In Hope we trust!
The US women played their hearts out against Japan and they were in long spells the better team. They lost to a cruel lottery of penalty kicks.
Post match they showed their class. No grumbling. No wasted tears. As Hope Solo put it:
“We lost to a great team, we really did. Japan is a team that I’ve always had a lot of respect for, and I truly believe that something bigger was pulling for this team. As much as I’ve always wanted this, if there was any other team I could give this to it would have to be Japan. I’m happy for them and they do deserve it.”
Keep your heads up, ladies. We will see you again soon in 2015. And I am not wrong in saying by that time there will be millions more to watch what has been an engrossing three weeks of football which has largely been void of the gamesmanship and cynicism that has soured so many off the men’s version.