U.S. Women Get Unusual Edge
The game was a tie. So why did it seem like a victory for the United States?
Because the Americans won a coin toss after the game to determine who wins Group A in the Women’s Gold Cup, and who has to play potent China in the semifinals.
“It’s not the best way to do it, but there’s no other way,” Brazilian Coach Jose Duarte said Tuesday night after playing the Americans to a 0-0 tie before 16,386 at Foxboro, Mass., then losing the coin toss that set up a likely semifinal matchup with China.
Kristine Lilly missed a penalty kick in the final minute after Formiga was called for a foul in the penalty box when she undercut Julie Foudy. Lilly short-legged the kick low and just to the left of Brazilian goalkeeper Andreia, who easily made the save.
“I did one of those things an athlete doesn’t do: I changed my mind,” Lilly said. “And it was a big mistake.”
Both teams finished 2-0-1 in group play and had already clinched berths in the semifinals. Goal differential is the first tiebreaker, but the teams had identical scores in their early games, each beating Trinidad and Tobago, 11-0, and Costa Rica, 8-0, in the first round.
So the teams tossed a coin. After the match, event organizer Jill Fracisco tossed a coin at midfield; Brazil’s Sissi called tails, and the coin came up heads.
“I’ve never seen it before,” U.S. Coach April Heinrichs said. “What a disaster to work so hard for 90 minutes and have it come down to a flip of the thumb.”
The Chinese will win Group B as long as they don’t lose by double-digits to Mexico today; the Americans will likely play Group B runner-up Canada, which enters its game against Guatemala trailing China by a game and 16 goals.
Earlier Tuesday, Jacqueline Alvarez scored during injury time as Costa Rica rallied from a two-goal deficit to tie Trinidad and Tobago 2-2.
Trinidad and Tobago took a 2-0 lead on goals by Delia De Silva and Natalie Des Vignes. But Xiomara Briceno scored for Costa Rica in the 83rd minute, and Alvarez tied it in the 90th.
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France wants to become the first World Cup champion to win a European Championship. Portugal just wants to win a title, and this one will do quite nicely.
Today’s semifinal in Bruges, Belgium, has the makings of a classic, featuring the likes of Zinedine Zidane and Youri Djorkaeff of France and Luis Figo and Rui Costa of Portugal.
The winner advances to Sunday’s final against the Netherlands or Italy, who play in Amsterdam Thursday. The Netherlands won’t have defender Arthur Numan or forward Roy Makaay because of injuries.
