BY Victor Akhidenor
Carli Lloyd’s 51st-minute header was enough for the USA to see off China PR in the quarter-final in Ottawa to set up an epic semi-final clash with Germany in Montreal on Tuesday.
The Chinese were on the back foot for most parts of the game and duly lost the game as the Americans maintained their record of featuring in every FIFA Women’s World Cup semi-final.
Wang Fei was the busier of the two goalkeepers, as she was called to action on several occasions. She was equal to all the Americans threw her way, but Lloyd was not to be denied soon after the break, connecting with a towering header from a Julie Johnston cross to send the Yankees through.
In Montreal, Germany’s captain, Nadine Angerer, was the heroine after helping her side to a penalty shootout win against France after an enthralling 120 minutes had finished 1-1.
Louisa Necib, the ‘female Zinedine Zidane’, scored what had looked like the decisive goal for France to book a second consecutive FIFA Women’s World Cup semi-final in normal time, but Celia Sasic’s late spot-kick sent the game to extra-time and, ultimately, penalties.
After nine kicks had been successfully converted, Angerer saved substitute Claire Lavogez’s effort to put the two-time champion one step away from a fifth Women’s World Cup final.
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