Megan Rapinoe loved what she saw from the USWNT on Sunday night. The retired winger encouraged her former teammates to stay feisty during a heated match against Colombia in the CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinal.
There were multiple instances throughout the evening in which the visiting side played the pest. Colombia would not leave the United States alone. They were intentionally irritating in an effort to get under the skin of their opponents with hopes of throwing them off of their game.
It did not work.
The United States pushed back throughout the entire match and matched Colombia’s energy. Most of the chippy incidents were instigate by the latter, which led the former to push right back en route to a dominant (and much-needed) 3-0 victory.
Although the shenanigans happened all over the soccer field, Alex Morgan and Trinity Rodman seemed to be the most prominent targets as the forwards. Columbia was all up in their grills all match and the U.S. duo was having none of it. They had the time and the energy.
In response to all of the chippiness, Rapinoe egged them on. She made it clear that she is in support of her former team’s attitude.
Here for it.
— Megan Rapinoe
Considering that the USWNT showed very little fight at the World Cup last summer and recently lost to Mexico for the first time since 2010, Sunday was a very positive step in the right direction. There was a tangible passion behind their play, and a chip on their shoulder that did not previously exist.
Megan Rapinoe is right!
She is here for the attitude. Every single person in and around the organization should feel the same.
If the United States Women’s National Team can keep the same energy and carry it forward, there is hope for a return to dominance!