U.S. advances over Brazil in Women’s World Cup

July 10, 2011 • 2:23 pm

In their quarterfinal match against Brazil, played in Dresden, Germany, the U.S. team scored a tying goal at the last moment: the 122nd minute of the match (regulation overtime), and then won by scoring 5-3 on penalty kicks.

The goal that got the U.S. into penalty kicks was this superb header by Abby Wambach:

The U.S. faces France in Wednesday’s semifinal.

28 thoughts on “U.S. advances over Brazil in Women’s World Cup”

  1. Well, the header is reasonable, but nothing particularly special.

    But the cross by Megan Rapinoe, that was the shot!

    There’s probably a moral lesson there, that is is Abby’s name on all the newsfeeds.

    1. Indeed, it was a great cross and I should have mentioned it. But at least you did.

    3. Rapinoe actually had a pretty bad game up until that cross–she lacked confidence; it seemed like a poor substitution, but obviously with that cross and later scoring her PK, she certainly found her stride.

      All in all a game that encompassed the five stages of death: anger, denial, bargaining, depression, acceptance…and then at the very last second, literally, a reprieve.

      Very happy for the US team.

  3. …and at least as important, the Sounders defeated the Timbers in Portland! 😉

    But really, congrats to the USWNT!

  4. I’ve never heard soccer described as Jerry has done above, so I’m going to rewrite Jerry’s prose in British English Football speak so it makes sense to me!

    “In their quarter-final game against Brazil, played in Dresden, Germany, the U.S. team scored an extra time equalizer in the 122nd minute of the match, and then won 5-3 on penalties.

    The goal that got the U.S. into penalties was this superb header by Abby Wambach:”

    🙂

  5. It was an incredibly dramatic finish after two hours of getting jobbed by the ref. Loved it almost as much as the Donovan goal against Algeria last year.

    1. I hear you on that goal against Algeria, but this one was far more dramatic. To turn things around and preserve a berth into the semi-finals at the 122 minute is previously unheard of. Literally. This was the latest-scored goal of any Women’s World Cup match.

      1. As a single game thing I agree that this was far more dramatic, but the Algeria goal came after that phantom foul call the game before that denied us a win, so the tension kind of spanned two games, and I was personally more invested in that competition. This was great, definitely ran around screaming when Wambach scored, just not quite as much.

  6. I don’t know why everyone is celebrating — the outcome was already DETERMINED. =o)

  8. It’s not in the same league as Yael Averbuch’s 4-second goal (Yael against Yale, believe it or not!) for North Carolina in 2006:

    1. That’s not a great goal, just a dumb goalie. In fact its a pretty stupid gimmick generally, because you’re just turning the ball over for no reason.

  9. I find soccer goals to be among the most exciting moments in all of sports. Now, if I can just get past my American bias towards those long intervals where no scoring occurs.

    1. Have some kids and get them involved in soccer at an early age. If you also get involved (even if only as an interested spectator) your bias will soon disappear as you learn the tactics and strategies behind the game.

    2. What nick said. I coach my daughters recreational soccer team and to see an 8 year old girl make a cross like Megan did brings tears to my eyes.

  10. Great come back. Great pass into the box. She beat the keeper to the spot. I love it. If you study the game you will see that to score a side must have a good build up to the goal. Watch Man U, Barca, or Spain. It is all about ball movement and creating space in the box.
    Brasil used to be good at this not now. I have two blogs defutebol.net or my wordpress guy bobbygeedefutebol.net

  12. There is justice in the World (Cup)
    First Half: US 1 Brazil 0
    Second Half: US 1 Brazil 0 Referee 1 (US @ ten players to the end.)
    First Half, Extra Time: US 1 Brazil 1 Referee 1
    Second Half, Extra Time: US 2 Brazil 1 Referee 1
    Penalty kicks: US 5 Brazil 4

    It could have been Munich 1972 all over again but they wouldn’t let it happen!
    Best soccer game I’ve ever seen.

    Go USA, Beat France!

  13. It was one of the most exciting, dramatic, and improbable games I’ve ever watched. Second only to the 6th game of the 1986 World Series, and second only because we don’t yet know the outcome of the Cup tournament. If the USWNT win the Cup, then it’s at least a tie for best ever.

  14. That was a crazy game. Deserved winner in the end though. (Saying that with just a tiny speck of bitterness from the perspective of a German whose team did not survive the Quarterfinals… 🙁 )

  15. USA wins robot 3-a-side soccer World Cup

    Team DARwIn (USA): 8
    CIT Brains (Japan): 1

    See accelerated version (5 cameras) video HERE [The USA ‘bots are the shorter ones with teardrop-shaped heads]

    You will struggle to spot women among the men – I counted three. The competition goal is to pitch robots versus humans by 2050. I think robots will be unbeatable soccer players before 2030 if the rules permit the ‘bots to be as fast & as ‘hive minded’ as future technology will allow

    It is unsurprising that the US is in the lead. This TED Talk video from 2009 is of PW Singer on military robots and the future of war. It’s a Must See.

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