[ad_1]
England were leading 1-0 on a dreary evening at Old Trafford when Austria attacker Barbara Dunst let fly from outside the box, the ball floated through the crowded penalty area and goalkeeper Mary Earps sprang to her left, reaching out a firm glove to turn the shot wide.
– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga & more (U.S.)
Earps would go on to make even better saves at the European Championship last summer as England lifted the trophy by beating Germany at Wembley. But it was the save from Dunst in Manchester that set the tone and saw her star rise, cementing her role as England’s No. 1. Indeed, her commanding performances helped elevate her from one of the better goalkeepers in the Women’s Super League in England to one of the standouts on the international stage, culminating in her FIFA The Best goalkeeper nomination.
The Manchester United goalkeeper was on Wednesday announced on the final three-player shortlist for The Best award, alongside Ann-Katrin Berger (Chelsea, Germany) and Christiane Endler (Lyon, Chile.)
Things could have gone very differently for England had Earps not been on hand to deny Dunst in the opener, or to bat away Athenea Del Castillo’s cross/shot in the quarterfinal against Spain, the ball seemingly destined for the top corner. When Earps talks about the mechanics of goalkeeping, it’s evident that she is focused on the mathematics of each situation, using all of her experience to make split-second calculations and ensure her timing is perfect. It’s that very same decision-making that has played a crucial part in her career progress, making a string of considered moves along the way.
But it’s not just about the European Championship. Earps’ own journey has taken in several clubs, involved personal sacrifice and almost resulted in her quitting the game before she rose to prominence with the national team.
[ad_2]
