Lindsey Horan explains bust-up with club teammate right before USWNT equaliser
United States women's national team midfielder Lindsey Horan admitted she got "a little p*****" when Netherlands star Danielle van de Donk wiped her out during their 1-1 group stage draw at the Women's World Cup.
Horan remained on the ground for several moments in pain, then shot up and yelled in Lyon club teammate Van de Donk's face, prompting the referee to rush to the scene and try to calm the players down. Moments later, Horan equalised through a header from a corner kick.
Despite shaking hands with Van de Donk after the match, Horan confirmed that the bad blood during the second half wasn't just for show.
"Honestly when me and Dan go up against each other it's always a physical battle," she told Fox Sports afterward. "I respect her so much because that's how it should be. It should be competitive.
"Once we got into that tackle, all I wanted to do was score. Heat of the moment, I got a little p***** at her. Rose [Lavelle] put in an absolute dime and I got on the end of it. Happy for the goal."
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On the USWNT coming back from their first Women's World Cup deficit in 12 years, Horan added: "It was unbelievable. I felt the momentum the whole time. The first half, I think we can be a little disappointed with how we played, but I think we fixed things right away, the pressure that we put on and the chances and opportunities that came from it. Proud of the team and its response."
The skirmish between Horan and Van de Donk changed the complexion of the match. After Horan's emotional outburst, the USWNT maintained control and nearly snatched a winner when Sophia Smith played Trinity Rodman in on goal. Rodman's left-footed attempt was impressively saved by the fingertips of Dutch goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar.
Head coach Vlatko Andonovski said he was impressed with how his side flipped the switch following a rocky first half in which Jill Roord scored for the Netherlands.
Lindsey Horan took issue with a hard challenge from Danielle van de Donk in the second half of their Women's World Cup match. (AFP via Getty Images)"That was a great performance in the second half," Andonovski told Fox Sports. "Nothing changed much from a tactical standpoint. We just pushed up ... a little higher with the starting positions. We were just a little more aggressive. The mentality is what changed the most. The belief is what got them going, got them through. I think as we go forward, we're going to see more of what you saw in the second half. We dominated the game, we controlled the game."
The USWNT and Netherlands entered the tournament expecting to advance from Group E, and they remain in an excellent position to do so with four points apiece through two matches. The Americans take on Portugal next, while the Oranje meet Vietnam.
Andonovski will also be happy to see midfielder Rose Lavelle, who supplied the assist to Horan, last the final 45 minutes as she works back from injury. Lavelle was a key component of the USWNT's last Women's World Cup run and could go a full 90 minutes if the Stars and Stripes reach the knockouts.
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