#US defeats #France in Women's #WorldCup semifinal, 3-1

Yves Logghe/Associated Press

The US team starters were Alex Krieger, Lauren Cheney, Abby Wambach, goalkeeper Hope Solo, Heather O Reilly, Amy Rodriguez, from top left, and from bottom left, Amy Le Peilbet, Christie Rampone, Becky Sauerbrunn, Shannon Boxx, Carli Lloyd line up for a team photo just before the semifinal match.

Michael Sohn/Associated Press

France's goalkeeper Berangere Sapowicz, Laure Lepailleur, Laura Georges, Marie-Laure Delie, Sandrine Soubeyrand, Ophelie Meilleroux, from top left, and from bottom left, Sonia Bompastor, Louisa Necib, Camille Abily, Elise Bussaglia, Gaetane Thiney line up for a team photo just before the semifinal match.

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Wambach Again! USA Advances to World Cup Final

US defeats France, will play for title on Sunday

By John Johnson, Newser Staff

(Newser) – One more win for the World Cup: The US women's soccer team beat France 3-1 today to advance to the finals on Sunday. With the game tied 1-1, Abby Wambach headed in a goal again to give USA a 2-1 lead with about 10 minutes left. Alex Morgan made it 3-1 shortly after. Laura Cheney scored the first American goal in the first half. The women will play either Japan or Sweden (on Sunday) for the championship.

United States' Abby Wambach celebrates her goal.
(AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

United States' Heather O Reilly reacts after USA went up 1-0 in the first half.
(AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

United States' Amy Le Peilbet and France's Camille Abily challenge for the ball.
(AP Photo/Yves Logghe) 

United States' Lauren Cheney, left, celebrates scoring the opening goal with Amy Rodriguez.
(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

United States' Abby Wambach scores her side's second goal during the semifinal match between France and the United States at the Women's Soccer World Cup in Moenchengladbach, Germany, Wednesday, July 13, 2011. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

By NANCY ARMOUR

The Associated Press

MOENCHENGLADBACH, Germany • The United States is in the World Cup final for the first time since it last won the title in 1999, and once again, it was Abby Wambach coming up big in a 3-1 victory over France.

Wambach broke a tense tie in the 79th minute Wednesday with a monstrous header — what else? — off of a Lauren Cheney corner kick. Cheney delivered the ball perfectly to the far post, and the 5-foot-11 forward soared over the scrum and pushed the ball past French goalkeeper Berangere Sapowicz. Wambach let out a scream and did a sliding sprint into the corner, where she was mobbed by her teammates.

It was Wambach’s third goal of the tournament and 12th of her career, tying fellow American Michelle Akers for third on the all-time World Cup scoring list.

Alex Morgan added an insurance goal in the 82nd, the first for the World Cup rookie. When the final whistle sounded, the Americans rushed onto the field. Wambach found U.S. coach Pia Sundhage and gave her a bearhug as the pro-American crowd of 25,676 serenaded the team with chants of “U-S-A! U-S-A!”

“Abby, she’s just the best,” Sundhage said. “I’m very happy to have her in our team. Great.”

Despite the loss, the World Cup was a resounding success for the French, who made their first appearance in the semifinals and qualified for next summer’s London Olympics.

The French didn’t stick around to watch the Americans celebrate — and the party is sure to be even bigger back home. A thrilling win over Brazil in the quarterfinals captivated fans back home, with Hollywood celebs, other pro athletes and folks who’d never watched a soccer game before jumping on the U.S. bandwagon. Ellen DeGeneres wished the team good luck on Twitter before the game, dozens in the Phoenix airport were glued to TVs and Super Bowl MVP Aaron Rodgers tagged one of his Tweets with “worldcupfinalherewecome.”

Though the Americans are two-time World Cup champions, they haven’t made the final since Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy and Brandi Chastain won it all in 1999. This American team will now play either Japan or Sweden in Sunday’s final in Frankfurt.

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US team in the Women's World Cup

The US Women's team posed for a team photo after they defeated Brazil in a penalty shootout during the Women's World Cup quarterfinal soccer match in Dresden, Germany on July 10.

The US team plays next in the semifinal match against France (today) July 13. Here's a look at the women representing the US in the Women's World Cup. All player info is from U.S. Soccer's official website.

Top left: Alex Krieger, Lauren Cheney, Hope Solo, Abby Wambach, Carli Lloyd, Rachel Buehler.
Bottom left, Heather O Reilly, Shannon Boxx, Christie Rampone, Amy Le Peilbet and Amy Rodriguez.
Compiled by Kim Lyons, Boston.com staff.
Boston.com
The Americans feel just fine, thank you, not tired a bit. The high they were on after that epic Brazil game? That's so yesterday.

Marcio Jose Sanchez/The Associated PressThe United States' Abby Wambach scores the Americans' second goal to tie the quarterfinal match against Brazil at the Women's Soccer World Cup on Sunday in Dresden, Germany.

By The Associated Press
The U.S. women are one game away from reaching their first World Cup final since 1999 -- the last time they won soccer's biggest prize -- and the only thing on their minds now is beating France.

"Losing is not an option," Abby Wambach said Tuesday. "We want to win this thing, and France is standing in our way right now."

The Americans are the top-ranked team in the world and defending Olympic gold medalists, yet they were almost afterthoughts when the tournament began two weeks ago. Two-time defending champion Germany was considered the heavy favorite, sure to get a boost playing on home soil. Then there was Brazil, runner-up at the last three major tournaments and led by Marta, FIFA's player of the year five years running.

And the U.S.? They had to win a playoff with Italy just to get here, and they'd been uncharacteristically inconsistent with three losses in a five-month span.

But the Germans are now spectators, stunned by Japan in the quarterfinals. Brazil is gone, too, losing to the Americans in a penalty shootout in one of the most exciting games ever at the World Cup, men's or women's. And the U.S.? They're still playing, and they go into Wednesday night's semifinal with more than a touch of swagger.

"We have what it takes," Wambach said. "It's just a matter of putting it all together."

Jens Meyer/The Associated PressThe United States' Rachel Buehler fouls Brazil's Marta during their quarterfinal match at the Women's Soccer World Cup on Sunday in Dresden, Germany.

The biggest uncertainty for the Americans isn't their fitness, it's their backline. Rachel Buehler has started all but one game the last two years, and her bruising style of defense -- she isn't called the "Buehldozer" for nothing -- has been vital. But she's suspended for the semifinal after getting a red card for taking down Marta in the box in the 65th minute Sunday.

While U.S. Coach Pia Sundhage wouldn't say who will play in Buehler's place, Becky Sauerbrunn was working with the starters during training Tuesday.

"I've been fortunate enough to play with her (with the WPS' magicJack) so we're very connected that way," said Christie Rampone, the U.S. captain and its other central defender. "Becky and I feel confident together. We'll watch some film on France today, see what little tactics they have, what little tendencies they have with their forwards, communicate with each other and we'll be fine."

They will have to be because, much like Brazil, France has creativity and flair.

Playmaker Louisa Necib, she of the silken touch and deft passes, has been likened to Zinedine Zidane, the highest compliment a French player can get. Her control of the midfield is masterful, the driving force behind France's quick, fluid offense. Les Bleues often appear seamless -- no surprise considering 10 of the 21 players are teammates at Olympique Lyonnais, which won this year's women's Champions League final.

"For us, it's very important to be patient," Sundhage said. "We need to pick up the rhythm and dictate the tempo, and we need the midfield to get more involved. I don't want to make it a stretch game. Or make it a (physical) fight."

But France has struggled against bigger, more physical teams in the past, and they don't come much stronger than the Americans.

"It's true we've had one additional day" of rest, French coach Bruno Bini said. "I think it's quite fair because the American team is in better shape."

While the Americans have their quickest turnaround of the tournament, getting just two days rest between games, France hasn't played since Saturday. But Les Bleues had an emotional doozy, too, beating England 4-3 on penalties after scoring in the 88th minute to tie it 1-1.

"It's very easy after a victory to be in shape again, especially when you've already seen yourself packing to go home," Bini said. "After that, it is very easy to get highly motivated for this match."

Unlike the Americans, who have reached the semifinals at each of the six World Cups, this is the first trip for Les Bleues. And they have never beaten the Americans, going 0-11-1 in their previous meetings. The U.S. has scored 38 goals in the 12 games to just eight for France.

Of course, Mexico had never beaten the Americans, either, and look what happened in regional qualifying.
But the "bumpy road," as Sundhage likes to call it, has made the Americans stronger, their success even sweeter. Their grit and determination is one of the reasons they've become such a huge hit back home, with Hollywood celebrities, professional athletes and folks who've never seen a soccer game before all rallying behind them.

Should the U.S. beat France, it would face either Japan or Sweden in Sunday's final, with a chance to become the first team to win three World Cup titles.

"I always think it's important for a team to go through adversity. Then you realize how much it hurts," Shannon Boxx said. "We watched some of the games day before (Brazil). You saw the faces of the teams that didn't win and you don't want to feel that way. I think that's a huge motivator right there."
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