US women advance to World Cup finals

LYON, France (AP) — Alex Morgan celebrated her go-ahead goal with a cheeky tea-sipping motion and Alyssa Naeher stopped a late penalty kick to send the United States into the final at the Women's World Cup with a 2-1 victory over England on Tuesday night.

The top-ranked United States will face the winner of Wednesday's semifinal between the Netherlands and Sweden in the Americans' third straight appearance in the World Cup title match.

Christen Press – who started with Megan Rapinoe out with a hamstring injury – put the United States up early in the match but Ellen White's goal tied it before 20 minutes had passed. Morgan's sixth goal of the tournament came before the break, and on her 30th birthday. She hadn't had a goal since she scored five in the team's 13-0 rout of Thailand to open the tournament.

"I think we've put so much into this journey together – and now we have one more game to close it out," Morgan said.

White's goal was also her sixth but Morgan has the edge for the tournament's Golden Boot with three assists. White appeared to score her seventh in the 69th minute but video review determined she was offside – and the Americans in the crowd of 53,512 at Stade de Lyon roared.

A video review went against the United States late in the game when it determined Becky Sauerbrunn had fouled White in the penalty area. England captain Steph Houghton's penalty shot was smothered by a diving Naeher in the 84th minute.

It was the first penalty kick saved by a U.S. goalkeeper in regular time at the World Cup. At the final whistle, the team mobbed Naeher in front of the goal in celebration.