Sometimes all it takes is persistence for a striker to regain form and nobody has ever had cause to fault Alessia Russo for her effort or her determination. On this occasion, though, it took a toe poke and a fortunate ricochet for the England forward to rediscover the confidence that every high-profile sports star needs.
Russo’s part in England’s first goal should not be underplayed or ignored. It was England’s number 23 who got on the end of Lucy Bronze’s header back across goal. It was Russo who caused the panic in the defence that led to the Colombia goalkeeper rushing off her line and spilling the ball and it was Russo’s instincts that stuck out a leg and toe-poked it away from the stricken Catalina Perez into the path of Lauren Hemp to equalise.
Russo was a different player after that. Twice in the second half she made brilliant runs in behind the defence, whipping in one dangerous cross that could easily have led to a goal and another, combined with some clever skill in a tight space, that led to a corner.
Minutes later, Russo scored England’s winner. A striker who had hesitated too long or snatched at a shot too quickly in this tournament was now deadly and clinical. Pouncing on a fortunate deflection from Georgia Stanway’s pass, she drilled a wonderfully controlled, but well-struck, shot into the bottom corner.
The angle favoured the Colombian goalkeeper, but Russo’s connection was perfect. Her shot was hit low and just wide enough to find the net. It was everything you could want from a centre forward in that position in a high pressure situation in a World Cup quarter-final.
“I had a split-second to take the shot,” Russo explained. “And I knew I wanted to go across the keeper with as much pace as I could and it went in.
“I try to work as hard as I can and sometimes there is luck. I was glad that I took it when it came. I was fortunate to be in the right position when it fell and I’m buzzing it went in.”
Playing for England is an honour and, of course, it is a privilege. These things should go without saying, but it is always worth reminding yourself of that when you have been subjected to the sort of critical scrutiny that Russo has been.
Arsenal’s new signing has not been playing well. Indeed, Telegraph Sport offered the opinion last week that she had forgotten the most important and fundamental part of the centre-forward’s role is to come alive in and around the penalty area. She was that most infuriating sight in football: a striker who did not look like scoring.
If we have been hard on her, it is mainly because she has been playing badly but also because we know she is capable of so much more.
This is what playing for your country means. This is what is expected. It is the price of wearing the shirt, the baggage that comes with being one of the country’s best. Rightly or wrongly, there will always be criticism if you are not scoring, there will always be an argument made that someone else could do a better job than you.
Maybe it was just a coincidence that, last week, rumours leaked that Bethany England was under consideration to start against Colombia. Maybe it was entirely deliberate. A timely dose of internal competition and a reminder that nobody is safe if they do not deliver what manager Sarina Wiegman wants.
What we do know is that Russo was given special attention on the training ground in the build-up to this World Cup quarter-final. England wanted and needed more. And, when it mattered, she came good.
An assist to set up England’s equaliser in the first half and a goal in the second to ensure the Lionesses reached their fifth consecutive semi-final at a major tournament.
These are the standards England have set for themselves, these are the expectations they must constantly live up to.
Nobody likes to be questioned or singled out for underperforming. Russo has handled it with good grace, but the only way you can really answer your critics and silence the debate around whether you are good enough to be England’s centre-forward is to produce goals and assists. These are the things that strikers and centre-forwards are measured and judged on. Russo delivered what everyone demanded from her.
Her persistence paid off and so did a toe poke and fortunate ricochet. Sometimes you change your own luck and as England prepare for a semi-final against Australia, nobody will be questioning whether Russo warrants the starting spot anymore. She deserves all the credit for that.
