In a replay of the 2019 World Cup Final when the American women beat the Dutch ladies in Lyon, France, it was the Netherlands who slightly dominated possession and drew first blood after just 17 minutes of the game. The USA fought back with a second-half equalizer. A point apiece keeps the USA in the top spot in their group on goal difference.
Captain Lindsey Horan came to the rescue of her team when the Americans were finally able to convert a corner kick, with the seventh one being the lucky one. Rose Lavelle sailed the ball into the box and Horan nodded it past Daphne Van Domselaar just inside the near post to put the four-time World Cup winners on level terms. The goal came in the 62nd minute.
Five minutes later the Americans thought they had taken the lead when Trinity Rodman picked the pocket of defender Dominique Janssen, then flew down the right wing and sent the ball to Alex Morgan all alone in the box. The 34-year-old attacker coolly slotted it into the back of the net but the flag justifiably went up for offside.
Before the World Cup began, this was billed as the biggest game in the group stages of the tournament and both teams proved that they were in contention for the title, although despite 14 new players appearing in the first World Cup, the Americans are the bookies choice to retain the Cup.
The American women will play their third and final game of the group stages next week in Auckland when they go up against Portugal. After losing their first game against the Netherlands in a tight 0-1 result, the Iberians beat Vietnam 2-0 and will look for something out of their final game as they hope to advance to the knockout stages.
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