The Sports Lowdown For All Your News and OpinionsUSA 3 AUSTRALIA 1
Australia made a bright start to the game but fell behind to a heavily deflected Megan Rapinoe goal, putting two-time Champions USA in the lead against the run of play. The Socceroo’s looked to respond straight away, but American goalkeeper Hope Solo was equal to Aussie’s Emily van Egmond’s rasping shot.
Australia did manage to level the game before the half-hour mark through Lisa de Vanna, making her 100th appearance, to strike home with her favoured foot after some good play found her unmarked in the area.
Just before the break, USA’s Abby Wambach could, and probably should, have put the Star’s and Stripes back in the lead, but uncharacteristically missed after a tremendous set-piece was direct towards the american forward.
It was a quiet start to the second half before Christen Press, found alone in the area, finished calmly to put the USA back in the lead after being picked out by Sydney Leroux.
Finally the Australian’s had the fight taken out of them after Player of the Match Rapinoe picked the ball up in her own half and was allowed to run the length of the pitch, beat the last defender and drilled the ball past goalkeeper Melissa Barbieri.
Australia:
Barbieri, Alleway (Sykes 83), Uzunlar, Catley, Kellond-Knight, Foord, Van Egmond, De Vanna (c), Gorry (Kennedy 80), Kerr, Heyman (Simon 69).
USA:
Solo, Leroux (Morgan 79), Sauerbraunn, Lloyd, Krieger, Holiday, Rapinoe (Brian 86), Johnston, Wambach (c), Klingenberg, Press (Heath 68).
