready to go again.
Through the entirety of her reign, England have trailed in a competitive match just once, in the Euro 2022 quarter-final against Spain. This summer, from Walsh’s brief dice with injury to Lauren James’ suspension, they have had just about every other test possible. Now, a new, equally daunting task lay ahead. After all, no other team in the knockout stages had come from behind to win – yet.
Overcoming that mental hurdle will have been invaluable. Russo has had her place up front debated and to some extent she has answered those questions with a moment of magic, latching onto Georgia Stanway’s ball, turning Daniela Arias and sliding in a finish past Perez.
Given where this squad was before the tournament kicked off, there have been so many mitigating circumstances – injuries to Beth Mead, Leah Williamson and Fran Kirby – that a quarter-final exit might have been forgivable. Being outbattled would have been harder to take, especially after Russo had vowed she and her teammates would relish the scrap.
Yet from the first whistle, England were ready to give as good as they got, within the boundaries of acceptability.
Ana Guzman wiped out both Hemp and Rachel Daly, the latter taking a hand to the face that went unpunished. Even Wiegman, typically understated, was left exasperated.
Guzman had only come on in the 10th minute after Carolina Arias had taken a powerful Russo shot to the head as she lay prone on the turf. This was a grassroots classic: “Let them know you’re there early doors”. Mayra Ramirez looked as if she fancied a similar challenge, before remembering she was up against the shoulder barges of Millie Bright.
In the stands, the Colombians started by whistling every touch from a Lioness, matching full throttle the fire brought on the pitch. Their goal had been greeted with decibels not yet encountered at this World Cup.
In those circumstances, they provided an examination of England’s mettle as well as their credentials as better footballers. Linda Caicedo, as ever, was an exception. At one stage as she broke free of Bronze, Jess Carter was left to make up the ground and was left gasping on the floor.
While Colombia lacked a final ball, the fact England continued to put together slick moves from the midfield was all the more impressive without James. There was a possibility that Ella Toone, drafted into the 3-5-2 as her replacement having been dropped against China and Nigeria, would have a fire lit underneath her upon her return.
Initially, she looked bereft of confidence, the result of a long, arduous personal season at Manchester United and her struggle for form in an England shirt. That she played some part in Hemp’s equaliser will help on that front.
For Colombia, there is no shame in bowing out, the last underdog standing and what a credit they have been to one of women’s football’s emerging nations, just the second nation from South America, after Brazil, ever to reach a quarter-final.
Since a warm-up friendly against the Republic of Ireland was abandoned there has been a tendency to dismiss their – secretly thrilling – brand of hooliganism as one-dimensional but they will not be underestimated when they no doubt come again. Earps was tested again from distance and it required a fingertip save to keep out Lorena Bedoya Durango.
England can take a little joy from all that. Thrust into hot water time and again, on every occasion they have pulled through. Whether it is more satisfying to whack through a tournament with 8-0s and 4-0s like last summer, or to bond through hardship will not matter too much in the final analysis. The Lionesses stand just two games away from glory.
from Football - inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/1DtGsaI
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