Instant Classic: Wambach of Hermosa Beach leads never say die U.S. to heart-stopping famous World Cup victory
Head and shoulders above the rest: U.S. forward Abby Wambach scores the latest goal in a game in Women's World Cup history and sends the quarterfinal against Brazil to penalty kicks in Germany (AP Photo).
It was quite simply, one of the most enthralling, drama-filled, soccer games I've ever seen.
Striker Abby Wambach, a Hermosa Beach resident, scored an equalizer deep into stoppage time of extra time and a 10-player U.S. went on to win on penalty kicks today over Brazil in the World Cup quarterfinals.
ESPN2 will show a replay of the game beginning at 9 o'clock tonight.
Torrance's Shannon Boxx also played a pivotal role in the game.
It's twelve years to the day since the U.S. won the 1999 Women's World Cup in Pasadena on a Brandi Chastain penalty kick.
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About 100 Percent Soccer
Sportswriter Nick Green has written the 100 Percent Soccer column since 2005 for the Daily News, Daily Breeze and other Los Angeles area newspapers. The blog of the same name began in 2007. A native of England, he began writing about soccer in the mid-1980s and in 2000 permanently exchanged a seat in the stands for one in the press box. He lives six miles from Carson's Home Depot Center, home of the Los Angeles Galaxy, Chivas USA and the training headquarters for U.S. Soccer and is married to a long-suffering soccer widow. Join Nick on FaceBook and follow him on Twitter.
Even down a player, the US was the better *team*. I got kind of choked up at the end. Btw, I wonder if Brazil realizes that had that not been cheating with their time wasting, that they would have won, because the ref would not have needed to add the three extra minutes Wambach scored in?
Just read the linked article. Glad to see I'm not the only one who noticed Brazil's time cheating lost them the game ...
Told you guys no need to fear the Samba girls. They self destructed under pressure.
glad to see the German audience show their disdain for the way Brasil was playing. They're as sinister as they are good. I hate Marta.
Just think how awesome the US team could be if they were more composed on the ball. Grit may win the girls the World Cup but not never the boys.
Learn to control that damb ball people.
I guess we had two different looks at the game because I was watching it and commented to my wife how I wish the players in MLS would settle the ball and make passes on the ground the way the USWNT does, rather than blindly hacking the ball upfield the way MLS players tend to do ...
we have the same look at the same game. Pia is trying to get the women play with more composure and control but they still give the ball away too much and rush rather than settle. so it comes down to mastery of the ball before any tactic can be perfectly executed. same for the boys, even more so.
US plays Cro-Magnon soccer, upright when they need to be hunched over to keep control of that round thing at their feet.
Yes, Studs Down called it right. And I like the "cro-magnon" futbol reference. So true.
Congrats to the USA women, they played with a lot of heart. The USA women could teach a thing or two to the current crop of USA men.
And the FIFA Women Refs blow just as much as the FIFA Men refs. There is equality there.
One more thing. The Women's World Cup has been more entertaining and better to watch than this year's COPA AMERICA. What the heck happened to the Copa America? Brasil and Argentina haven't bothered to show up, and there has been no scoring. Stadiums look EMPTY too. Strange to say it, but this year's COPA ORO was far more entertaining and better to watch so far.
like a friend said, we finally got an American team with some balls!
Do they replay the games after the World Cup is over? Or is it only later that night? Please let me know.
Unless a game becomes an "Instant Classic" i don't believe there are any plans to replay games after the tournament is over. After checking all the ESPN channel schedules it only appears Wednesday's semi's will be shown live, too, with no replay later that night.