USWNT captain Lindsey Horan hailed the “grit” mentality of her side after coming through a storm against Canada to make the W Gold Cup final.
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- Crazy conditions in California
- Tie settled by penalty shootout
- Another trophy now up for grabs
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WHAT HAPPENED?
The United States were tested by their opponents and the weather conditions during a semi-final clash at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego. Torrential rain made the pitch almost unplayable, with both sides asking questions of the decision to let the game go ahead.
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WHAT HORAN SAID ABOUT THE USWNT
Horan told of having to contend with a playing surface that saw the ball get stuck in various puddles: “A little bit of frustration from me – it’s not a day that you can play football! It’s really unfortunate, but at the end of the day I think me and Jessie [Fleming] were like ‘ok, we’ve got to move forward and we’ve got to play’. It is what it is and we played on.”
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
A thrilling contest in California ended 2-2 after extra-time, with Canada snatching a 127th-minute equaliser after Jaedyn Shaw and Sophia Smith had netted for the States. The USWNT then held their nerve in a penalty shootout, with goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher saving three and scoring one herself.
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DID YOU KNOW?
Horan added on seeing the U.S. rediscover their spark following a frustrating showing at the 2023 Women’s World Cup: “That’s back to that U.S. mentality that we’ve been talking about that we needed, and it’s in us. I think that’s what you guys saw today. It’s not a game that you’re going to play football. I don’t think there are more than a few completed passes on the ground! But the grit of getting a goal, the tie, getting another goal and then the penalty kicks and Alyssa coming up massive.”