Alex Morgan scores winner to help USA edge out England in semis

USA's Alex Morgan pretends to sip on some tea as she celebrates her goal against England. Pic /AFP

Lyon: She was determined to give the credit to other members of her team, but Alex Morgan stepped up on the big occasion with the winning goal against England to take the United States through to the final of another Women's World Cup on Tuesday.

The holders were without Megan Rapinoe for the semi-final in Lyon, the scorer of all her team's goals in the wins over Spain and France in the previous two rounds missing out with a hamstring injury. That meant Christen Press came in and duly scored the opener, and it meant Morgan wore the captain's armband on her 30th birthday as she headed home Lindsey Horan's cross in the 31st minute for the deciding goal in a 2-1 victory.

Much-needed goal

It was a much-needed goal for the striker, who had not found the net since scoring five in the record-breaking 13-0 humiliation of Thailand. "I wouldn't say it was important but for me obviously it felt good to get on the scoresheet and to get the game-winning goal. We had the goals early and we had to hold on," said Morgan.

Fun celebration

Morgan celebrated her goal by miming sipping a cup of tea, which some saw as an attempt at a wind-up towards the English. "'Pino' has so many celebrations and nobody asks her. I have only one and everyone wants to know," Morgan said, referring to her fellow co-captain Rapinoe. "Obviously we have fun with celebrations and we had to keep it interesting."

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