Soccer dogs support Team USA at the 2019 Women’s World Cup

Team USA had the support of the nation of humans and soccer dogs as they took on the world in the 2019 Women’s World Cup.

Team USA was the defending champions of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, and were looking to repeat their quest as the greatest in women’s soccer again this year.

Many soccer dogs showed their support during the tournament, which lasted nearly a month, taking place all throughout France at seven different stadiums.

In the opening round of Group F stage play at the Stade Auguste-Delaune in Reims, Team USA annihilated Thailand 13-0, which while not quite the 18-0 pummeling the Austin Knights handed to the Elma Big Green in The Big Green, was still the biggest margin of victory in Women’s World Cup history.

Alex Morgan scored five goals, Rose Lavelle and Sam Mewis both had two apiece, and Lindsey Horan, Megan Rapinoe, Mallory Pugh and Carli Lloyd all found the net once as well.

The next group stage game was against Chile in Paris at the Parc des Princes, and Team USA clinched their spot in the knockout round with the 3-0 victory off two goals by Lloyd and one by Julie Ertz, all of which came in the first half.

The final stage game was in Le Havre against Sweden at the Stade Oceane, when Horan scored in the game’s opening minutes and then an own goal from Sweden gave the US a 2-0 win.

These Lab mix sisters, Claire and Avery, were pretty pumped all tournament long, and wore their snazziest bandannas and sunglasses for good luck.

The Round of 16 game on June 24 was played in Reims against Spain, and the Americans went on the scoreboard first after a Rapinoe penalty kick in the seventh minute. Two minutes later, however, Spain tied the game, where it stayed at 1-1 until another Rapinoe penalty kick won the game in the 75th minute.

That set up a date against the hosts, France, in Paris on June 28 in the quarterfinals. It was a exceptionally violent match, with the US leading for most of the game on Rapinoe’s goal in the fifth minute, and then she scored again in the 65th minute. The French squad made things interesting with a header with about ten minutes to go, but the Americans held them off to advance to the semifinals.

Hazel the Beagle had to get some practice in in the backyard.

In the semifinal against England at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais, Decines-Charpeu in Lyon on July 2, Rapinoe did not play due to a hamstring injury. Christen Press scored in the 10th minute with a header off a Kelly O’Hara pass, only to have England’s Lionesses tie it about ten minutes later. About ten minutes after that, Morgan scored to give Team USA a 2-1 advantage, which they held on to for the rest of the contest.

In the second half England tied the game, though the goal  didn’t count due to an offisides call, then shortly thereafter their captain Millie Bright was ejected after her second yellow card. Finally, they had a chance to tie the game on a penalty kick, but goalie Alyssa Naeher made the save of the tournament to send Team USA into the final after the 2-1 victory.

Nashville Predators team dog Smash was very ready for the big game.

In the Women’s World Cup final, on the Sunday morning of July 7 in Lyon, Team USA faced the Netherlands. The first half was scoreless, though Rapinoe put her team ahead with a penalty kick about fifteen minutes into the second half. Lavelle sealed it with her goal in the 69th minute, and the USWNT won the title with the 2-0 victory.

Will this support carry over to the the player’s pro teams in the NWSL? That remains to be seen, but the soccer dogs will always be there for their sport and their favorite humans.