Emotional

The United States women’s national team will bid farewell to one of its biggest stars in September as Megan Rapinoe will play her final game.

When is Rapinoe's last game for USWNT?

Rapinoe’s farewell will be a friendly match against South Africa on Sept. 24 at Soldier Field in Chicago. The game is the second of two friendlies that the USWNT will play against South Africa. Rapinoe won’t feature in the first game in Cincinnati on Sept. 21.

SYDNEY — Alessia Russo's second-half goal lifted England to a thrilling 2-1 quarterfinal victory over Colombia on Saturday and into the Women's World Cup semifinals for the third consecutive time.

Lauren Hemp also scored for the European champions, who now face hosts Australia on Wednesday in Sydney for a place in their first World Cup final.

"It's exciting, what more do you want in front of a home crowd?" Russo, who was named player of the match, told ITV. "We got a bit of that tonight against Colombia. You want to play against the best teams.

AUCKLAND — Pictures of Sweden fullback Jonna Andersson taking time out from celebrating her side's 2-1 World Cup quarterfinal victory over Japan to comfort Maika Hamano have spread quickly online as the pair's club connections became a talking point.

Hamano plays for Andersson's former club Chelsea, but the 19-year-old Japanese forward has spent the current season at the Swede's current club Hammarby in Stockholm.

MADRID — Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois will be sidelined for several months as he requires surgery after suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee during Thursday's training session, the LaLiga club said.

The 31-year-old Belgian international left the practice field in tears and an MRI scan confirmed the ACL tear two days ahead of Real's LaLiga season debut at Athletic Bilbao.

PERTH — Debutants Morocco stunned Colombia 1-0 in their final group match in Perth on Thursday to reach the last 16 of the Women's World Cup at the first attempt along with their opponents.

The 72nd ranked Moroccans scored through Anissa Lahmari's toe-poke after a saved penalty at the end of the first half but their passage was only secured after South Korea held twice champions Germany to a 1-1 draw in the other Group H match.

Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has retired from football, the 45-year-old announced on Wednesday, after 28 years in which he reached exceptional milestones for club and country.

Buffon, who in 2006 lifted the World Cup, won 10 Serie A titles with Juventus and a Ligue 1 title with Paris Saint-Germain.

"That's all folks! You gave me everything. I gave you everything. We did it together," Buffon said in a statement.

The greatest story at the 2023 Women's World Cup belongs to South Africa after Banyana Banyana (The Girls), ranked 54th in the world, shocked 16th-ranked Italy, quarterfinalists back in 2019, to reach the Round of 16 for the first time ever.

South Africa entered the match having only just earned their first-ever World Cup point in a 2-2 draw with Argentina, but anything less than a victory over Italy would've condemned Banyana Banyana to group stage elimination.

SYDNEY — England's hopes of winning the Women's World Cup suffered a blow on Friday when Keira Walsh was taken off the pitch on a stretcher with what appeared to be a serious knee injury during their win over Denmark.

The 26-year-old holding midfielder, who was an integral part of the England team that won the Euros last year, crumpled to the turf at Sydney Football Stadium without contact in the 38th minute and immediately called for medical assistance.