LYON, July 7, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Led by the charismatic Megan Rapinoe, the
United States are aiming to retain the women’s World Cup as they face
European champions the Netherlands in the final in Lyon on Sunday.
A sell-out crowd of close to 60,000 is expected for the showpiece game of
the landmark tournament, which kicks off at 1500 GMT.
The USA have lived up to their status as favourites coming into the
tournament by becoming the first team ever to reach three consecutive women’s
World Cup finals.
They can win the trophy for the fourth time in eight editions, four years
after Carli Lloyd’s hat-trick helped them to a 5-2 win over Japan in the
final in Canada.
Despite beginning their defence of the trophy with a World Cup record 13-0
victory over Thailand, they have had to fight to get through the knockout
rounds, edging out Spain, hosts France and then England on their way.
“We have come through a tough road in terms of the teams we have played to
get to this point, so for sure they are battle-tested, but what I love about
this group is that they are locked on and still hungry,” said USA coach Jill
Ellis of her team.
Rapinoe scored braces in the wins over both Spain and France before sitting
out the semi-final defeat of England due to a hamstring injury. The pink-
haired midfielder, who turned 34 on Friday, was confident she would be fit in
time to return against the Netherlands.
“I expect to be good to go for tomorrow and I’m very excited about that
opportunity,” she said at Saturday’s pre-match press conference. “I’m like a
kid in a candy store right now, this is the absolute best stage.”
Rapinoe, one of only five survivors in the US squad from the 2011 final
defeat against Japan, used the press conference to hit out at FIFA for
scheduling this year’s final on the same day as those of the men’s Copa
America and CONCACAF Gold Cup, as well as urging the world game’s governing
body to further increase prize money for the tournament in future.
With her spat with Donald Trump over her intended boycott of any team visit
to the White House and her role in the US team’s battle with their federation
for equal pay, she has been the big star of this World Cup.
However, the Netherlands are hoping to cause a major upset and strike a
blow for Europe at just their second World Cup, two years after being crowned
European champions on home soil.
“I think we just need to approach the game as we approach every game,” said
Dutch coach Sarina Wiegman.
“We know we are playing a top-level team so we need to perform even better
and we will defend the way we always do, as a team.”
– Female coaches on both sides –
The Dutch are sweating on the fitness of Barcelona winger Lieke Martens,
who has a toe problem and was forced off at half-time in their semi-final
defeat of Sweden.
“Of course we are European champions but we want to have more and that we
are standing in the final now at the World Cup, at the highest level in
women’s soccer, that’s fantastic, that’s amazing,” said the midfielder
Sherida Spitse.
The Netherlands have won 12 consecutive matches at major tournaments under
Wiegman, and Sunday’s final will be just the second at the women’s World Cup
to bring together two female coaches, after the 2003 showpiece.
While Wiegman is hoping to claim a second major tournament triumph in as
many attempts, the English-born Ellis can become the first coach to win back-
to-back World Cups in the men’s or women’s game since Italy’s Vittorio Pozzo
in the 1930s.
“They’re European champions, that’s a very difficult thing to do, that
takes a certain level of discipline and mental strength,” said Rapinoe.
“They have that idea of what it takes to win a championship more than the
other teams we have faced.”
On Saturday, goals from Kosovare Asllani and Sofia Jakobsson helped Sweden
beat England 2-1 in the third-place play-off in Nice.