OK, we’re going to wrap this blog up. Well done to USA, and commiserations to China. Thanks for reading. Bye.
Caitlin Murray was at the game in Ottawa: here’s her game report:
Updated
Well played China, but they didn’t really show anything in attack. Wang Shanshan and Wang Lisi looked positive, but they’re essentially a defensive team, and once Lloyd scored, China didn’t look like responding.
Here’s Jill Ellis:
“I think it was a highly energised performance, and created a lot of opportunities, so yeah, we’re really pelased. I thought Amy Rodriguez was fantastic tonight, I just thought overall the team played very well. It’s time to play. It’s kind of what we said: let’s put the group stage behind us, and let’s do this.”
Updated
Just looking back at that goal: Lloyd got up really well. It was a nothing ball in from Johnston, but Lloyd did brilliantly.
Michael Phelps is happy:
Congrats to @ussoccer_wnt !!! #usa
— Michael Phelps (@MichaelPhelps) June 27, 2015
Well, that was much easier than the score suggests. China just didn’t have enough. USA were comfortable. Next up: Germany!
Full-time: China 0-1 USA
90 min + 3: Pang fires from distance. It’s ambitious, and Solo fields with no drama. China just haven’t thrown enough players forward. And that’s it! USA go through!
90 min + 2: No. It’s just not happening for the Chinese. A minute left.
90 min + 1: Three minutes of added time. Can China make one final chance?
90 min: Pang tries to force a corner, but Johnston sees it out for a goal kick.
89 min: And a chance for Christen Press seal it! She beat two – she went past Li easily in the box – but her shot was off target. Shame: the approach play was nice.
88 min: Handball by Press. China need a goal, but they just haven’t functioned as an attacking force. Much endeavour, but little craft. Johnston steps in to take it from Wang Shuang. China going out with a whimper.
87 min: China can’t get the ball. They look jaded.
86 min: And a chance for Christen Press! Low corner from Heath, dummied by Wambach, but Press fired over. Nicely worked.
85 min: Rodriguez gets clear down the left, but it breaks down again – but then Press accepts the lose ball, and fires at goal. It’s blocked. Corner! And a final change: Abby Wambach for Amy Rodriguez.
Updated
84 min: China go long into the box, looking for Wang Shanshan, but Solo claims easily.
Updated
82 min: USA look comfortable here. China have to take a chance, no?
81 min: Heather O’Reilly on for Alex Morgan: “She is a workhorse – and she’s so fast,” says Cat Whitehill on commentary. Nine minutes to hold it up, run around a bit, and generally make a nuisance of herself.
80 min: Wang Lisi tried a curler, but straight at Hope Solo. Incidentally, USA haven’t conceded a goal in the second half of games at this tournament. And they don’t look like they’re going to concede here, either.
79 min: Urgency required from China, but they can’t quite get going. Ooh, here’s a chance, though: Sauerbrunn comes through the back of Wang Shanshan, and it’s a free kick about 30 yards from goal.
78 min: Great play from Morgan down the left, beating Wu with skill and pace, but her cross is just too long for Christen Press.
75 min: USA look OK here: China haven’t really got round the sides and hurt them, and USA look the more likely scorers right now.
Updated
73 min: My oh my, what a shot! So nearly 2-0: Ali Krieger hits the bar! It didn’t look as if anything was on, so she just had a dip with her left foot from outside the box, and it clanged back off the woodwork! (Does wood clang?) Great effort, and so unlucky. Final change for China. Tang replaces Han Peng.
Updated
71 min: They haven’t really created any clear openings, China, but they’re game, and Wu moves forward smoothly. China on the front foot here, but Liu’s pass is errant, and here come USA on the break. Morgan can’t keep it in, but this game has some nice ebb and flow.
Updated
70 min: … and Solo punches clear, somewhat nervously. It’s sent back in by Wang Shuang, but no danger.
69 min: China coming into this now! It’s a corner …
67 min: Julie Johnston has been immaculate here tonight, and she wins another clean header from Wang Shanshan. Now Wang Shuang tries to go through the middle, but it’s mopped up. Nothing doing for China so far.
66 min: Rodriguez tries to pinch one from Wu in the right-back slot, but she can’t control it. Goal kick, and Wang Fei will send it long.
65 min: For all the talk of them being a defensive team, China pass it very nicely: they’ve got some technically accomplished players. They’ve come out from their ultra-defensive shape now: there’ll be more goals in this. That’s my hot take!
64 min: China are plenty young, so they shouldn’t tire. But that was a chance! Wang Shanshan’s header, and Wang Lisi just couldn’t get on the end of it.
60 min: China had a corner there, and they played it short, and Wu crossed it – but only Wang Shanshan was in the box! Potty! Change for USA – O’Hara out, Christen Press in. I think O’Hara got clattered by Wang Fei about five minutes ago, and couldn’t continue. But O’Hara should be proud: she’s played really well.
58 min: A reminder that the winner here will play Germany on Tuesday in Montreal. China need a goal! They’re pressing a little higher up the pitch, but now here come USA the other way, with Morgan down the left. She’s crowded out.
57 min: Change for Tan Ruyin out, Pang Fengyue in. Tan looks beat. USA playing with 10 – Kelley O’Hara is bleeding from her nose.
55 min: Corner to USA. And Wang Fei misses it again! She’s a good goalie, but she’s missed three punches on crosses today. Fortunately for her, China scramble it clear.
53 min: Now China have a problem. They have to score, otherwise they’re going home, but how do they do that without opening themselves up? Head coach Hao Wei has to earn his money here.
51 min: All that hard defensive work China have put in, and they’re undone on a long ball! Johnston just tossed it into the penalty area, and Lloyd just got up higher than everyone else! Her header was solid, and accurate, and low, and maybe it skipped off the turf a little under Wang Fei’s body. But USA lead, and it’s the captain!
GOAL! China 0-1 USA (Lloyd 51)
And there it is! Carli Lloyd!
Updated
50 min: It’s going to be difficult for China to win this in their current set-up: they’re so deep, and so focused on defence, and they don’t have an out ball. Wang Shanshan has had to drop so deep to collect it, and the Chinese attackers are on top of their defenders. Some fine-tuning needed. Wu, the captain, trips Rodriguez. Yellow card.
48 min: Lloyd goes on a sortie down the right, and that’s excellent support play from O’Hara. She’s crowded out, but it’s a USA corner – and it’s a waste from Heath. China clear.
47 min: Shot from Rodriguez. It’s speculative, and it’s well wide.
46 min: OK, then, let’s go again! No changes at the half, and immediately China settle into their defensive shape.
USA are back on the pitch! And Abby Wambach gives a motivational speech, with plenty of fuckings thrown in for good measure.
Updated
Our women’s soccer expert Caitlin Murray is in Ottawa:
The Americans are playing with the ball on the ground. This is not the same we’ve seen from them thus far in this tournament. No question.
— Caitlin Murray (@caitlinmurr) June 27, 2015
Daniel Stauss is not impressed by USA:
China’s defense looks far too comfortable in the face of this US … possession, not pressure. There’s an abysmal lack of interest from the US when it comes to the final ball in, or the incisive run to clear space, or really in anything much, and China seems more than fine with that.
The US looks completely flat. That was a boring first half. Credit to Julie Johnson, though, she’s been decent.
Just watching that Rodriguez attempt again, and I misspoke: she tried to take it with her right, and bend it past the keeper. (Also, the bad mistake was from Li Dongna.)
Here’s the chance:
From earlier: Amy Rodriguez might've had the worst shot of the tournament here #USA https://t.co/16MsSeXOjA
— HuffPost Sports (@HuffPostSports) June 26, 2015
Colombia are playing Argentina in the quarter-finals of the Copa America – and it’s tetchy! It’s 0-0 at half-time, and you can find out what happened in the first 45 with Nick Ames:
Here’s Marc Howlett:
What tactical changes, if any, do you see US coach Jill Ellis making in the second half? Perhaps bringing on a Boxx to Boxx midfielder?
Maybe! But there’s very little criticism here of USA – they’ve played well, but just haven’t been able to score. That chance that fell to Rodriguez early on was golden: she should have tucked it away.
Half-time: China 0-0 USA
45 min: Lovely cushioned header from Carli Lloyd, but Morgan’s left foot shot is blocked by the redoubtable Wu. And that’s the half! USA have the edge, but it’s still 0-0. I’m not quite sure how, but it is!
43 min: Lovely turn by Heath, but China defend that well, and Wang Lisi, who’s been their best performer, carries it forward. Better from China – that was much more confident passing – but Wang Lisi’s shot doesn’t trouble Hope Solo.
42 min: Surely it’s only a matter of time before USA score. USA go left, and then right, and there’s all kinds of movement, and now back to Johnston, and she looks for Rodriguez … but her touch is heavy, not for the first time, and that’s a goal kick.
41 min: Lloyd looks as though she’s always prepared to start something: this we like. Then Krieger’s diagonal ball looks for Morgan, but it’s too high.
40 min: China have resolutely refused to go long to Wang Shanshan, but maybe they should: they’re all so deep, that a direct ball might relieve some pressure and get them on the front foot. There’s nowhere for them to go!
38 min: Actually, China deserve great credit here: they had an awful opening five minutes or so, and looked all at sea, but they’ve clung on, and shown desire and tenacity and courage, and they’re still at 0-0. They don’t look comfortable, but they’re still in this!
37 min: The technique from Lloyd there was textbook: the ball hardly wobbled. Now Lloyd looks to play in Rodriguez round the corner, but they’re not quite on the same wavelength.
36 min: I like the look of Wang Fei, China’s goalkeeper: she looks like she has a bit of needle in her. In a good way! And she’s called upon here, beating away a long-range free kick from Carli Lloyd that dipped and swerved. Very well struck; well saved.
36 min: Change for China: Wang Shuang in for Lou Jiahui.
35 min: Better possession here from China – Tan trying to make something happen from midfield. But they have so few players in advances positions, it’s difficult to get out. Then a bad giveaway from Lloyd! China attacked down the left, but Wang Lisu’s cross was just behind Wang Shanshan.
33 min: Foul from Lloyd on Tan. Here’s Kyle Brown:
I think China has consumed about 6 of their 9 lives here.
Yep!
32 min: China have barely had a shot. They’ve defended tenaciously, but the ball keeps coming back. They’re clinging on! Fortunately for them, O’Hara’s cross from the byline is behind.
31 min: Oof, Rodriguez looked like she was in there down the right, but Zhao Rong did so well to come across and cover. Corner, though … and a free header for Johnston! Over the bar!
30 min: Rolled in nicely to Rodriguez from the free-kick, but it rolls through to Wang Fei, and China can take a breather. They need it!
29 min: That’s excellent defending from the left-back Liu Shanshan, heading clear when O’Hara looked ready to pounce – ooh, and that’s a late one from Lou Jiahui on Johnston. No card, though.
26 min: Heath with it … but well defended by China. And that’s off the line! Wang Fei came for another cross, and again didn’t get a clear contact. Krieger stabbed it goalwards, but it was hacked clear. China at sixes and sevens here!
25 min: It’s anywhere will do at the moment for China – Wang Shanshan is so isolated up front, it just keeps coming back. And that was a tense moment for her namesake Wang Fei – she came for a cross and got nowhere near it, but Rodriguez just couldn’t profit. Free-kick for USA, though, now, in a dangerous position on the edge of the box on the right.
23 min: O’Hara has shown so much spunk down this right-hand side – in defence and attack. And there she is again, trying to get on the end of Heath’s cross! Just wouldn’t fall for her, but this is good stuff from USA: they’ve really picked up the tempo. China are rocking.
22 min: Rodriguez offside when she didn’t need to be: had she held her run, she’d have been in there. USA pressing here.
21 min: Chance! It fell to Morgan after a nice layoff from Carli Lloyd, but Morgan couldn’t get any power with her left foot, and Wang saves easily. And then O’Hara with a header just wide! Heath did so well down the left, crossed to the back post, and O’Hara just couldn’t direct it on goal. Well played.
20 min: Nice feet from Wang Lisi – she’s impressed so far. Han tries to go down the left, but that’s solid defending from Kelley O’Hara, not for the first time.
18 min: That was a good example of China’s shortcomings in attack: Wang Shanshan did well to pinch in from Klingenberg, but there was no one to pass to! Everyone behind the ball. Then Han has a blast from range, and spanks it into orbit.
16 min: Tan gives it away cheaply, and USA come again, but China again are very quick to close down. They really are narrow and tight in front of that back four – that early Rodriguez chance notwithstanding.
14 min: Much better defending from China: Liu did well to shepherd the ball out of play as O’Hara went down the right. But Wang Shanshan is so isolated up front.
Here’s Charlie Dunn:
Big USA fan here. On a bus to NYC so my experience of the game is completely in your hands, Tim! Make sure to mention every time the ball spins weirdly on the turf to satisfy Wambach! Oh, and when Kelly O’Hara gets the opening goal before the 30 minute mark, please mention that I called it!
13 min: Wang Lisi slung it into the box, and Tan had a blast from distance, but it all came to naught. China not really clicking as an attacking force, but they’ve settled after an inauspicious start.
12 min: USA tried to attack down the left with Morgan, and there were nine Chinese players within about 10 yards of their own penalty box. Corner now for China …
11 min: Wang Shanshan and Han combine well down the left, and then Wang Lisi has a blast from distance. It’s blocked by Morgan Brian.
9 min: 63% of the possession so far from USA. Kyle Brown makes a perceptive point:
China doesn’t look as solid as advertised thus far.
Quite so! There really is a lot of space for USA.
8 min: USA have found acres of space in front of the Chinese back four, and that’s a decent effort from O’Hara, following some nimble work from Rodriguez out wide. Wang sees it over the top, though, and there’s no danger.
6 min: Better from China – that’s a good pass for Wang Shanshan, but USA defend it well. USA on top.
5 min: USA seeing lots of the ball early on, and Morgan has a try from distance, left footed. But Wang moves her feet well, and it’s an easy stop.
3 min: Nervy start by China, and that was a basic error in defence. Rodriguez had so much time, and she really was all alone in front of Wang, but it looked like she just had a brain freeze. Maybe she thought she was more comfortable in taking it with her left, but the natural angle was to hit it with her right, and she tried to bend it with the outside of her left. Big chance!
2 min: USA kick off, and immeditely look long. It’s Wang’s ball. Tony DiCicco on commentary wants USA to start quickly – and that’s a clear chance! Amy Rodriguez! Wu left it, and Rodriguez was clean through, but she tried to hit it with the outside of her left foot, and got it horribly wrong. Miles wide! That was a golden chance – inside two minutes.
Updated
Carli Lloyd wins her 200th international cap. She’s the 10th USA player to reach that milestone. Wu, the China captain, wins the toss. It’s a full house here – 24,000 fans or so.
Updated
USA are in white! Forgive my earlier idiocy.
An observation: Julie Johnston has painted her nails in the colors of the national flag. U-S-A! U-S-A! Actually, Johnston has had a terrific tournament – she’s a really top defender.
The players are on the pitch. We’re listening to an announcement about fair play – in English and French, of course. China look relaxed! They’re in red. USA are in white tracksuit tops, which I assume are covering blue shirts. Blue? Time for the anthems!
Paul LaMourie has some tactical advice:
Regarding Gaetane Thiney’s ET miss in Germany v France, to paraphrase Abby Wambach “on grass I think that ball goes in” – always more difficult to get on the end of a low cross with pace the way the ball moves on turf.
With Wambach not starting so long as Team USA plays their crosses from out wide on the ground, they’ll be OK. Get to the byline, then cut the ball back to a trailer so the path of the pass isn’t parallel to the two lines of Chinese defenders that are sure to be bunkered in. Square balls into the middle will be too easy to cut out and clear.
Not much said about Klingenberg – her overlaps have been impressive, and she’s very technical and therefore impactful when she adds to the attack out wide. Also able to play in tight spaces when she or a teammate wins possession and they play out of the back instead of booting it long.
Ariane Hingst says of USA: “They are better, stronger – and they’ll be playing Germany.” Lalas says USA have the best defence of the tournament, and Kelly Smith feels width is the key. Kick off is 13 minutes away – we’re almost ready!
Here’s Jon Pollak:
After watching the best match of the tournament... USA could actually beat the Germans. If, and it’s a big if, they up their game.
First things first, Jon! Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Any China fans out there? Email me! I’d love to hear from you.
Updated
Amy Rodriguez, aka A-Rod, has played just 32 minutes at this tournament. Can she come in and do the biz?
Some pictures from Ottawa:
Here’s Jill Ellis reflecting on the changes to the USA lineup: “I think Amy gives the ability to hold the ball up. Kelley loves to get forward, and I think she’ll do a great job. Mo will play a bit more of a defensive role, but she’ll be fine.”
Hingst says China are “solid on defence”, and feels Wang Lisi, breaking from midfield, is one to watch. And head coach Hao Wei is back for China after serving a one-match suspension.
Updated
Ariane Hingst in the Fox studio wonders whether USA are missing a trick by not selecting Wambach. China, Kelly Smith says, are going to play narrow at the back, so USA will have to go wide – and they might require Wambach in the air.
A loss against China would be “an absolute failure,” says Alexi Lalas.
USA haven’t been that good so far this tournament, have they? Ponderous against Australia, lacking against Sweden, unconvincing against Nigeria, workmanlike against Colombia. But they’ve never failed to reach the last four in World Cups, and they should prevail today. But a bit more flair and imagination wouldn’t go amiss.
Megan Rapinoe from earlier: she wants USA to “do the work”.
Boom!! America. 🇺🇸🌈🙋🏼. Very proud to be Murican today💃🏼. And the @ussoccer_wnt gonna do the work today👊🏼🇺🇸
— Megan Rapinoe (@mPinoe) June 26, 2015
Jim Harper has emailed!
I was quite surprised The Guardian didn’t have live coverage of Germany/France. You missed a hell of a game!
Yeah, it was great, wasn’t it? So sorry for France – and Lavogez in particular. When she missed that final PK, she had tears in her eyes, and just grabbed Jessica Houara’s jersey with her teeth. It was really emotional.
So Kelley O’Hara starts for USA – and no Abby Wambach, who starts from the bench. Megan Rapinoe and Lauren Holiday suspended, of course.
China go 4-2-3-1, and should play defensively – Wang Shanshan has some pace up front, though, and could cause USA some problems on the counter.
The lineups are in:
#USA XI: Solo (GK); Sauerbrunn; O’Hara; Rodriguez; Lloyd ©; Krieger; Morgan; Brian; Heath; Johnston; Klingenberg pic.twitter.com/qiQlVUgHQ8
— FIFA Women'sWorldCup (@FIFAWWC) June 26, 2015
#CHN XI: Wang Fei (GK); Liu; Wu ©; Li; Wang Shanshan; Zhao; Lou; Han; Tan; Wang Lisi; Ren pic.twitter.com/nTkuHiHSK4
— FIFA Women'sWorldCup (@FIFAWWC) June 26, 2015
By the way, you must check out Gaetane Thiney’s miss, with about five minutes to go in extra time. France worked it so nicely down the right, and Thiney was completely unmarked at the far post … and missed! Looker looker:
How did France miss this?! http://t.co/3OxIadKw2l https://t.co/O4G8AkX7Pk
— SB Nation (@SBNation) June 26, 2015
Germany into semi-finals
Germany have just beaten France in Montreal, on penalty kicks, in the most heartbreaking fashion. Poor Claire Lavogez – she took the final kick, Nadine Angerer saved, and the look on Lavogez’s face. So sad! Great game, that was: 1-1 after extra time, but France didn’t deserve to go out.
Hi! Right then, let’s play some soccer. No contrived preamble tonight –let’s just get down to brass tacks: kick-off is 7.30pm ET, and I can’t wait. Ottawa’s ready!
Updated
Tim will be here shortly. In the meantime, here’s Caitlin Murray on why USA have to improve:
For a team that has advanced into the final eight and remains a favorite to win, the tone about the USA’s performances from pundits covering the team and from personnel affiliated with the program has become increasingly negative.
Former player Michelle Akers, who won the Golden Boot in 1991 when the USA won the Women’s World Cup, was especially blunt in her criticism after the USA’s 2-0 win over Colombia. Akers said of Ellis: “If she is pleased with the way we played tonight, then what the hell is she doing coaching our US team?”
