U.S. women edge Germany, advance to World Cup championship game

The U.S. women are now one win away from their third Women’s World Cup title and first since 1999 as they defeated Germany, 2-0, in the tournament’s semi-finals Tuesday night in Montreal.

The Americans will play the winner of Japan – England (tonight, 7, FOX Sports 1) on Sunday (7 p.m., FOX) in the 2015 Women’s World Cup championship game in Vancouver.

In a frantic second half against the Germans, the U.S. first avoided disaster, capitalized on a controversial penalty kick and then broke things open. The U.S. escaped great trouble in the 59^th minute as Julie Johnston was given a yellow card for pulling down Alexandra Popp by the shoulder on a bounding ball in the box. Germany was awarded a penalty kick, but Celia Sasic was unable to convert when she sent the ball wide left. The Americans’ fortune was compounded by the fact that U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo guessed the other way.

Eight minutes later, Germany was hit with a yellow card as Annike Krahn upended Alex Morgan on a controversial call that occurred right at the edge of the box. Carli Lloyd capitalized on a penalty kick, driving the ball right as German goalkeeper Nadine Angerer went the other way. It put the U.S. up, 1-0, and was Lloyd’s third goal of the tournament.

Kelley O’Hara soon-after scored on, arguably, the Americans’ only legit goal of the night, punching the ball home off a beauty of a crossing, left-footed feed by Lloyd.

The match was extremely physical, as was certainly on display in the first half when Morgan Brian and Popp cracked their heads together while both trying to get a head on the ball. The play left Popp bloody and she had to play the rest of the game with a large white bandage on her head.

The United States had several strong scoring chances in a first half that ended, 0-0. Megan Rapinoe and Morgan both narrowly missed early for the U.S..