Charlie Smith
SPAIN’S Women’s World Cup dreams have ended as the USA scraped a 2-1 victory, knocking them out of the competition.
Megan Rapinoe put away two spot kicks to help the tournament favourites set up a dream tie against hosts France in the quarterfinals.
But cup-holders, the USA, were tested in the game at Stade Auguste-Delaune in Reims, after Spain’s Jennifer Hermoso equalised brilliantly minutes after the first goal.
However Spain felt aggrieved after Jill Ellis’ side were awarded a ‘soft’ second penalty via VAR, after Rose Lavelle went down in the box.
The USA took the lead inside 10 minutes after referee Katalin Kulcsar awarded a penalty as Tobin Heath was brought down in the area.
Star midfielder Rapinoe slotted the ball into the far left hand corner of the Spanish goal beyond a sprawling Sandra Paños.
But minutes later it was all square as Jorge Vilda’s side made it 1-1 through a superb Hermoso strike.
The Spanish forward capitalised on a defensive mix-up and lifted the ball high into the net from 30 yards out.
Spain then took the game to the three-time champions, before Kulcsar gave the second USA penalty in the 75th minute.
Rapinoe stepped up and again dispatched the spot kick into a similar area of the goal, with Paños almost getting fingertips to the ball this time.
Meanwhile, Phil Neville’s England side have also progressed to the last 8 following a 3-0 win over Cameroon, that was marred with controversy.
RefereeQin Liang twice overruled VAR calls in the last-16 clash to prevent the African side abandoning the match, while Lionesses winger Toni Duggan was even spat on by Augustine Ejangue.
