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SPORTS Thursday 17 augusT 2023

England moves into the Women’s World Cup final against Spain

By JOHN PYE utes, I felt like we showed
AP Sports Writer calm, composure on the
SYDNEY (AP) — Lauren ball to manage to counter-
Hemp didn’t let the Wom- attack them and obviously
en’s World Cup semifinal make it 3-1.”
match between Australia England and Spain will
and England become the each be playing in the
Sam Kerr show. Women’s World Cup final
Hemp scored to restore for the first time at Stadium
England’s lead eight min- Australia on Sunday. It will
utes after a superb equal- be the first all-European fi-
izer from Kerr, and then pro- nal since 2003.
vided a perfect pass for the Australia will play Sweden,
clincher as the Lionesses which lost to Spain 2-1 in
moved into their first World the other semifinal, for third
Cup championship game place on Saturday in Bris-
with a 3-1 victory over Aus- bane.
tralia on Wednesday. “We had a chance for 2-2
The semifinal outcome end- and a couple of minutes
ed a Matildas run that cap- later it was 3-1,” Australia
tivated Australia for almost coach Tony Gustavsson
a month and sent England said. “It was one of those
to a matchup with Spain in games, unfortunately.”
the final, where the Lion- England’s Rachel Daly and England’s Georgia Stanway celebrate after the Women’s World Cup Katrina Gorry created
esses will have a chance semifinal soccer match between Australia and England at Stadium Australia in Sydney, Australia, chances in each half of
to bring a World Cup home Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023. Associated Press her 100th game for Aus-
for the first time since 1966. tralia but said the Matildas
Sarina Wiegman became ing to the final,” said Wieg- minute with a powerful renewed hope, but Hemp weren’t able to dominate
the first coach to lead two man, the only female head right-foot shot diagonally responded with a goal in the way they needed to.
countries to the Women’s coach of any team to inside the far post. A throw- the 71st and provided a “But you know, we’ve got
World Cup final, and in reach the quarterfinals. in from Rachel Daly went perfect through ball for a quick turnaround and
back-to-back tourna- “You make it to finals, it’s re- to Hemp, who turned and Russo to finish from a tight we want to win the bronze
ments. Her run with the ally special,” she said. “I’m sent it into the area where angle four minutes from the medal,” she said.
Netherlands in 2019 ended like, ‘Am I here in the mid- Alessia Russo turned the end of regulation. After topping its group, ad-
with a loss to the United dle of a fairytale or some- ball back past Hemp for “Even after Sam’s goal vancing over Nigeria on
States. thing?’” Toone to swoop. there was no fear in the penalties in the round of 16
On either side of that, she England dominated pos- Kerr was in Australia’s start- squad. We weren’t ner- and beating Colombia in
guided Netherlands to the session in the first half, starv- ing lineup for the first time in vous. We just played our the quarterfinals, England
European title in 2017 and ing the Australians of the the tournament after over- football,” Hemp said. “We was playing in the semifi-
then took over the England ball and shutting down coming a left calf injury. showed the relentlessness nals for the third consecu-
squad for its breakthrough the Matildas’ transitional, Her equalizer in the 63rd inside the squad to make tive Women’s World Cup.
Euro 2022 title. counter-attacking game. gave the 75,784-strong it 2-1. And then even when Australia was in the final
“I’m the lucky one the last It was rewarded when Ella crowd and millions of fans we’re on the backfoot go- four for the first time.q
two tournaments I’m go- Toone scored in the 36th watching around Australia ing into the final few min-

Patriots announce signing of 3-time Pro Bowl running back Ezekiel

Elliott

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) Wisconsin, on Wednesday have decreased every sea-
— Running back Ezekiel morning that Elliott was with son of his career, a trend
Elliott is officially heading the team for its two days that partly reflects the de-
to the AFC, signing a free of joint practices with the creased usage of running
agent deal with the New Packers in advance of its backs in the NFL since the
England Patriots. preseason game. His par- Cowboys used the No. 4
The team announced the ticipation is still to be deter- overall draft pick to select
addition of the three-time mined. him in 2016.
Pro Bowler on Wednesday. The 28-year-old ran for 68 He is expected to serve as
A person familiar with the touchdowns and more a compliment to running
terms told The Associated than 8,000 yards with the back Rhamondre Steven-
Press that the seven-year Cowboys. He led the NFL in son, who is projected to be
veteran with the Dallas rushing yards in 2016, when New England’s lead option
Cowboys is joining the Pa- he was the runner-up for out of the backfield. The Pa-
triots on a one-year deal the AP Rookie of the Year triots suffered in short-yard-
worth $4 million and incen- award, and again in 2018. age situations last season,
tives could boost his com- He also has more than an area where Elliott excels Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott (21) looks for running
pensation to $6 million. 2,300 receiving yards, and despite showing diminished room as he rushes with the ball during an NFL wild-card football
Coach Bill Belichick told 12 touchdown catches. overall output at the end of game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jan. 16, 2023, in
Tampa, Fla.
reporters in Green Bay, Elliott’s yards per game his Dallas tenure.q Associated Press