Carli Lloyd’s penalty and assist propelled the U.S. over Germany on Tuesday
By Ivan Yeo
Two historic programs clashed in Montreal’s Olympic Stadium on Tuesday evening.
The United States and Germany have been two of the dominant forces in women’s soccer for the last two decades. The U.S. and Germany have both won two World Cups and had played against each other three times in the World Cup, and the winner of those matches have gone on to win the World Cup.
After 90 minutes were up in Montreal on Tuesday, it was the United States that earned the right to play in Sunday’s final. Two second half goals combined with a stout, disciplined, defensive game plan enabled the second-ranked U.S. to stamp its ticket to Vancouver with a 2-0 win over the top-ranked Germans.
The U.S. appeared to be in trouble in the 59th minute. It started when U.S. defender Julie Johnston headed a ball towards keeper Hope Solo, but Germany’s Alexandra Popp came in, stole the ball and broke for goal. Popp got inside the penalty area, Johnston dragged her down from behind, the referee whistled for the penalty and Johnston was fortunate to get off with just a yellow card.
Lady luck really turned out to be on the U.S. side a minute later, as Celia Sasic, who had converted the tying penalty as well as the go-ahead penalty in the shootout of Germany’s quarterfinal match against France, shanked on this penalty, missing to the left post.
The U.S. themselves earned a trip to the penalty spot in the 68th minute. Alex Morgan charged for the penalty area, German defender Annike Krahn impeded her progress and the U.S. were awarded a penalty. While the foul was clearly not up for debate, what was up for debate was where the foul was commited, as Krahn appeared to make contact with Morgan just outside the penalty area, which mean that the U.S. should’ve been awarded a free kick as opposed to a penalty. Nevertheless, Carli Lloyd stepped up to the penalty spot and avoided the same fate that befuddled Sasic 10 minutes earlier, as she buried the shot to put the U.S. in front.
The U.S. sealed their trip to Vancouver in the 84th minute. Meghan Klingenberg played a ball to a wide open Lloyd inside the penalty area, Lloyd deked out Krahn into the six-yard box, played a short cross and Kelley O’Hara, who had entered as a substitute back in the 75th minute, swooped in and shot the ball into the back net to make it a two-goal game.
In a battle between the highest scoring team going up against a U.S. defense that had not allowed a goal in four matches and 453 minutes, defense proved to be the prevailing factor in this match. The U.S. not only neutralized the vaunted German attack throughout the first half, but had the better scoring chances themselves. The U.S. had a shot six minutes in, as Megan Rapinoe sent a corner for the near post and Johnston headed a ball on targer, but keeper Nadine Angerer made the save.
The Americans continued to create chances, starting in the 15th minute when Tobin Heath played a perfectly weighted through ball for Alex Morgan, who got inside the penalty area, but her shot was saved by Angerer. Morgan had another shot just before halftime, as she got behind the German backline and shot a ball past Angerer. The shot however was in tight space, and the shot missed to the back post.
