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The US Women’s National Team slipped by France with a 1-0 win in pool play Saturday at Belo Horizonte in the second match for the Americans thanks to a spectacular effort by U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo. The U.S. struggled on offense in the first half, but Solo kept them in the game. She had six saves, two of the most crucial coming when she tipped a header by French captain Wendie Renard over the crossbar and the second came minutes later when she slid on her knees to cover a shot by France’s Marie-Laurie Delie.
Solo’s record-setting 200th international game, she is the first goalkeeper to hit that mark, came in the face of taunts coming from the home crowd, with chants of “Zika” and boos following her every touch of the ball in both games played so far in Brazil. The “Zika” chants are thought to be due to several social media posts by Solo where she mentioned how she was wary of going to the games and how she was going to protect herself from the virus.
Solo’s performance should come as a surprise to no one. She has been lauded by many as the best goalkeeper in the world and she has been awarded the FIFA World Cup Golden Glove for best goalkeeper twice, in 2011 and 2015. At the 2011 World Cup, she also won the Bronze Ball as the third-best player in the competition, becoming the first goalkeeper to win that honor. Solo also holds every major U.S. goalkeeping record and in July, she became the first goalkeeper ever to record 100 career shutouts.
Solo and the USWNT face Colombia in their last game in pool play on Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. ET at Amazônia Arena in Manaus.
