U.S. third; Germany gets title
SHANGHAI -- Even as Germany beat Brazil for the Women’s World Cup title, there were a couple good reasons why the United States’ third-place finish Sunday, achieved with an impressive 4-1 win over Norway, meant something to an American soccer team whose overall performance was a disappointment.
One was money: The women each collected a $10,000 bonus for third, and there was zilch for fourth. (First place, which the team expected after coming into the tournament ranked No. 1, was worth $50,000).
The other was something to build on, after the 4-0 rout by Brazil in the semifinals, with the 2008 Olympics less than a year away.
The U.S. women finished third in the 1995 and 2003 World Cups and went on to Olympic gold the next year.
“I made it a point in both 2003 and the other night to watch the other team celebrate, because those are the moments that define you,” U.S. forward Abby Wambach said, referring to a 3-0 loss in the semifinals to Germany in 2003 and the defeat by Brazil this year. “This team has always rebounded very well from losses.
“Those memories of Brazil, those goals are etched in every one of our minds. As long as we can continue remembering, those are things that will make us better.”
In the five Women’s World Cups, the United States has two gold medals and three bronzes. No other country has won medals in every tournament.
Sunday’s U.S. offensive performance was by far its best of a tournament in which it had scored only eight goals in its first five games. There was constant pressure on the Norwegians, and the United States continually moved the ball into dangerous places.
In a game that began in a nearly empty Hongkou Stadium, Wambach scored twice in action after corner kicks by Stephanie Lopez, giving Wambach six goals in the tournament.
The first put the United States ahead, 1-0, in the 30th minute of a first half her team dominated. The goal was a soccer version of a hockey deflection.
Most of the stadium’s 31,000 seats were filled by the time Wambach knocked in a rebound in the first minute of the second half.
The United States was short three players Sunday, most notably goalie Hope Solo, who started the first four games of the World Cup.
The team decided to banish Solo after her strong criticism of Coach Greg Ryan and veteran goalie Briana Scurry after Ryan benched Solo in favor of Scurry for Thursday’s semifinal with Brazil.
Scurry started against Norway and was infrequently tested. She had no chance on Norway’s lone goal, a perfectly placed header by Ragnhild Gilbrandsen (her sixth goal of the tournament) after the U.S. had gone ahead, 4-0.
Two ex-Notre Damers were also out of action: defender Kate Markgraf with a sprained ankle, and midfielder Shannon Boxx because her two yellow cards against Brazil brought not only expulsion from that match but a one-match suspension.
A speed-challenged U.S. team, which simply could not keep up with Brazil, did not have to worry about that disadvantage against Norway.
Kristine Lilly, who has played all five of the Women’s World Cups, went off a few minutes from the end. As she left to a loud ovation, the 36-year-old star handed over her captain’s armband to 36-year-old Scurry. It was Scurry who replaced Solo in goal.
“It felt incredible when Lilly came over to me,” Scurry said. “The team has been great support for me all of these years, and especially the last few days.”
Germany 2, Brazil 0 -- The turning point came when the tournament’s top goalkeeper and top goal scorer squared off on a penalty kick in the 62th minute, with Brazil trailing, 1-0.
German goalkeeper Nadine Angerer, who did not concede a goal in tournament, then stopped Marta, who finished the event with seven goals. Angerer said her save came because she recalled Brazil’s quarterfinal victory over Australia. In that game, Marta also took a penalty kick.
“She went to the bottom left corner, so this time I thought she would go to the right,” she said. “I waited as long as I could to act, and it was the right decision.”
Angerer was backed by goals from Birgit Prinz in the 52nd minute and Simone Laudehr in the 86th, and Germany became the first women’s soccer team to successfully defend a World Cup or Olympic title.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Philip Hersh covers Olympic sports for The Times and the Chicago Tribune.
