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Megan Rapinoe adds to her Golden Boot case with second goal against France (Video)

By Kevin Parvizi

PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 28: Megan Rapinoe of the USA scores her team's second goal during the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup France Quarter Final match between France and USA at Parc des Princes on June 28, 2019 in Paris, France. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 28: Megan Rapinoe of the USA scores her team's second goal during the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup France Quarter Final match between France and USA at Parc des Princes on June 28, 2019 in Paris, France. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images) /
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Megan Rapinoe scored both penalty kicks in the USWNT’s 2-1 win over Spain in the Round of 16, and she scored two more goals against France in the quarterfinals.

There’s no doubt that Megan Rapinoe is one of the best players in the history of women’s football, and even at the age of 33, it still feels like she’s in the prime of her career. After scoring both goals against Spain in the Round of 16 via well-taken penalty kicks, Rapinoe gave the USWNT an early lead over France in the all-important quarterfinal by squeezing the ball into the back of the net on a driven free kick.

Rapinoe gave the USWNT some much-needed breathing room in the second half with France breathing down their necks. Kadidiatou Diani, Eugenie Le Sommer, and Amandine Henry were threatening to score, but it was Rapinoe who grabbed the game’s second goal in the 65th minute by finishing off a brilliant counterattack.

It all started with striker Alex Morgan’s hard work, and this play exemplified how her link-up and hold-up play have improved greatly over the years. Morgan sprung winger Tobin Heath loose, and from there it was all academic for a player of Heath’s caliber. She bolted down France’s exposed left flank and sent in a teasing ball for either Sam Mewis or Megan Rapinoe to finish.

https://twitter.com/FOXSoccer/status/1144703793168146432

Heath chose Rapinoe, and it was the wise choice. With time and space, Rapinoe was never going to miss this simple finish, as the clinical winger delivered her second goal of the game and fifth goal of the tournament.

Rapinoe is now in the thick of the Golden Boot race with this goal, and four of her five goals have come in both knockout stage games. She’s firing up at the right time in front of goal, and while none of her four goals were particularly difficult, what makes Rapinoe so dangerous as a goal-scorer is that she’s so calm in front of goal. Plus, both of her goals against France came off a different foot, as her first was with her left and her second was with her right.

Next. Megan Rapinoe is giving us the goals and the memes. dark

Still one of the best players on the USWNT, Rapinoe always manages to come up big in the biggest games and moments, so fans can count on her scoring or assisting some more goals in the semifinals and finals if the 2-0 lead holds.

She now has 49 international goals and is the first player in USWNT history to score four straight World Cup goals for the team.