|
 The
United States Women's National Team defeated a very physical Brazilian side 2-1
in the Gold Medal Match at the 2004 Olympics in Athens. Abby Wambach scored the
game winner in extra time as the Women's National Team won their second Olympic
Gold Medal. Lindsay Tarpley gave the United States the lead in the 38th minute
on a spectacular shot from 23 yards. Brazilian midfielder Pretinha netted the
equalizer midway through the second half. This marks the last time that the "Fab
Five" of Mia Hamm, Joy Fawcett, Julie Foudy, Brandi Chastain and Kristine Lilly
will play together in a competitive tournament. U.S. Soccer has unveiled plans
to host a 10-game
'Fan
Celebration Tour' that will
kick off on Sept. 25 at Frontier Field in Rochester, N.Y. as a final farewell to
retiring players like Joy Fawcett, Julie Foudy and Mia Hamm on the international
soccer stage.
With the Athens Olympics serving as the last world
championship event for some of the U.S.
 veterans,
the match against Brazil was a dramatic dogfight. With Brazil
attacking in waves early, the U.S. got a crucial goal on a
blast from distance by 20-year-old Lindsay Tarpley on an
assist by Brandi Chastain. Brazil tied the game in the 73rd
minute, but Kristine Lilly served a perfect corner kick to
Wambach to head home the winner in the 22nd minute of
overtime.
"This team never gave up and
every single player made a difference,” said veteran Mia Hamm
after the game. “These guys deserve it. They always put the
game first. They always thought about leaving a legacy and
leaving a better place for all the young girls that are in the
stands. These girls deserve it and I am so proud to be on this
team. I'm just one person. America should be proud of this
team. We are going to enjoy it."
With the team earning the Gold
Medal, U.S. Soccer has announced plans to stage a 10-game Fan
Celebration Tour for the U.S. Women's National Team and their
fans that will kick off on Sept. 25 vs. Iceland at Frontier
Field in Rochester, N.Y., the hometown of Wambach, the team’s
leading scoring in the Olympics with four goals.
The tour marks one last chance
for fans of the U.S. Women's National Team to see retiring
players like Joy Fawcett, Julie Foudy and Hamm on the
international soccer stage as they celebrate a legacy which
includes two Women's World Cup championships, two Gold Medal
victories and top three finishes in each of their seven FIFA
world championship events. The remaining dates and venues on
the tour will be released in the near future and fans are
encouraged to log on to ussoccer.com to register to receive
the latest ticketing information as it becomes available.
The game winner came for an
exhausted U.S. team in the 112th minute, when Wambach found
enough energy to out-leap Monica on the Lilly corner kick and
snap a header from 12 yards out that flew past Andreia. Brazil
captain Juliana tried to head the ball off the line, but it
popped off her head and into the roof of the net. Easily the
biggest goal of Wambach’s young international career, her four
in the Olympics give her 18 goals in 24 games in 2004.
"No words,” said Wambach of her
late goal-scoring heroics. “This is for them. It is for these
players going through their last world championship: Brandi
Chastain, Kristine Lilly, Joy Fawcett, Julie Foudy, Briana
Scurry, Mia Hamm … all these players that have done so much
for this team. This is for them."
With the Brazil attack coming
in waves, the U.S. scored a huge goal to grab momentum in the
39th minute. The score started with Chastain stepping in to
intercept a Brazil pass just outside the center circle and
playing a quick ball ahead to Tarpley. Tarpley turned and
dribbled down the center of the field before ripping a shot
from 22 yards out that found its way between two Brazil
defenders and past Andreia inside the left post for a 1-0
lead.
The Gold Medal battle opened
much like the two team’s first meeting in opening round play
on Aug. 14, with Brazil coming out with a ferocious attack,
forcing the U.S. to match their intensity and play end-to-end
from the opening whistle.
Brazil had the majority of
dangerous chances early on, with Rosana blasting a ball just
over the crossbar from 25 yards out in the first minute. In
the fifth minute, Elaine tested the U.S. defense by ripping a
shot to the far post that Scurry dove to push wide. Brazil’s
Daniela had the next chance, sending a low shot from 35 yards
out that skipped toward Briana Scurry, who made the easy save.
Brazil put together a swift
two-player breakaway in the 27th minute, with Pretinha and
Marta running a give and go and carving through the U.S. back
line, but midfielder Shannon Boxx came from behind on the play
to intercept the final pass and clear it from danger.
Minutes later, Brazil had a
chance to equalize on a flurry in front of the U.S. goal that
resulted from an incorrect call from referee Jenny Palmqvist.
Joy Fawcett had ran down a through ball and tangled with
Formiga in the box, before Formiga won the battle and touched
a ball to the middle of the box. Scurry, who was lurking
behind Fawcett, quickly scooped up the ball, and Palmqvist
ruled that she had illegally handled a pass from Fawcett.
On the resulting indirect free
kick, Formiga touched it to Marta, whose shot into the wall
was blocked by Lilly. The rebound fell to Daniela who
attempted a shot that was blocked by Fawcett. The ball fell to
the left of Fawcett, and before Kate Markgraf could clear the
ball, Christiane pounced on the loose ball and sent it toward
the upper left corner, but Scurry was there to parry it wide
for a corner kick.
Daniela had the first good
scoring chance of the second half, sending a low blast to the
far post from 24 yards out that Scurry had covered and watched
roll wide left in the 56th minute.
Lilly almost got her
team-leading fourth goal of the tournament in the 72nd minute
when she was crashing through the box and a Wambach cross from
the right flank sailed over the head of Juliana and literally
fell in her lap, but she wasn’t able to strike the ball and
Andreia came off her line to grab the ball out of harm’s way.
The U.S. held Brazil off until the 73rd minute, when an
incredible individual run from Christiane through the U.S.
half of the field took her into the left side of the penalty
area, where she beat Fawcett and Markgraf to the endline
before sending in a low cross. Guarding the near post, Scurry
was able to get her left hand on the pass, but the ball slid
into the path of Pretinha, who tapped it home from point-blank
range.
Buoyed by the equalizer, Brazil
ratcheted up the intensity level in search of the game winner.
A minute later, Christiane almost made it 2-1 with a laser
from 23 yards out that clanged the boards just a foot wide of
the right post.
Christiane crushed the woodwork
in the 78th minute, sending a shot between two U.S. defenders
that rang the left post as Scurry scrambled to stop it.
After working hard all match but with limited looks on goal,
Wambach was almost the hero in the 85th minute when she beat
her defender in the six-yard box and went airborne to try to
head home a Cat Reddick free kick swerved in from the left
side, but she missed it by inches and it sailed out for a goal
kick.
Brazil hit the post again in
the 87th minute, as Pretinha got the ball at the top of the
box, cut back to her left to escape three U.S. defenders and
sent a shot that beat Scurry but smacked the left post. The
rebound bounced off Scurry, who was lying on the turf, and was
patiently cleared out by Markgraf.
Each team had chances over the
final few minutes, but neither team could find the back of the
net. Forward Heather O’Reilly, the hero vs. Germany, came into
the game for Tarpley at the start of overtime and provided
much needed pace up top for the U.S.
Both teams slowed the pace as
overtime began, with neither side wanting to commit too many
players into the attack. But Brazil picked up the pace midway
through the first period of extra time, with Marta volleying a
left-footed shot from the top of the box that was right at
Scurry. Moments later, Daniela also sent a low shot on goal,
but again it was directed at Scurry and she gobbled it up.
The U.S. had its first good
chance in the 101st minute, with Foudy sending a ball from the
right flank that skipped past Daniela to Wambach, who turned
and sent it just a few feet over the crossbar.
Christiane had yet another
scintillating touch toward goal, spinning around Christine
Rampone at the corner of the box and rushing in alone but
sending a poorly struck shot wide left of the goal in the
104th minute.
The first opportunity in the
second 15-minute period came on a Brazil free kick from 25
yards out that Formiga pushed far wide of the goal. After
Wambach’s tally in the 112th minute, the U.S. worked to kill
off the clock by playing the ball deep into the corners or out
of bounds. |
