FOX Sports FIFA Women’s World Cup Morning Highlights – Tuesday, June 30

FOX Sports’ coverage of the FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP 2015™ continues tonight with a massive semifinal match between the top two ranked teams in the world as the USA faces Germany. Coverage begins at 6:00 PM ET on local FOX stations.

See below for today’s schedule and for highlights from last night’s episode of FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP TONIGHT.

TODAY’S SCHEDULE
6:00 PM ET – FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP TODAY, FOX
7:00 PM ET – USA vs. Germany, FOX
(Montreal – JP Dellacamera, Cat Whitehill, Tony DiCicco and Jenny Taft)
9:00 PM ET – FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP TONIGHT, FOX Sports 1

FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP TONIGHT Highlights:

Game analyst and special guest Aly Wagner thinks coach Jill Ellis should consider keeping Carli Lloyd out of the starting lineup, despite her captain status:
“Why is it Morgan Brian or Lauren Holiday? Why can’t it be Morgan Brian and Lauren Holiday and then you bring Carli Lloyd in as a substitute maybe later in the game when you can put her higher on the field?

“Leaders show up regardless of the captain’s armband. Megan Rapinoe is one of those people and Becky Sauerbrunn is another, but I don’t think you sacrifice the way the team is going to play based on not having a “captain” on the field.”

Leslie Osborne says the U.S. needs to come out strong if they have a chance to beat Germany:
“The U.S. has to have that same mentality that they had against China. The first 15 minutes are the most important. Obviously they need to score goals, but they need to have that fire and that attitude and put Germany on their heels, press them and go at them. We need to see that, and the goals will come.”

Ariane Hingst says high pressure defense is important for both the USA and Germany:
“If America is able to put high pressure on the German team, then they can have success.

“The U.S. has played really good defense, so you might think if they score early you can settle down. No – you can never settle down against Germany, and the other way around, as well. If Germany scores early, you can never settle down because it’s the U.S. It’s more about how long both teams can put high pressure on the opponent.”

Wagner calls England coach Mark Sampson the ‘manager of the tournament’:
“Mark Sampson has been manager of the tournament. He’s played every player, minus the backup goalkeepers. They don’t have stars, so this team has bought in to this big philosophy.

“Everyone has really bought in because at any moment their number is going to be called and they get to play a role for this team. This team is the best unit, and I really believe they’re one when I see them celebrate after their goals and wins.”

Canada goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc joined the show and talked about a goalkeeper’s mentality when facing a penalty kick:
“The goalkeeper’s job is to try to get in the player’s head. As a goalkeeper, going into a PK shootout, you make one save and you put your team in a good position. I’m just trying to get in her head. I’ve done some research; I know her tendencies; I know where she likes to go.

“It’s about the goalkeeper being patient enough not to go too early. It’s about trying to be patient with all the hype in that big moment.”

Hingst says opposing teams would never stay in the same hotel in the Men’s World Cup, as they do in the Women’s World Cup:
“Welcome to the world of women’s soccer. I don’t know why FIFA does that, but this is what you do. You see each other in the hotel and in the elevator – it would never happen in the men’s [game].”