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PARIS (AP) — France’s Women’s World Cup hopes wilted in the heat www.thetopsoccer.com/club-team-kit/ajax , stifled by a relentless United States team more suited to big-game pressure.Les Bleues were second best most of Friday night, losing their quarterfinal 2-1 , and only creating genuine pressure after scoring late.Wendie Renard’s powerful header in the 81st minutes raised hopes among the Tricolor-waving fans at baking-hot Parc des Princes in Paris.It was too little, too late, and the defending champion Americans are now two wins away from a fourth World Cup title.France’s women have never even reached a final.Hopes were high for a first major trophy, but two goals from Megan Rapinoe handed France a brutal reality check.France was found wanting against the U.S., which played with more physicality and had far greater composure.Still, captain Amandine Henry thinks the French might have achieved another victory.“Although we didn’t win the Cup, I hope we won the hearts of the French,” she said. “It’s a big step forward for French women’s football.”France’s tournament started and ended at the same stadium, the 4-0 opening-game win against South Korea raising expectations.The scrappy 1-0 win against Nigeria on June 17 — secured with a re-taken penalty from Renard awarded following a debatable video review — made it 3-0 in the group stage but also exposed fragile nerves.The U.S. took full advantage Cheap AS Roma Soccer Team Uniform , scoring after just five minutes.Forward Eugenie Le Sommer, a key player on Lyon’s dominant team, gave a clear indication of where France is still lacking.“We can see that other countries are ahead of us and we need to catch up. I’m even thinking of Spain, which invests a lot. We can’t miss the train,” Le Sommer said. “I think we achieved something and I’m proud to have shown France that football can also be played by women, and that’s a first victory. I think it will help for the future, but I can’t guarantee it. To have won over the public is a good thing, but we shouldn’t just be satisfied with that.”Le Sommer challenged the French Football Federation and the French league not to waste the momentum generated by France’s increasingly popular national team.“The Federation wants to put things into place, which is good, and generating all of this enthusiasm I think will help toward that. There are many things to do and we can’t let ourselves get overtaken by other countries,” she said. “We must continue to progress www.thetopsoccer.com/club-team-kit/atletico-madrid , to become professionals, because other countries do that and maybe it’s why they’re ahead of us.”Rapinoe’s second goal should also open France’s eyes to what the highest level is really all about.“They were very efficient with the few chances they had, and for us it was the opposite,” Le Sommer said. “We weren’t far off, we caused them problems but it’s not enough. Unfortunately, in competitions they’re always ahead of us and always beat us.”France immediately looked to attack down the flanks, particularly down the left through the speedy Amel Majri, but was caught by a classic sucker-punch counterattack. It drew a foul leading to Rapinoe’s first goal, direct from a free kick.“We lost concentration for a moment in the first half and paid for it in full,” Henry said. “It comes down to the small details. You have to concentrate from the beginning.”Henry felt the French attacks were not strong enough to unsettle a well-organized U.S. defensive line.“We had good spells in the first half but in the last 20 minutes we failed, we couldn’t create enough Cheap Barcelona Soccer Team Uniform ,” she said. “We were turning around in circles.”France coach Corinne Diacre had targeted reaching the final as a minimum requirement , and she called the defeat “a failure on a footballing level.” Defeat at Newcastle United on Tuesday night has put Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola in an unpleasant situation. Their fourth defeat of the season, the Citizens find themselves five points behind their title rivals after Liverpool’s draw with Leicester City. A defeat against Arsenal on Sunday afternoon could well put a huge dent in their title aspirations with Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool looking much more consistent.Guardiola has already stated that Manchester City must improve or they can forget about the Premier League title. The Spaniard welcomed Liverpool’s draw but insisted City need to get back to their best with fixtures piling up.“It’s much better [the draw] but immediately I’d say: ‘How will be our level?’ If our level is the last game it doesn’t matter if [the gap is] five points or two points or one; we are not going to win [the title],” said Guardiola during his pre-match press conference.“Nothing changed. What we learn or we have to learn from the previous game is for the next game. You are satisfied for the result and that’s all and if we don’t see what we have to do, we will not be contenders until the end.”His quotes are certainly a warning shots aimed towards his players, perhaps questioning if they’re fully committed to the cause. It’s a dangerous game to play but it’s one that can certainly fire up personalities.Manchester City’s fixture congestion is what is likely to define their season. Arsenal’s visit on Sunday is followed by a trip to Everton before Chelsea head to the Etihad stadium. All in the space of eight days. Liverpool dropping out of the League Cup and FA Cup means that Manchester City have already played five more games than their counterparts while Guardiola’s side will play a further two domestic cup matches this month, a potential further three and another should they reach the FA Cup final.“The situation we have this week is the same as we have in the last two or three months; it happens, it’s not new,” Guardiola said. “It’s a challenge. The only way I know after a negative result is to focus on the play and the mentality to say: ‘OK, we’re in 1 February, there is a lot of points to play and still many things are going to happen.’”Manchester City’s fixture congestion isn’t helped by the fact they’ve been faced with injuries while they failed to strengthen key areas – such as full-back and midfield – in the Winter transfer window. If Liverpool beat West Ham United on Monday night and City fail to win against Arsenal on Sunday www.thetopsoccer.com/club-team-kit/bayern-munich , that could well be the end of their title hopes.Arsenal themselves are in desperate need of points. Hierarchy at the Emirates want a top four finish with Champions League returning to Arsenal and while they currently occupy fourth, their performances don’t warrant that position. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s reborn Manchester United are breathing down their neck while Maurizio Sarri’s Chelsea have yet to find consistency, made worse by their recent 4-0 defeat at Bournemouth.And so, this might just fire Unai Emery’s Arsenal up. Finishing fourth is a real possibility and they know Manchester City are beatable. They’re no longer the most feared team in the Premier League which has seen opposing teams match them on the pitch. Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Leicester City and Newcastle United have all got the better of Guardiola’s City and while they’ve lost just one game at home, they haven’t looked their best.Guardiola will be without captain Vincent Kompany for Arsenal’s trip to the Etihad while Ederson 聽and Benjamin Mendy remain doubtful. With Claudio Bravo ruled out, fans will be hoping Ederson passes a fitness test while Arsenal themselves are in a bit of a predicament. Rob Holding and Danny Welbeck are long-term absentees while Sokratis and Hector Bellerin are both out, the latter recently undergoing surgery that will see him miss the remainder of the season. Laurent Koscielny is also doubtful as is the versatile Ainsley Maitland-Niles. So this could make for an interesting fixture.The next eight days will certainly define Manchester City’s season while it’s imperative they regain their focus that made them a once feared team. Find that and they may just fight Liverpool to the death for the Premier League title.