And here we are! AT the cusp of greatness, at the edge of a Marvel, at the culmination of FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP 2019!
The match of the year was played in Stad De Lyon in front of full Stands, between Reigning World Champs USA and European Queens Netherlands!
Both teams came undefeated all along the gruelling fixtures. USA overcame England in the Semis, while Netherlands beat Sweden. The Dutch also eliminated World Champs Japan, and so their chances cannot be denied!
USA has never won a World Cup on European Grounds. Will they do it today?This is Netherlands’ first ever WWC final. Will they shine?
Big crowds, big smiles, big anticipations!
Stephanie Frappart of France took charge as the head referee of the coveted final! USA was captained by Rapinoe, and Netherlands by GK Veenendaal! And importantly, Lieke Martens returns for Netherlands, fit from her toe injury! A big relief for the Dutch!
The match between the Orange and White finally kicked off with an echoing 5,4,3,2,1!!!!!
It was hardly the second minute and Dunn and Rapinoe commenced the colonisation of the left flank in the Dutch half. 3rd minute saw Miedema launch a counter attack, passed it to Martens who ran with just 1 defender on her tail but volleyed a pass way over Beerensteyn! It had begun, at that moment!
4th minute and another attack by Miedema, Martens and De Donk, ultimately cleared by a powerful header from Dahlkemper.
5th minute and Heath made a run on the right flank, shot it in across the goal, Lunteren got to it but a sloppy clearance gave Rapinoe the ball who took a weak shot cleared by Van Der Gragt.
An extremely early yellow card came in the 9th minute for Spitse as she fouled USA’S No 16 Lavelle. A free kick from outside the box on the right side was awarded. Heath took it but safely headed away by the Dutch defense.
11th minute saw Martens send in a tactful pass to Miedema from right between two of American players. Miedema took it forward, Groenen got it, shot it ahead for Beerensteyn but US GK Naeher got there first and saved it.
Dutch GK Veenendaal was named Goalkeeper of the Tournament in the 2017 Euro Cup, which the Netherlands won.
15th minute – Rapinoe sprinted on the left flank, looked to cross it to Morgan in the center of the Dutch box but Lunteren tailed her and cleared it for a Criss. Rapinoe took the corner, it reached an unmarked Heath, went to Lavelle who took a shot from the right side and Veenendaal jumped on it, saving the attempt.
19th minute: Martens passed, Beerensteyn got to it and fell by a challenge and everyone stopped for a few seconds! Finally Martens moved to take it, USA resumed and Dunn won the ball to clear it away!
20th minute saw a Dutch slip up as Morgan won the ball and looked to pass to a sprinting Heath, marked only by a single defender, but the ball was too fast to catch and Veenendaal took it!
22nd minute: Rapinoe sent in an outside ball, Dunn got to it and took a shot from outside the box on the left, Veenendaal jumped and caught it in the air!
Van Der Gragt and Dekker made sure the USA attack of Rapinoe-Morgan got zero space!
25th minute: De Donk intercepted a pass, passed it to Miedema who shot it forward, Beerensteyn ran for it, almost reached it, but Naeher reached it first to shoot it away!
26th minute saw another corner for USA, take by Rapinoe. The ball came in, Lavelle touched it, Ertz got to it and volleyed a missile at the Dutch goal but Veenendaal punched it away! The first really, really threat from USA!!
32nd minute and another set piece for USA as they won a corner. Rapinoe took it, Beerensteyn cleared!
33rd minute, Rapinoe sent in the ball, Morgan flicked a dangerous header but Lunteren cleared it!
35th minute had me jumping up and down till the end of 37th minute! Miedema pressurised the American defense as she ran player-to-player, defender-defender-GK-defender ; she shadowed the ball till Naeher was forced to shoot it ahead!!!
37th minute, Rapinoe sent in from the left flank, Morgan made an incredible run, got ahead of the defenders, metres away from the post, pushed it in but Veenendaal got to it and held on!
39 the minute, Ertz took the ball, turned around, passed it to Morgan who got to it, sent in a volley from the box but oooohh VEENENDAAL got to it! What a save!
Corner for USA, but possession swapped as Netherlands No.10 de Donk counter attacked, she ran but slipped!
40th minute-, Beerensteyn made a run, Dahlkemper brought her down awarding herself a Yellow, and The Dutch a free kick. Spitse took it, O’Hara deflected it with her head and sent for a corner. Corner was taken,and the ball went back to USA.
2 minutes added to the first half.
Head collision between O’Hara and Martens in the first added minute. Nasty one! Both left the pitch for a check-up! Match resumed with an uncontested Drop-Ball!
The 2nd added minute saw Miedema make a spectacular run on the left, inside the American box, got the ball ahead of 4 defenders (!!!) alone, shot it in to her right, but Sauerbrunn headed away the attempt!
The last minute of play saw Dutch win a corner awarded by Mewis’ deflection of Spitse’s free kick. Spitse took the corner, sent in the ball and a long rumble ensued as USA looked threatened for the first time inside the penalty area! The ball went out, Van Der Gragt sent it back but finally cleared by Ertz! Whew!
45 minutes of absorbing play came to a finish! Netherlands held on and successfully disproved the Pundits! USA had many chances, and were wonderful as always, but I think they met some legendary opponents here! 😉
Second half kicked off.
Morgan made an unopposed run on the left flank, Der Gragt reached on time to send it for a corner. Rapinoe took it, Ertz got to it but headed it side on her left.
47th minute: De Donk dispossessed by Rapinoe, who made the run, Morgan was in the box but Rapinoe tried herself sending in a weak shot into Veenendaal’s arms.
53rd minute: De Donk and Sauerbrunn jumped to receive a HEADER, clashed in the air leaving a bloodied Sauerbrunn.
57th minute: The Dutch launch a counterattack after a USA throw in, Miedema ran, passed it ahead but Beerensteyn couldn’t reach it on time.
58th minute: Heath sent in a cross, Spitse deflected it but Morgan reached it, Van Der Gragt lifted her leg high to clear it but hit Morgan and USA was awarded a penalty!
Rapinoe took the spot kick and carried USA forward to 1-0 in the 60th minute as she sent in the ball to her right while Veenendaal froze in the middle!
64th minute: Miedema chested the ball, ran forwards and into the American box, tackled past but kept it to herself for too long and was dispossessed by Ertz! But the amount of time she held onto it?! Incredible!!!
Aaannnnd Lavelle made it 2-0 for the Americans in the 69th minute as she made a run right in the middle of the field, took the ball a little left away from Gragt and shot it straight and clean into the right of the net!
70th min: Rapinoe sent in, Heath got to it, inside the box, amazing block by Spitse-, Heath fell down, Veenendaal fell, collapse in the center, Rapinoe ran in but shot it out of play!
71st min: another threat as Morgan ran on the right side, inside the box, shot it but Veenendaal ran to it and cuddled it away to safety.
Shots after shots! Attempts after attempts! It kept getting better!
De Sanden walked on for the Dutch! (One of my favs! :D)
75th minute, Rapinoe sent in, Dunn got to it inside the box, metres away took it but Veenendaal yet again denied USA with a monster save!
76th minute: Beerensteyn attempted a direct hit from the left side,outside the box but sent it into Naeher’s gloves!
Rapinoe came off in the 78th minute to a resounding ovation! True legend!!! Press replaced her.
79th minute and Netherlands was awarded a free kick. Spitse took it, right from outside the ‘D’, shot it just wide to her left!
82nd minute: Morgan took a shot on goal, Veenendaal saved it. Would’ve been OFFSIDE though!
83rd minute: The Dutch lost possession again as Lavelle won the ball and sent it ahead, Heath got to it, ran inside the box, had hardly 2 defenders around, but she did not take it! She hesitated, waited for others to come, and when they did, Press got the ball and shot it into Veenendaal’s hands!
85th minite: The wonderful Lavelle intercepted a Bloodworth pass, sent it in but saved.
36 year old, 2015 World Cup Hero No. 10 Carli Lloyd walked on as Heath’s substitute in the 86th minute, probably her last ever World Cup as a player!
89th minute: Lloyd won a ball and passed it to Press who ran forward unmarked, but Bloodworth reached her and cleared away with a wonderful sliding tackle.
5 minutes added. Seconds into added time and Lloyd ran upto the box, looking for a fairytale goal, but Gragt dispossessed her with an easy tackle!
USA moved as slowly as they could, wasting time! 😉 And once again tried to wall off the ball int he corners in the dying minutes!
Carli Lloyd attempted again I’m the 4th min but Gragt cleared.
Aaaaaaannnddddd USA did it!!!! 🔥🔥🤑🤑🤩🤩🔥🔥USA has won a consecutive World Cup, first time on European grounds, making Jill Ellis the first coach to win 2 World cups as head coach!
Netherlands looked real good in the first half, but the 61st minute penalty that took ahead USA defeated a lot of hopes! Netherlands seemed to have lost their touch! Better luck next time to the Heroes In Orange!
Ellen White: Bronze Boot🥳
Alex Morgan: Silver boot🥳
Rapinoe : Golden Boot, Golden Ball!🥳
Veenendaal, the GOLDEN GLOVE!!!🥳
Lavelle: Bronze Ball🥳
This tournament has been LIT!!!! 🔥🔥🔥🔥Awesome players, awesome games, awesome fans! It has been a rollercoaster, full of surprises and thrills, edge of the seat moments, jumping off the seat moments, falling off the seat moments!!!
Now, it’s all done! Another World Cup in USA’s bag, a new Dawn for Netherlands, Sweden, Cameroon and Argentina and everything more for all the teams! It was an enthralling tournament, as I’m left wanting MORE!!!
Now?
WE GO AHEAD!
GODSPEED TO ALL!
MAY THE FORCE BE WITH US ALL!
That’s a wrap!!! 😀
Trailblazers! 
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