The US women’s soccer team edged Great Britain in the morning heat at Yingfeng Sports Park in Taipei yesterday morning to book their spot in the Deaflympics final at Taipei Municipal Stadium on Monday at 7pm.
Britain opened brightly and in the third minute Donna Cross tested US keeper Jessie Zamichow, who made a good save diving to her right. As the first half progressed, however, the US began to control possession and territory, creating a string of chances.
In the 15th minute, the US’ Katherine Ward should have done better than shooting over the bar when Liza Offreda sent over a good cross from the right that Ward controlled 8m from goal. Three minutes later, Felicia Schroeder beat Britain’s Lydia Docker to a through ball in the penalty area, but her shot was also wayward. Then a minute later, a shot by Anna Smither from 25m produced a good save by Britain keeper Carly Waters, who pushed the ball behind for a corner.
Britain forward Camilla Willis always looked dangerous on the counterattack, her speed too much for the US centerbacks, and she broke free in the 21st minute and was fouled just outside the penalty area by defender Megan Johnston, who had to go off for treatment, before returning to a yellow card.
In the 30th minute the deadlock was broken when a long ball from right to left by Offreda opened up the British defense and Schroeder blasted the ball past Waters at her near post. Eight minutes later, Schroeder grabbed a second when a speculative effort from outside the penalty area squeezed under Waters’ dive and into the back of the net, handing the US a 2-0 halftime lead.
Schroeder tried again in the 55th minute, though this time her shot from 30m was well saved by Waters, who also denied a rasping effort by substitute Virginia Keeler 11 minutes later.
A series of substitutions by Britain revitalized the team and they began pushing forward looking for a way back into the match, but the US defense, expertly marshaled by Shaquana McDonough, held firm until the 83rd minute. Britain won a free-kick on the left and when it was crossed into the area Damaris Cooke got to the ball first to head home and set up a grand finale.
Willis then broke away from the US defense once again and only a last-ditch tackle by McDonough denied her a shot on goal.
In the 90th minute, Britain’s Esther Maycock fashioned an opportunity on the left of the US penalty area, but her shot flew wide and with it Britain’s chance of a tilt at winning gold.
In the other semi-final, Germany rallied to beat Russia 4-3 after extra-time in a roller-coaster match.
Russia were 3-0 up at halftime thanks to captain Svetlana Gagarina’s brace and a goal from Irina Degtyareva. The Germans proved they should never be written off, however, by coming back through goals by Sabine Ziegler, Stefanie Ziegler and a brace from Laura Moller to set up a showdown with the US.
In the playoff matches for fifth to seventh place, Thailand suffered another heavy defeat, an 11-0 thrashing by Denmark that leaves them in seventh and last place in the competition.
Major League Baseball (MLB) star Shohei Ohtani wants his former interpreter to hand over hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of baseball cards he says were fraudulently bought using his money. The Los Angeles Dodgers star is also requesting Ippei Mizuhara, who previously pleaded guilty to bank and tax fraud for stealing nearly US$17 million from the unsuspecting athlete, return signed collectible baseball cards depicting Ohtani that were in Mizuhara’s “unauthorized and wrongful possession,” court documents filed on Tuesday said. The legal filing alleges Mizuhara accessed Ohtani’s bank account beginning in about November 2021, changing his security protocols so that he
US skier Mikaela Shiffrin said she sustained an abrasion on her left hip and that something “stabbed” her when she crashed during her second run of an Audi FIS Ski World Cup giant slalom race on Saturday, doing a flip and sliding into the protective fencing. Shiffrin stayed down on the edge of the course for quite some time as the ski patrol attended to her. She was taken off the hill on a sled and waved to the cheering crowd before going to a clinic for evaluation. “Not really too much cause for concern at this point, I just
CLASH OF MANAGERS: Brighton’s Fabian Hurzeler and Russell Martin of Southampton accused each other of disrespect, while both were booked Southampton on Friday were denied a priceless victory by a controversial decision as they drew with hosts Brighton & Hove Albion 1-1 in the Premier League. Kaoru Mitoma spectacularly headed Brighton into a first-half lead and Flynn Downes hammered home an equalizer an hour in. Minutes later teammate Cameron Archer converted a cross from Saints substitute Ryan Fraser. A video assistant referee check of more than four minutes eventually decided that Archer was onside, but then penalized Adam Armstrong, who was offside, but did not touch the ball, for interfering with goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen. “I find it hard to accept,” Southampton manager Russell Martin
Mary McGee, a female racing pioneer and subject profiled in an Oscar-contending documentary, Motorcycle Mary, has died, her family said. She was 87. “McGee’s unparalleled achievements in off-road racing and motorcycle racing have inspired generations of athletes that followed in her footsteps,” her family said in a statement. The family said McGee died of complications from a stroke at her home in Gardnerville, Nevada, on Wednesday, the day before the release of the short documentary Motorcycle Mary, on ESPN’s YouTube channel. Seven-time Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton was an executive producer on the film, which became available globally on Thursday. Its premiere
RSS