England bounce back from heartbreak with win over Germany
England collected the bronze medal on Saturday afternoon at the Women's World Cup, after Fara Williams scored a controversial penalty kick in extra-time to defeat the Germans 1-0 in Edmonton, Alberta. The game was a tired slog that displayed how much the tournament had taken out of both sides, and the penalty call was deeply dubious at best.
But the English women, who had never before medaled at a World Cup, will take it. For them, it is an achievement that will rank up there with the men's victory in 1966 and the Three Lions' fourth-place showing in 1990. Indeed, it is England's second-best ever showing at a World Cup.
"This is the team we wanted to be," coach Mark Sampson said. "We wanted to show the nation that, look, we can be knocked down, but we can also get back up. And that's what we did."
This is a game no one wants to play: The third-place match is one of soccer's crueler peculiarities, a tie between two losing semifinalists that usually features teams simply trying not to get hurt.
But, after the heartbreak England felt after a horrible own goal from Laura Bassett allowed Japan to advance to face the USA tomorrow, this game did have an added resonance. A good showing from the Lionesses rightly could be seen as redemption for both the player and her country, and the English clearly wanted to win. But England's record at this level against the Germans was poor, with no goals scored for, and manager Silvia Neid was adamant pregame that her side would not lose another game in a row.
And on the evidence of the first half, the Germans came to prove that point. Right off the opening kickoff, Sara Dabritz forced Karen Bardsley to push the ball round the post off a header to signal that it would be a long night for the Lionesses. Playing with an effective bank of five at the back, England defended and defended, waiting for a small glimpse of daylight.
Steph Houghton was forced to clear a cross from Bianca Schmidt off her own line with a bicycle kick in the 8th minute; Dabritz put two shots over the bar, and Celia Sasic was slipped in free and clear on goal only to take the ball off her knee instead of her cleats. It went way over the bar and out.
The only look the English had, and it was a slim one, was when Tabea Kemme appeared to slide over and deflect a shot away from goal from Houghton with her arm. In truth, it would have been a harsh call, though given the erratic nature of refereeing at this tournament it was more of a surprise not to see it given.
As the half wound down, the Germans began to look frustrated, conceding possession cheaply in the middle of the field and yapping at one another after simple mistakes. One was also left with the impression that they weren't trying as hard as they might have, having spent most of their energy and passion two games prior.
The Germans increased their dominance in the second half, but largely to the same effect. Dabritz did force a fine, flying save from Bardsley in the 53rd min off great service from Sasic, but too often the Germans looked lazy in front of the goal, pressing England into their own box but not taking any advantage.
England finally saw some joy in the 75th minute, when sub Enoila Aluko managed to find some space down the near side and rotated the ball around the box to Jill Scott. With keeper Nadine Angerer well off her line, all Scott had to do was shoot the ball. Sadly, in one of the more inept displays of this tournament, she scuffed the ball backwards, then pleaded for a penalty kick. Aluko continued to be a minor headache for the German back line, with her and Angerer colliding hard late in regulation, but actual chances were non-existent.
Going into extra time scoreless, neither team looked able to break the deadlock. Both teams struggled to get the ball upfield, hacking balls out of play, and generally looking like they were wishing for the whistle. The closest either side came in the first period of extra time — and it wasn't close at all — was when Melanie Leupolz cannoned the ball into the stands off a half-volley.
But after the restart, the game turned. Tabea Kemme was judged to have held Lianne Sanderson in the box in the second half of extra time; in fact both players had a hold of one another. To call the call farcical might be insulting to satirists worldwide, but despite the protests of the German side, it stood. As Angerer went off on the referee, Williams stepped up to the spot, picked her corner, and scored.
For the sixth-ranked Lionesses, it was their first victory over Germany in 21 meetings.
"To finally beat Germany is a real big statement from this team, and something these players will be remembered for," Sampson said. "I think the performance of the players speaks volumes of the type of group I've had the pleasure of working with."
While the victory is a great and meaningful one for the English, it will also leave a bad taste in many neutrals' mouths. This has been a tournament scarred as much by poor refereeing as the artificial turf. Germany certainly didn't deserve to win this game on the day, but they also didn't deserve to have it taken from them, either.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
