The US Women Survived A Tense World Cup Match Against Spain To Advance To The Quarterfinals

The United States Women’s National Team got its first test in the 2019 World Cup on Monday, though it came a bit earlier than most people expected. The long-awaited showdown between the US and France will, indeed, happen, but it was a tense showdown with Spain that was a long way away from the 13-0 opener the Americans had in the first match of the tournament.

It’s not that the USWNT was exactly looking past Spain here, but that the Spaniards put up an showing that gave the US women a true run for their money. Megan Rapinoe was the star on Monday, finishing two penalties to put the States through to play France on Friday in the quarterfinals. She got things started in the seventh minute finishing a penalty to give the US the early lead, capitalizing on a foul Tobin Heath drew just five minutes into the match.

Two minutes later, though, the US was sloppy in their own end and turned it over late in the ninth minute, and Jenni Hermoso made them pay to even the score.

It was the first time in the tournament that the States did not have the lead going into the half, and it was a clear sign that this was a very different match than the US had seen through the first three at this World Cup. In the second half it looked like it truly was anyone’s game, but the US kept pressing despite being unable to find a goal during the run of play.

There was drama all over the place, and for a while it looked like the game might slip into extra time when a soft foul was called in the box in the 71st minute. After a lengthy VAR review, Alex Morgan deferred to Rapinoe to take her second penalty of the match, and she didn’t miss.

That set up a final 20 minutes and a testy nearly eight minutes of stoppage time, but the US were able to hang on and fend off a few balls into the box and strong counters from the Spanish side to preserve the win.

After the game it was manager Jill Ellis who revealed she wanted Rapinoe to take the penalty that sent the US through to the next round, a shrewd decision given that Morgan, despite drawing the foul, did not have her best match on Monday. Rapinoe said she wanted Morgan to take it, but management won out. And it will be up to everyone on the USWNT to have their best effort against one of the world’s best, France, on Friday in the quarterfinals.