Details
Date | Time | League | Season |
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12 August 2023 | 11:30 am | Women's World Cup | 2022/23 |
Match Report
England hang on at the death to progress to the semi-finals of the Women’s World Cup thanks to goals from Lauren Hemp and Alessia Russo in their 2-1 quarter-final win over Colombia. An opening goal from Leicy Santos just before half-time gave the Colombians some hope but Hemp equalised in added time of the first half before Russo slotted home midway through the second to set the Lionesses up with a semi-final encounter with hosts, Australia. England started the brighter of the two sides, creating a heart-in-mouth moment for the Colombians in the opening five minutes. Lauren Hemp fired a shot that was blocked by Carolina Arias, with the rebound falling to Alessia Russo who fired her shot against the head of Arias when the defender ended up on the ground as a result of her previous block. Unfortunately for the South Americans, the veteran full-back was shaken up after her defensive efforts and was forced off after just ten minutes with a suspected knee injury. Colombia were certainly living up to the reputation established from their pre-tournament friendly with Ireland, as there were a number of crunching tackles in the first half – none of which resulted in bookings much to the annoyance of the Lionesses. And England’s overall mood would sour even further in the forty-fourth minute when Leicy Santos looked to be crossing from the corner of the England area, but her delivery landed within the frame of the goals over the head of Mary Earps to give Colombia an unexpected but deserved lead. Questions will be asked of Earps, but the scrutiny of her performance was short-lived as Catalina Perez had a moment to forget six minutes into added time at the end of the first half. A cross in from Lucy Bronze landed between the Colombian centre-backs and Alessia Russo in the box but the chance looked to be gone as Perez slid out to grab the ball. Inexplicably, the ball came loose from the keeper's grasp and into the path of Lauren Hemp, who didn’t look this gift horse in its mouth and levelled the game. The second half began with Colombia proving to the doubters that they were by no means finished in this game, giving as good as they got in the early stages. A well-worked free-kick routine by England sent Hemp down the right of the Colombian box and dinked a ball that looked certain to end up on the head of Rachel Daly for a tap-in, but Perez atoned for her earlier error by clawing the ball out of the air and away from the Aston Villa striker. England would take the lead a few minutes later through their designated striker, Alessia Russo. A neat turn by Georgia Stanway in the middle of the Colombian half created the space to send Russo through. Daniella Arias looked certain to deal with the danger but the ball managed to make its way through to Russo, who calmly slotted the ball home. Lorena Bedoya struck a shot from range just after the goal that was hit with real venom but Earps flung herself across to keep England’s advantage intact. England were hanging on for the best part of the second half but managed to keep the Colombian chances to a minimum as the Euro’s champions make the final four of the World Cup.England Struggle Past Colombia to Set Up Semi-Final with Australia
Timeline
10' | Carolina Arias Ana Maria Guzman | |
44' | 10. Leicy Santos | |
11. Lauren Hemp | 45+6' | |
23. Alessia Russo | 63' | |
67' | Catalina Perez Natalia Giraldo | |
77' | Diana Ospina Ivonne Chacon | |
Alessia Russo Chloe Kelly | 85' | |
Lauren Hemp Bethany England | 90+2' |
Ground
Sydney Football Stadium |
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Allianz Stadium, Moore Park Road, Five Ways, Paddington, Sydney, Council of the City of Sydney, New South Wales, 2021, Australia |
FULL TIME: England 2-1 Colombia
Caicedo fires high and wide in what might be the last chance of the game.
Ramirez spins on the edge of the box to fire a shot at the England goal but it goes well wide.
Beth England comes on in place of Hemp.
EIGHT minutes of added time
Santos does well down the right of the box to win a corner for Colombia.
Chacon does well to get into the box and win a corner kick. England are hanging on.
Ramirez has the chance to lay the ball across to Caicedo in the box but makes the wrong decision and England clear the danger.
Garcia comes off and Chacon comes on.
An audacious effort by Bedoya is saved acrobatically by Earps to keep England ahead.
Perez does come off and is replaced by the twenty year old, Natalia Giraldo.
Perez is down for the second time and it looks like Colombia may have to replace their keeper.
2-1 TO ENGLAND! A smart turn by Stanway in midfield creates the space to send the ball through to Russo. Arias looked favourite to deal with the danger but the ball slipped by her into the path of Russo who calmly slotted the ball into the bottom corner to give England the lead.
A well-worked set play routine sends Hemp through but Perez reaches up to claw the ball away from the onrushing Daly who would have had a tap in otherwise.
Daniella Arias gives away a sloppy free-kick fouling Russo with her back to goal.
Bronze excellently intercepts a ball destined for Caicedo to prevent what would have been a really dangerous situation for England.
Daly heads on target from a Greenwood corner but again it is hard to direct the ball away from Perez.
Ramirez picks up where she left off from the first half, running in behind the England defence and firing a shot wide of the near post.
And we are back underway!
HALF TIME: England 1-1 Colombia
1-1! An absolute calamity of a goal to concede for Colombia. Perez dives to claim the ball after a cross from Lucy Bronze but the Colombian keeper spills it inexplicably into the path of Lauren Hemp to level the game. A sucker punch before half time and very harsh on Colombia who have been the better side in this opening forty-five minutes.
Six minutes are being added at the end of the first half.
1-0 TO COLOMBIA! Well, who would have guessed this? Santos whips what looks to be a cross from the corner of the box. The ball in on target and just creeps in over the head of Earps in the England goal. Questions will be asked of Earps but Colombia will not care one bit. We have a game here.
Caicedo finds space in the box after a tidy passage of play down the right side by her teammates. Her shot is blocked but Colombia have looked the better team in the last ten minutes.
Stanway flies in on Caicedo. The ref has let a lot go in the first half. Both Santos and Stanway are lucky not to have been cautioned.
Santos gets away with a cynical foul on Stanway. Free-kick for England just inside the Colombia half.
Colombia are giving as good as they are getting in the opening half an hour. Physicality is being matched with physicality so far.
Stanway slices her effort back towards goal after an England corner but it finds Daly whose header is straight at Perez from an acute angle.
Colombia are living up to their reputation among Irish fans as the substitute Guzman crashes into Russo stopping an England counter attack.
Caicedo has the legs on Carter and glides by her before chopping in on her right foot and curling the ball over the bar. Early warning for England.
Arias does come off in place of Guzman.
Arias hobbles off the field and looks unlikely to continue as the game restarts.
Panic in the Colombian box as Hemp and Russo get shots away but their attempts are blocked before the referee blows for a free-kick for the South Americans
The crowd seems predominantly Colombian, which may come as a shock for England who play in a commonwealth nation.
And we are underway!
Welcome to coverage of the final WWC quarter-final between England and Colombia. Conor Cantwell is on hand to report on the action ahead.