The United States women’s national team is close to another historic victory.
The team is moving toward capturing the 2019 Women’s World Cup today as it goes up against an England team in the semifinals in Lyon, France.
The winner will play in this Sunday’s championship game against the Netherlands or Sweden. The loser will play in the third-place game on Saturday.
Enthusiasts point out that no team has ever reached the Women’s World Cup final three straight times. “After losing the 2011 final in penalty kicks and winning the 2015 final (both games against Japan), the United States can become the first team to reach that mark with a win over the Lionesses on Tuesday,” noted CBS Sports.
Casting a shadow over the team’s accomplishments have been the antics of 33-year-old player Megan Rapinoe. She has knelt to protest what she claims is social inequality in the US, squawked incessantly about her life in the LGBTQ community, and even been a part of the lawsuit against the US soccer federation for equal pay.
“I’ll probably never put my hand over my heart,” the openly lesbian Rapinoe told Yahoo Sports. “I’ll probably never sing the national anthem again.”
“Colin Kaepernick very much inspired me, and inspired an entire nation, and still does, to actually think about these things,” she said to Yahoo Sports. “The way he spoke about them so clearly, so matter-of-fact, wasn’t trying to convince anyone. Just, ‘This is what is happening, this is what I’m willing to do about it.’ I found that extremely inspiring and convicting. Like, how can you not support?”
Tweeted radio talk show host Neal Boortz, “So that Megan Rapinoe lady wants to pull a Colin Kaepernik? That’s it for Team USA in the World Cup for me. No time for that BS.”
Indeed, the entire squad has at times failed to comport itself with class or dignity. As kansascity.com reported it in June, “Clare Rustad called it disgraceful. Kaylyn Kyle said it was disrespectful. Diana Matheson said U.S. coach Jill Ellis should be embarrassed. All three of those women are former Canadian soccer players now working for The Sports Network, and each was not happy with the reaction of the U.S. women’s soccer team during its 13-0 win over Thailand in the World Cup in France. They thought the goal celebrations were over the top during the blowout victory and shared their criticism of the U.S. team during a broadcast following Tuesday’s game.”
