Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports
Reporting live from Lumen Field in Seattle.
As the seconds ticked down to the final whistle, more than 34,000 fans rose to their feet in Lumen Field. Synchronized claps and bated breaths filled the stadium as Megan Rapinoe stepped up to take one final free kick. Looking into the crowd, one could see jerseys from every era of Rapinoe’s career, pink wigs galore, and signs expressing immense love for the veteran.
The stadium felt ready to erupt. More than anything, there was a clear belief in the air that everyone was about to witness something amazing. One of those moments of on-field magical brilliance Rapinoe has produced so often throughout her career.
It didn’t come. Rather than swerving in a deadly service or going straight for a long-distance shot, Rapinoe made the smart move of simply setting up her teammate in space to serve the cross in from a better angle. The resulting cross was easily cleared and as Rapinoe ran to try and take the quick throw-in the whistle blew and the game ended…
