England defeated Colombia to go to the World Cup semi-finals

England defeated Colombia to go to the World Cup semi-finals, with Alessia Russo capping a spectacular comeback.

This was the greatest test yet of England’s resolve. They passed it with flying colours.

England 2-1 Colombia (Hemp 45+’, Russo 63’| Santos 44′)

“Triumph over adversity” has been England’s unofficial tournament motto, and it proved opportune once more as they advanced to the final four with a draining – but critically, convincing – 2-1 victory at Stadium Australia.

The Lionesses were looking down the barrel of their earliest World Cup exit since 2011. Alex Greenwood kept one eye on Leicy Santos’s right boot, waiting for her to attack.

Mary Earps was too far off her line, so close to her front post that when the shot came in dipping, she was left floundering.

However, the hope in such matches is that excellence will always triumph. England had dominated and merited their equalizer, even if it came as a result of a terrible mix-up.

Keira Walsh started by selecting Lucy Bronze. As Alessia Russo brought it down, Jorelyn Carabali and Catalina Perez both went for it, with the keeper accidently pushing the ball onto her center-back’s feet and back. Lauren Hemp was still celebrating her goal from six yards out when Sarina Wiegman took advantage of the moment to reorganize and get ready to go again.

England has trailed in a competitive match only once during her reign, in the Euro 2022 quarter-final against Spain. They’ve had just about every other test this summer, from Walsh’s temporary injury to Lauren James’ ban. A fresh, equally difficult duty awaited. After all, no other team in the knockout stages had ever won from behind.

Overcoming that mental barrier will have been priceless. Russo’s position up front has been disputed, and she has addressed some of those questions with a moment of magic, grabbing onto Georgia Stanway’s ball, turning Daniela Arias, and sliding in a finish past Perez.

Given where this team stood before the tournament began, there were so many mitigating circumstances – injuries to Beth Mead, Leah Williamson, and Fran Kirby – that a quarter-final exit would have been acceptable. Being outbattled would have been more difficult to bear, especially after Russo promised she and her comrades would enjoy the fight.

Nonetheless, England was ready to give as good as they received from the start, within acceptable limits.

Ana Guzman eliminated both Hemp and Rachel Daly, with the latter receiving an unpunished hand to the face. Even Wiegman, who is usually reserved, was irritated.

Guzman entered the game in the 10th minute when Carolina Arias was hit in the head by a hard Russo shot as she lay prone on the turf. “Let them know you’re there early doors,” was a grassroots classic. Mayra Ramirez appeared to be up for a similar challenge, until she remembered she was up against Millie Bright’s shoulder barges.

The Colombians began by whistling every touch from a Lioness, mirroring the flames on the pitch at full throttle. Their goal had been met with decibel levels unseen at this World Cup.

They presented an examination of England’s mettle as well as their credentials as better footballers in those situations. Linda Caicedo, as usual, was an outlier. At one point, as she broke free from Bronze, Jess Carter was left to make up the ground, gasping on the floor.

While Colombia lacked a final ball, England’s ability to weave together elegant combinations from midfield was all the more spectacular in the absence of James. Ella Toone, recruited into the 3-5-2 as her substitute after being dropped against China and Nigeria, may have a fire lit beneath her when she returned.

She was unsure at first, the product of a long, gruelling personal season at Manchester United and her struggle for form in an England shirt. The fact that she contributed to Hemp’s equalizer will strengthen her cause.

Colombia has no qualms about bowing out as the last underdog standing, and what a credit they have been to one of women’s football’s growing nations, becoming only the second South American side, after Brazil, to reach a quarter-final.

Since the cancellation of a warm-up friendly against the Republic of Ireland, there has been a tendency to discount their – secretly wonderful – brand of hooliganism as one-dimensional, but they will not be underestimated when they return. Lorena Bedoya Durango was challenged again from a distance, and it took a fingertip save to keep her out.

England can take a little joy from all that. Thrust into hot water time and again, on every occasion they have pulled through. Whether it is more satisfying to whack through a tournament with 8-0s and 4-0s like last summer, or to bond through hardship will not matter too much in the final analysis. The Lionesses stand just two games away from glory.