Throwback Thursday: USWNT beat Germany in 2015 Women’s World Cup semifinals

The United States Women’s National Team entered the 2015 Women’s World Cup semifinals against Germany looking to once again break through to a final. They had reached the final in 2011, losing to Japan on penalties, and this team was essentially the same team that suffered that fate four years prior. They were going against one of the top teams in world in Germany, tournament favorites along with the USWNT, Japan, and Canada. That made this semifinal matchup a must-watch for millions of fans.

The match started out hot, with both teams having great chances to score early. A 7th minute header by Julie Ertz (neé Johnson) was stopped by Germany goalkeeper Nadine Angerer, while Hope Solo had to deflect a Alexandra Popp shot just a minute later. There were a couple other minor chances, but no team could break through in the first half.

In the 2nd half, there wasn’t much action until the 59th minute, when Julie Ertz pulled down Alexandra Popp inside the box to draw a penalty. Celia Sasic took the penalty kick for Germany, but missed wide in a close call for the USWNT. Just 8 minutes later, Annike Khran fouled Alex Morgan in a box, and it was the USWNT that had a penalty. This time, Carli Lloyd stepped up and smoothly sent the ball into the left side of the net, fooling Angerer in the process, to make it 1-0 for the USWNT.

Even with Germany trying to press for an equalizer, there wasn’t much action until the 84th minute, when Meghan Klingenberg sent a cross into the box to Carli Lloyd. Lloyd made a move down the right side of the box to the endline and played the ball into the middle. Waiting was Kelley O’Hara, who tapped it home for the USWNT’s 2nd goal.

That scoreline held for the USWNT the rest of the way, downing the Germans and earning their 4th trip to the Women’s World Cup final. There, they would go onto avenge their 2011 loss to Japan by destroying them 5-2 to claim their third star.