SYDNEY (AP) — The tests keep coming for England at the Women’s World Cup and the Lionesses keep roaring.
Alessia Russo fired England into the semifinals with a second-half goal to beat Colombia 2-1 on Saturday in a game that showcased the resolve of Sarina Wiegman’s team and set up a clash with co-host Australia.
“We always find a way through,” said Russo, whose goal completed a come-from-behind win after Leicy Santos had given Colombia a first-half lead. “One of the strongest things about this team is we never give up.”
England advanced to the last four for the third consecutive Women’s World Cup, despite going into the tournament with a host of key players out injured.
Kiera Walsh was then sidelined after hurting her knee in the second game of the group stage and Lauren James is serving a two-game suspension for stepping on Nigeria defender Michelle Alozie in the round of 16.
Yet England keep coming up with answers.
“We’ve had lots of challenges, and we’ve got through these challenges,” Wiegman said. “It showed the resilience of the team.”
Without star player James, England’s route to the semifinals was made all the more complicated by Santos’ strike in the 44th.
England also had to contend with a partisan crowd of 75,784 at Stadium Australia that was hugely in favor of Colombia and then there was the physical approach of its opponent as the Lionesses were left bruised by a number heavy challenges.
Yet the composure of England’s players under intense pressure was never more evident than when going a goal down.
The Lionesses produced arguably their most composed play as they controlled possession and probed Colombia’s half before Lauren Hemp seized on a mistake by goalkeeper Catalina Perez to poke the ball over the line in the seventh minute of first-half stoppage time.
“Everyone knows their task and you try to stick to the task and keep your emotions in control. It’s easy to say, but that’s what you practice every day,” Wiegman said. “That’s one of the strengths of this team that we do stay calm. So we conceded a goal and you don’t see any panic. We just try to speed up the game even more and create chances and score goals. So far I think we have done that really well.”
Wiegman is a step closer to her second consecutive Women’s World Cup final after her Netherlands team was runner-up to the United States in 2019.
England lost in the semifinals in 2015 and 2019, going out to Japan and the United States, respectively.
Wiegman led the Lionesses to victory in the European Championship last year, having won that competition with Netherlands in 2017.
In leading the Lionesses to success last year, she became only the second England coach, male or female, to win an elite international tournament. Alf Ramsey’s men’s team won the World Cup in 1966.
If she were to win the World Cup she would become England’s most successful coach of all time.
With many of the favorites, including America, Germany, France and Japan, already eliminated, the Lionesses will be increasingly confident they can win a first Women’s World Cup.
Colombia, meanwhile, exits having made history by securing a place in the quarterfinals for the first time. It was the last remaining team from the Americas in the tournament.
“We have peace of mind,” Colombia coach Nelson Abadia said. “Not satisfied, but peace because of our very good performance in the World Cup. We proved how Colombian football has evolved.”
Colombia looked capable of going even further after Santos’ goal gave it an unexpected lead.
Taking the ball on the right of the box, she shaped to cross, but her effort instead flew directly toward goal, catching out England keeper Mary Earps and dipping under the bar.
It sparked an eruption of noise, while Colombia’s substitutes ran to join in the celebrations with Santos and the rest of the players.
If going behind for the first time in the tournament came as a shock to England, it didn’t show.
They evened the score after the mistake from Perez.
The keeper should have easily gathered the ball when Russo mis-controlled in the box, but let it slip out of her grasp and Hemp pounced.
Russo’s winner came after England had dominated the second half without managing to open up Colombia’s defense.
Georgia Stanway collected the ball around 40 yards (meters) from goal and slipped a pass to the striker, who held off a challenge from Daniela Arias before firing low into the far corner from a tight angle.
England will play Australia in Sydney on Wednesday, when the Stadium Australia crowd will be against the Lionesses once again.
Wiegman, who is from Netherlands, might need a crash course in the rivalry between the nations.
“I just think it’s going to be really big, but now I’ve had a couple of questions about it so it’s probably going to be bigger than I imagine now,” she said.
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James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson
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More AP Women’s World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-womens-world-cup
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
