United States’ Lindsey Horan celebrates her workforce’s first US purpose throughout the Ladies’s World Cup Group E soccer match between the US and the Netherlands in Wellington, New Zealand, Thursday, July 27, 2023. Alysa Rubin, Related Press
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — When the US was determined for a spark, Lindsey Horan channeled her anger right into a much-needed purpose to maintain the Individuals unbeaten on the Ladies’s World Cup.
Horan was fuming after she was knocked over by Danielle van de Donk within the second half of Thursday’s rematch of the 2019 ladies’s remaining, when the US beat the Netherlands to win their second consecutive World Cup title.
She bought her revenge minutes after the sort out in a sequence that included Horan cursing about van de Donk earlier than shoving her, as properly. The two trash-talked and have been separated by a referee earlier than Horan scored the game-saving purpose for the US.
Horan scored on a well-timed header off a nook kick from Rose Lavelle within the 62nd minute to provide the Individuals the purpose they wanted to sneak out a 1-1 draw with the Netherlands. The USA remained unbeaten in 19 consecutive matches.
“I don’t suppose you ever wish to get me mad as a result of I don’t react in a great way,” Horan mentioned. “I simply need one thing extra. I wish to win extra, I wish to rating extra and I would like extra for my workforce.”
Horan and van de Donk have been smiling after the sport — van de Donk was carrying a swimming cap due to a lower to her head from a later collision — however virtually something goes within the World Cup. The 2 are skilled teammates for French membership Lyon.
“Dan is that sort of participant that, when she’s on my workforce, it’s unbelievable as a result of she’s going to battle to the final second to win the sport, and go into that final sort out, and that’s what she did,” Horan mentioned. “Sadly, I didn't take it in a great way, I bought a little bit heated, and she or he bought to listen to it.”
Horan already has one yellow card from the opening win over Vietnam, and she or he needed to be calmed by American defender Julie Ertz.
“She was like, `Linds, don’t get one other yellow card, simply rating this purpose to close everybody up,’” Horan mentioned.
She did simply that, scoring her twenty ninth profession purpose for the U.S. workforce and fourth in a World Cup. Horan knew her shot was good earlier than it even crossed the purpose line. Her expression gave her away.
Van de Donk knew she had lit a fireplace in Horan.
“She bought a bit feisty and she or he came to visit, we simply had a little bit discuss,” van de Donk mentioned. “The referee got here in between, it wasn’t very obligatory. I imply, we simply performed soccer once more after that.”
The draw meant neither workforce earned a spot within the knockout spherical but. The USA and the Netherlands are tied atop the Group E standings, however the Individuals have the sting, 4-2 in objectives scored thus far this event.
Portugal defeated Vietnam 2-0 Thursday within the late Group E match in Hamilton. The USA performs Portugal in its group finale on Tuesday in Auckland, and the Netherlands performs Vietnam the identical day in Dunedin.
The sport was a rematch from 4 years in the past when the Individuals beat the Dutch 2-0 within the remaining at Lyon to clinch back-to-back titles, and fourth total.
Jill Roord helped the Netherlands pounce first on a strike from atop the field that went although Horan’s legs within the seventeenth minute. They held that 1-0 lead at halftime — simply the sixth time the US had trailed on the half in 52 World Cup matches, and first time since 2011 in opposition to Sweden.
Lavelle, who scored 4 years in the past within the remaining however has been hampered by harm, subbed in and gave the US prompt vitality. Then got here the sort out on Horan, and the US was again within the sport.
“I believe the primary half, we really feel a little bit bit upset in how we performed, however I believe we mounted issues immediately, the strain that we bought on, and the quantity of probabilities and alternatives that got here from it,” Horan mentioned.
The U.S. roster has 14 World Cup newcomers this 12 months, and coach Vlatko Andonovski was happy with how the workforce discovered its manner within the second half.
“I assumed it was an excellent match for our workforce, particularly for a gaggle of younger gamers,” he mentioned. “They grew all through the sport individually, but in addition as a workforce we grew all through.”
Megan Rapinoe, the American star who got here in as an alternative within the opening sport in opposition to Vietnam for her 2 hundredth look with the workforce, was not utilized in Thursday’s match. Rapinoe has introduced that that is her remaining World Cup and she's going to retire on the finish of the season.
The Dutch have been with out ahead Lineth Beerensteyn, who was damage early in her workforce’s 1-0 victory over Portugal to open the event, and main scorer Vivianne Miedema, who ruptured her ACL whereas taking part in for Arsenal in December.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with the U.S. workforce at their lodge on the eve of the match and was on the sport. Blinken was in Wellington for a proper bilateral assembly with New Zealand Minister of International Affairs Nanaia Mahuta, and he may also meet with Prime Minister Chris Hipkins.
The highest finisher within the group opens the knockout spherical in Sydney in opposition to the second-place finisher in Group G, which incorporates Sweden, South Africa, Italy and Argentina. The second-place finisher heads to Melbourne in opposition to the highest Group G workforce.