Brutal. Agonizing. Gut-wrenching and heart-breaking. Pick your adjective, any adjective, and it won’t suffice in summing up the sick feeling that accompanied England’s elimination from the women’s World Cup.
Laura Bassett scored an own goal in second-half stoppage time, consigning England to a 2-1 loss to Japan in the semifinals on Wednesday night in Edmonton, Canada.
Bassett sobbed after the final whistle — and the hurt was shared across England.
It started with her coach, Mark Sampson.
“Laura Bassett’s name is on that scoresheet, but she’s epitomized this England team this tournament,” Sampson said in an emotional, dignified post-game interview. “She’s been courageous, strong, kept this group together. She didn’t deserve that. But she should be looked upon as a hero, an absolute hero. That’s how people will remember Laura Bassett, who headed and blocked and tackled and kept this team together.”
England’s players were widely praised for the way they conducted themselves and are now being viewed as role models, raising the profile of the women’s game in a country until now known exclusively for brutal soccer beats on the men’s side.
Watching the post match interviews by the England players & coach. Pure class. You represent yourselves and your country brilliantly.thank u
— Mia Hamm (@MiaHamm) July 2, 2015
Social media enabled soccer watchers around the globe to offer their sympathy — a welcome 180 from the cynical, negative vibes that tend to abound after sports heartbreaks.
By Thursday morning across the pond, the hashtag #ProudOfBassett was going strong on Twitter, eliciting thousands of supportive messages and expressions of pride.
@laurabassett6 Hero for the whole tournament, be proud of what the team has achieved like the country are of u! #proudofbassett#Lionesses
— Beck Glazzard (@BeckGlazzard) July 2, 2015
England will take on Germany in a third-place playoff on Saturday before returning home to be feted as conquering heroines.
With AP
