da bet vitoria： USWNT captain Lindsey Horan hailed the “grit” mentality of her side after coming through a storm against Canada to make the W Gold Cup final.

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Crazy conditions in CaliforniaTie settled by penalty shootoutAnother trophy now up for grabsWHAT HAPPENED?

The United States were tested by their opponents and the weather conditions during a semi-final clash at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego. Torrential rain made the pitch almost unplayable, with both sides asking questions of the decision to let the game go ahead.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT HORAN SAID ABOUT THE USWNT

Horan told of having to contend with a playing surface that saw the ball get stuck in various puddles: “A little bit of frustration from me – it’s not a day that you can play football! It’s really unfortunate, but at the end of the day I think me and Jessie [Fleming] were like ‘ok, we’ve got to move forward and we’ve got to play’. It is what it is and we played on.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

A thrilling contest in California ended 2-2 after extra-time, with Canada snatching a 127th-minute equaliser after Jaedyn Shaw and Sophia Smith had netted for the States. The USWNT then held their nerve in a penalty shootout, with goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher saving three and scoring one herself.

GettyDID YOU KNOW?

Horan added on seeing the U.S. rediscover their spark following a frustrating showing at the 2023 Women’s World Cup: “That’s back to that U.S. mentality that we’ve been talking about that we needed, and it’s in us. I think that’s what you guys saw today. It’s not a game that you’re going to play football. I don’t think there are more than a few completed passes on the ground! But the grit of getting a goal, the tie, getting another goal and then the penalty kicks and Alyssa coming up massive.”