By Ivan Yeo
Colombia 2, France 0
Colombia delivered the stunner of the tournament. Lady Andrade’s first half goal capped off by Catalina Usme’s goal late in the second half allowed Colombia to earn its first ever World Cup win with the upset of third-rank France on Saturday.
Colombia surprised the French in the 19th minute. Yoreli Rincon sent a ball forward that landed right at the top of the penalty area. Andrade chased it down and slotted a shot past keeper Sarah Bouhaddi at her near post to stake Colombia to the lead.
France played desperately to get back into the match. Elise Bussaglia had the first shot at an equalizer when she curled a ball towards goal, but keeper Sandra Sepulveda parried the ball off the crossbar and back into play.
However, the one play France will surely be fuming about for the next few days occurred in the 67th minute. Claire Lavogez ran down an open ball inside the Colombia penalty area and fired a howler towards goal, but the ball apparently hit off the hand off a Colombian defender, but play however continued on. Colombia sealed the match in stoppage time, as Sarah Bouhaddi possessed a ball outside of the penalty area, Colombia took advantage by applying pressure and they eventually got the ball, broke for goal and Usme fired a shot past Bouhaddi into the back net.
England 2, Mexico 1
With its World Cup stay hanging in the balance, the Three Lionesses took on control of its match against Las Tri in the second half, as goals from Fran Kirby and Karen Carney put England ahead, and they withstood one last gasp from Mexico to pull out the win.
Kirby got her shot in the 71st minute, as a heavy touch from Valeria Miranda allowed Kirby to gain possession into the penalty area. Kirby took a couple of touches and slotted a shot past keeper Cecilia Santiago that hit off the back post, but crossed the goal line for the game’s first goal. England got the all-important second goal in the 82nd minute, as Alex Greenwood crossed into the penalty are and Carney’s header beat Santiago into the back net.
And an all-important goal it turned out to be for England, as Mexico pulled one back in stoppage time. Charlyn Corral fired right on target, Bardsley made the save, but spilled the ball back into play and an alert Fabiola Ibarra charged and fired the ball into the back net for the goal. England however was able to kill off the remainder of the match.
