Many pundits thought that France (ranked #4 in the latest FIFA world rankings) would represent the toughest test for the top-ranked US and I have to say that the game lived up to the hype and then some. I agree with those that said it's a shame that these two heavyweights had to face off this early in the tournament but I think that also discredits England (ranked #3) who the US now meets in the semifinals on Tuesday afternoon (3, FOX) and Germany (ranked #2) who they could possibly meet in a dream World Cup Final next Sunday.
For days, Rapinoe faced the media and backed up what she said about Donald Trump rather than take the coward's way out by retracting what she had said or even worse, just backing down to the bully. Nope, she faced all the cameras and extra attention but it clearly didn't faze her in the least bit as she gave the U.S. a 1-0 lead five minutes into the match. That means that the U.S. has scored a goal in the first 12 minutes of all five matches in this World Cup which is pretty insane given the quality of their last three opponents (Sweden, Spain and France).
Unlike her two goals vs. Spain which were both on penalty kicks, Rapinoe's first tally against France came via a free kick. Somehow her shot (pass?) found its way through a maze of arms and legs without anybody (not American Julie Ertz, French defenders nor goalkeeper Sarah Bouhaddi) touching it. Including the U.S.' second goal (which also came during the run of play), eight of their 22 goals at this tournament have come from set pieces. As a team, they are only one goal behind their 1991 squad and 2003 Germany (both Cup winners) for the most goals in a single World Cup.
France dominated possession all game (61-39%) but they were so wasteful once they got in the attacking third of the field: they took twice as many shots as the US (20-10) but the Americans actually put three more (8) on target. The French also had more than twice as many corner kicks (7-3) so you have to conclude that this was close to a defensive masterpiece by the U.S. Trailing 1-0 at halftime, France came out with their hair on fire to start the second half with U.S. goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher forced into by far her most stress of this fortnight.
After withstanding that pressure by France, Rapinoe doubled her team's advantage and effectively put a dagger in French hearts around the globe. We had heard that France's backline was a potential weakness against the U.S. and didn't that pan out on the second goal that made it 2-0 in the 65th minute. Tobin Heath had a rare counterattack for the Americans and she made the most of it as Sam Mewis drove to the net but the clever Heath instead hit a changeup slower pass to Rapinoe on the far post that she was able to blast in. France seemed to be in full collapse mode when Heath scored in the 77th minute but for some reason, it was quickly ruled that Crystal Dunn (who gave her the ball) was offsides on the initial pass from Alex Morgan before she found Heath for a one-time finish. With all the VAR delays in this tournament, it was very surprising that this one wasn't looked at least looked at further. Ugh, thankfully it didn't ultimately mean anything.
Speaking of Morgan, she's had a rather bizarre four games (head coach Jill Ellis-who won her 100th game today-sat her vs. Chile): an insane five goals in the laughable opener vs. Thailand but after that no more goals. She's had her chances of course but now Rapinoe along with England striker Ellen White are tied with her for the Golden Boot award (most goals in the World Cup). She's definitely banged up which isn't a total excuse but something to keep in mind when you see her stay on the ground time after time since getting hurt in the Sweden group stage finale. It's not like she's been completely useless as she had the through ball that sprung Heath on the second goal as well.
Credit to France for not completely rolling over though I'm sure they were stunned to be down 2-0. Their massive (6-foot-2) central defender Wendie Renard put in a header from midfielder Gaetane Thiney's free kick in the 81st minute to cut it to 2-1. That was her fourth goal of the tournament, all coming from set pieces where she uses her height and power to head everything in sight. Ellis was a little faster to make a substitution than against Spain as midfielder Rose Lavelle was pulled in the 63rd minute for Lindsey Horan (who should be starting but I digress). Carli Lloyd entered for midfielder Sam Mewis in the 82nd minute and Christen Press replaced Pinoe (her second Woman of the Match award in a row) in the 87th minute. The U.S. used the exact same lineup for the second straight match and Lavelle is the only puzzling decision since even before the game, you questioned it then she went out and played rather terribly.
Rapinoe made some notable history in the win as she became the first American woman to score four straight goals for her team in a World Cup. She was also the first woman since Brazil's Marta in 2007 to get back-to-back braces (2-goal performances). Normally, I would throw out the old cliche that the U.S. has to be careful not to have a letdown vs. England but with so many players still active for them that won the World Cup in 2015 vs. Japan not to mention a few that lost in the heartbreaking Final to the Japanese in 2011 (damn you, penalty kicks!), I doubt that will be an issue. Furthermore, this is the #1 team for a reason, they are always a huge match for any opponent no matter the time or venue so they are used to that constant pressure of living up to their incredible history. Even if they lose to England (who rolled 3-0 over Norway in the quarterfinals), the U.S. is at least assured of another game in France-the third-place match-but who wants to be in that? This team is on a mission and they are two wins away from the fourth Cup title in their storied history joining all the legends from 1991, 1999 and 2015.
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