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U.S.
Women Earn World Cup Title Berth
MOENCHENGLADBACH, Germany - The United States is in the
World Cup final for the first time since it last won the title in 1999,
and once again Abby Wambach came up big for these Americans,
scoring in a 3-1 victory over France.
Wambach broke a tense tie in the 79th minute Wednesday with a monstrous
header - what else? - off of a Lauren Cheney corner kick.
Cheney delivered the ball perfectly to the far post, and the 5-foot-11
forward soared over the scrum, pushing the ball past French goalkeeper
Berangere Sapowicz. Wambach let out a scream and did
a sliding sprint into the corner, where she was mobbed by her teammates.
It was Wambach's third goal of the tournament and 12th of her career,
tying fellow American Michelle Akers for third on the
all-time World Cup scoring list.
Alex Morgan added an insurance goal in the 82d, the first
for the World Cup rookie. When the final whistle sounded, the Americans
rushed onto the field. Wambach found U.S. coach Pia Sundhage
and gave her a bearhug as the pro-American crowd of 25,676 serenaded the
team with chants of "U-S-A! U-S-A!"
"Abby, she's just the best," Sundhage said. "I'm very happy
to have her in our team. Great."
Despite the loss, the World Cup was a resounding success for the French,
who made their first appearance in the semifinals and qualified for next
summer's London Olympics.
The French didn't stick around to watch the Americans celebrate - and
the party is sure to be even bigger back home. A thrilling win over Brazil
in the quarterfinals captivated fans back home, with Hollywood celebs,
other pro athletes and folks who'd never watched a soccer game before
jumping on the U.S. bandwagon. Ellen DeGeneres wished
the team good luck on Twitter before the game, dozens in the Phoenix airport
were glued to TVs and Super Bowl MVP Aaron Rodgers tagged
one of his tweets with "worldcupfinalherewecome."
Though the Americans are two-time World Cup champions, they haven't made
the final since Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy and Brandi Chastain
won it all in 1999. This American team will now play Japan in Sunday's
final in Frankfurt.
The Americans had only two days' rest following the Brazil game, their
quickest turnaround of the tournament, and there had been concern that
fatigue or emotions might get the best of them. But Wambach, who has been
playing with an Achilles' tendon so sore it often keeps her out of practice,
dismissed that idea.
And she sure didn't look hobbled.
"In the end, we're in the finals," Wambach said, "and that's
all that matters."
The U.S. was staked to an early lead by Cheney's goal in the ninth minute.
But with the silky smooth Louisa Necib calling the shots,
France dominated for most of the game, finishing with a whopping 25-11
advantage in shots. They missed two great chances in the first half, with
goalkeeper Hope Solo having to tip a Gaetane
Thiney shot away in the 30th and Sonia Bompastor
rattling the crossbar two minutes later.
Finally, in the 55th, France got its equalizer. Bompastor floated in a
cross from about 30 yards and, with the dangerous Gaetane Thiney right
in front of her, Solo had little opportunity to move. The ball flew right
past her.
But just as they did Sunday against Brazil, the Americans got stronger
and stronger as the game went on before Wambach came through. Morgan then
put the game out of reach, showing why many believe she's next big U.S.
thing.
Outracing four French defenders, Morgan sprinted up the left side and
then stutter-stepped to throw Sapowicz off before taking her shot. There
were still 10 minutes left, but the party was on.
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U.S.
WNT Tops Brazil To Reach WC Semis
DRESDEN, Germany (July 10, 2011) – The U.S. Women’s
National Team earned one of the most dramatic wins in FIFA Women’s
World Cup history, scoring the tying goal in the dying seconds of overtime
while playing with 10 players for more than 55 minutes.
U.S. forward Abby Wambach scored the latest goal in Women’s
World Cup history when she headed home a cross from Megan Rapinoe
to tie the game at 2-2 in the second minute of stoppage time in the second
and final 15-minute overtime period.
The USA then showed tremendous composure to convert all five of its penalty
kicks in the shootout with U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo saving
Brazil’s third attempt by Daiane to give the Americans
the margin of victory.
Ali Krieger, who has played the last four years in Germany
for FFC Frankfurt, nailed the fifth and decisive penalty after Shanon
Boxx, Carli Lloyd, Wambach and Rapinoe had all scored.
The USA will now travel to Mönchen-gladbach where it will face France
in the semifinal on July 13.
"It's hard to put together all the thoughts I have,” U.S.
head coach Pia Sundhage said. “There's something
to be said about this team. This American attitude of pulling everything
together and bringing out the best performance in each other is contagious.
I am very, very proud and I'm very, very happy to be the coach for the
U.S. team
The match was a topsy-turvy emotional rollercoaster with the U.S. getting
things underway with a dream start on a Brazil own goal by Daiane just
74 seconds into the match.
The U.S. held the 1-0 lead until the game took one of many dramatic turns
as Rachel Buehler and five-time FIFA Women’s World
Player of the Year Marta clashed in the left side of
the penalty area in the 65th minute. Melksham ruled that Buehler had denied
Marta an obvious scoring opportunity, awarded a penalty kick to Brazil
and sent off the U.S. central defender, forcing the USA to play a woman
down for the rest of the game, which included the 30-minute overtime period.
Cristiane stepped up to take the kick, but Solo dove full out to her left
to push the shot away. As the U.S. team celebrated wildly, Melksham stunned
the American side by ordering the kick to be retaken for an apparent encroachment
violation. Marta stepped up to take the second chance and buried it, tying
the score at 1-1.
In the second minute of extra time, Marta took a pass from Maurine,
who was apparently offside, to convert a beautiful left-footed flick that
bounced on the turf and off the right post before settling behind Solo
to give Brazil a 2-1 advantage.
The USA never stopped pressing for an equalizer and when Melksham added
three minutes of extra time to the second overtime period after Brazil’s
Erika was cautioned for some time-wasting shenanigans,
the U.S. took full advantage.
The play to score the tying goal started in the 122nd minute in the back
with Kreiger intercepting a pass in the right corner. She played a pass
forward to Lloyd who dribbled to the center circle before finding Rapinoe
on the left wing. The 55th-minute substitute played a high, swerving cross
over both Daiane and goalkeeper Andreia that Wambach
met with a leaping header, sending the ball just inside the right post
from six yards out, touching off an unbridled celebration from the U.S.
team.
“It was a perfect ball,” Wambach said. “She got an opportunity
down the left flank. She sent the ball in and it just popped over that
defender’s head. I was sitting on that back post and headed it near
post. I’m so happy it went in.”
The goal in the 120th minute was the 120th of Wambach’s career and
her 11th in the FIFA Women’s World Cup play, tying her for fourth
all-time behind Marta, Birgit Prinz of Germany and U.S.
legend Michelle Akers.
The U.S. advances to the semifinals for the sixth-straight tournament
– every tournament that has been held in fact – and exacts
a measure of revenge against Brazil which eliminated the U.S. at the semifinal
stage in 2007. Coincidentally, that was the last match that saw the U.S.
receive a red card.
- U.S. Women’s National Team Match Report -
Match: U.S. Women’s National Team vs. Brazil
Date: July 10, 2011
Competition: 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup – Quarterfinal
Venue: Rudolf-Harbig Stadium; Dresden, Germany
Kickoff: 11:30 a.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. local
Attendance: 25,598
Weather: 79 degrees, cloudy
Scoring Summary: 1 2 OT1 OT2 F
USA 1 0 0 1 2
BRA 0 1 1 0 2
USA – Daiane (own goal) 2nd minute
BRA – Marta (penalty kick) 68
BRA – Marta (Maurine) 92
USA – Abby Wambach (Megan Rapinoe) 120+2
Penalty Summary:
USA: Boxx (goal), Lloyd (goal), Wambach (goal), Rapinoe (goal), Krieger
(goal)
BRA: Cristiane (goal), Marta (goal), Daiane (saved) , Francielle (goal)
U.S. advances 5-3 on PKs
Lineups:
USA: 1-Hope Solo; 11-Ali Krieger, 19-Rachel Buehler, 3-Christie
Rampone (capt.), 6-Amy LePeilbet; 9-Heather O’Reilly (17-Tobin Heath,
108), 7-Shannon Boxx, 10-Carli Lloyd, 12-Lauren Cheney (15-Megan Rapinoe,
55); 8-Amy Rodriguez (13-Alex Morgan, 72), 20-Abby Wambach
Subs not used: 2-Heather Mitts, 4-Becky Sauerbrunn, 5-Kelley O’Hara,
, 14-Stephanie Cox, , 16-Lori Lindsey, , 18-Nicole Barnhart, 21-Jill Loyden
Head coach: Pia Sundhage
BRA: 1-Andreia; 3-Daiane, 4-Aline, 13-Erika; 14-Fabiana,
8-Formiga (5-Renata Costa, 113), 7-Ester, 2-Maurine; 11-Cristiane, 6-Rosana
(15-Francielle, 85), 10-Marta
Subs not used: 9-Beatriz, 12-Barbara, , 16-Elaine, 17-Daniele, 18-Thais
Guedes, 19-Grazielle, 20-Roseane, 21-Thais
Head coach: Kleiton Lima
Statistical Summary: USA / BRA
Shots: 14 / 16
Shots on Goal: 5 / 6
Saves: 4 / 3
Corner Kicks: 11 / 6
Fouls: 17 / 19
Offside: 4 / 2
Misconduct Summary:
USA – Carli Lloyd (caution) 29th minute
BRA – Aline (caution) 44
BRA – Marta (caution) 45
USA – Rachel Buehler (sent off) 65
USA – Hope Solo (caution) 67
USA – Megan Rapinoe (caution) 90+1
BRA – Maurine (caution) 112
USA – Shannon Boxx (caution) 113
BRA – Erika (caution) 117
Officials
Referee: Jacqui Melksham (AUS)
Assistant Referee 1: Allyson Flynn (AUS)
Assistant Referee 2: Sarah Ho (AUS)
Fourth Official: Etsuko Fukano (JPN)
Bud Light Woman of the Match: Hope Solo
Top of Page
U.S.
Open World Cup ’11 With A 2-0 Win
Forward Lauren Cheney completed a swift
move with a well-timed header and Rachel Buehler fired in with 14 minutes
to go to give the team with the highest average age of players a winning
start against the youngest team in the June 26-July 17 tournament.
"You play your first 45 minutes in a World Cup and after those 45
you start knocking the ball around a bit better. We did a good job,"
U.S. coach Pia Sundhage told reporters.
"It's good to have this result because it is so much easier going
forward."
It was the fourth time the two sides had met at a World Cup group stage
with the United States, twice world champions, having won two and drawn
one of their previous three games.
On a sun-drenched afternoon in Dresden, the Americans looked livelier
from the start and Carli Lloyd had an early chance when
she connected with a Christie Rampone free kick but her
header was too weak to trouble keeper Hong Myong Hui.
Three-times Asian champions North Korea battled hard to stifle any American
attack outside the box and made the most of their opponents' erratic passing
game to venture forward.
American keeper Hope Solo had to come to the rescue twice
late in the first half, palming away a Korean shot and intercepting a
low cross from Song Jong-sun who was wreaking havoc with
Ra Un-sim down the right wing.
WRONG FOOTED
The Koreans were lucky not to go a goal down early in the
second half when Abby Wambach and 23-year-old forward
Cheney each saw their efforts sail just wide as the Olympic champions
stepped up a gear.
The two players combined beautifully in the 54th minute with Wambach sailing
in a cross to the far post and Cheney made amends for her previous miss
with a well-placed soft header that wrong-footed the keeper.
The Koreans almost struck back two minutes later with Ri Ye-gyong's
25-meter shot rattling the crossbar but apart from this solitary effort
it was one-way traffic with the Americans cutting down on errors and pressing
their rivals.
Buehler doubled their lead in the 76th minute, sliding and firing in a
loose ball after it bounced off the bar.
Substitute Megan Rapinoe pounced on a keeper mistake
in the dying seconds to put the ball in the net but her effort was disallowed
for a foul on Hong.
Cheney had been a surprise starter instead of Rapinoe and was glad she
had been given a chance.
"I worked my butt off and it worked," she told reporters. "I
think either of us could have started today."
In the other Group C match of the day, Sweden beat Colombia 1-0.
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