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At Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington: Netherlands 1 (Jill Roord 17’) United States 1 (Lindsey Horan 62’) HT: 1-0
Group E points (games played): United States 4 (2), Netherlands 4 (2), Portugal 3 (2), Vietnam 0 (2).
Don’t poke the bear.
A raging United States captain Lindsey Horan salvaged a 1-1 draw with a revenge goal in their FIFA Women’s World Cup final rematch against the Netherlands at Wellington Regional Stadium on Thursday after being riled up by opposition player Danielle van de Donk.
Horan was filthy at her Lyon teammate after the veteran Netherlands midfielder clattered into her towards the sideline after she had released the ball.
The late challenge knocked Horan off her feet.
The two No. 10s had to be separated by referee Yoshimi Yamashita after Horan regained her breath, jogged over to van de Donk and gave her a spray.
“She got a bit feisty and she came over, we just had a little talk,” van de Donk said.
“The referee came in between, it wasn’t very necessary. I mean, we just played football again after that.”
Horan had the last laugh, rising high to meet Rose Lavelle’s cross from a corner from the very next play.
Bruce Mackay/Stuff
United States captain Lindsey Horan celebrates after scoring a second-half goal against the Netherlands.
Lavelle, a game-changing halftime substitute, delivered a pinpoint corner towards the near post and Horan leapt up and flicked the ball past goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar in the 62nd minute.
Horan was seen hugging van de Donk after the match but said her tackle made her mad and inspired the US comeback.
“I don’t think you ever want to get me mad because I don’t react in a good way. I just want something more. I want to win more, I want to score more and I want more for my team,” Horan said.
“That big tackle changed something in my head and I wanted to do everything for my team. That’s how football was, it’s competitive.”
Buda Mendes/Getty Images
Lindsey Horan is cleaned up in a tackle by Danielle van de Donk.
Horan plays alongside van de Donk in the midfield for powerhouse French club Lyon and said she was someone you would much rather play with than against.
She did not reveal what was said during their verbal exchange before the referee intervened.
“When she’s on my team it’s incredible because she’s going to fight until the last second to win a game or go into that last tackle, and that’s what she did.
“Unfortunately I did not take it in a good way. I got a little heated and she got to hear it.”
US teammate Julie Ertz told Horan the best way to shut the Netherlands up would be to score. Which is exactly what she did.
Horan has now scored in both games for the US at the World Cup, having also found the back of the net in their 3-0 win over Vietnam.
David Unwin/Stuff
Lindsey Horan heads home from a corner to draw the United States level in the second half.
“Julie came up to me in the box and just said ‘Linds, please don’t get another yellow card, just score this goal to shut everyone up.’
“I had full belief Rose was going to put it on a dime, which she did, and I scored. It was a really cool feeling.”
Horan’s goal rescued a point for the United States in their toughest group match after they made a sluggish start and conceded an early goal from Jill Roord from the edge of the penalty area.
It was the first time the US had trailed in a World Cup match since the 2011 tournament.
“No one was happy with that first-half performance, letting them have the ball too much, but we changed things and I’m proud of how we responded,” Horan said.
“The Netherlands is such a great team, so it’s good for us to have this in the group stage to deal with that sort of pressure. Now we move forward.”
The US continue to lead the Netherlands by a goal difference of two heading into their final group E matches, against Portugal and Vietnam respectively.
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