USA beat France, Lionesses await

Megan Rapinoe scored twice as USA progressed

The United States set up a Women’s World Cup semi-final with England after knocking out hosts France 2-1, with Megan Rapinoe at the double.

Rapinoe, who was involved in a spat with U.S. President Donald Trump during the build-up to Friday night’s game at the Parc des Princes in Paris, opened the scoring in the fifth minute with a low-struck free-kick from the left that went in untouched through a crowd of players.

After the break, United States survived some intense French pressure but then Rapinoe added their second goal in the 65th minute with a calm finish after a low cross from the right by Tobin Heath.

France got back in the game with a Wendie Renard header in the 81st minute and with a 45,000 crowd roaring the hosts forward, they piled the pressure on, but USA held firm to maintain their record of never missing out on the semi-finals of a World Cup.

England will face the United States in the first semi-final in Lyon on July 2, with kick-off at 8pm. Follow it live across our Sky Sports digital platforms.

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• The host nation has been eliminated at the quarter-final stage in each of the last four Women’s World Cup tournaments – China in 2007, Germany in 2011, Canada in 2015 and France in 2019 have all fallen at this stage.
• USA have reached the semi-final in all eight of their Women’s World Cup tournaments.
• USA have now won their last 10 matches at the Women’s World Cup, equalling the longest run of wins in the tournament’s history set by Norway between 1995 and 1999.
• Six of France’s 10 goals at the 2019 Women’s World Cup were scored via set pieces, with four of those scored by Wendie Renard.
• USA’s Megan Rapinoe became the first player to score two or more goals in consecutive Women’s World Cup matches since Marta did so for Brazil in 2007.
• Since her debut at the Women’s World Cup in 2011, USA’s Rapinoe has been involved in more goals at the tournament than any other player (14 – 8 goals, 6 assists).

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