Let's just hope you tuned into the game on Sunday because the US Women's win over Brazil in a penalty kick shoot-out ranks up there in the list of all-time great games in US Soccer history for either the men's or women's team. The joy that rang out after Abby Wambach's late equalizer was as loud as the sounds of euphoric fans after Landon Donovan scored late against Algeria last year in the men's World Cup.
If you didn't see the game, read this article on ESPN.com, and watch the 4-minute plus highlight video on the right. GSD Selects advises you to get your fanny on the soccer bandwagon ASAP. Our staff loves good narratives, and the narrative of the US/Brazil game was downright fictional--plot twists aplenty, emerging villains, and not one but two heroes.
The US charged out of the gate and scored (on a Brazilian own goal) in the first two minutes. Slowly, Brazil started to assert itself, and the creativity the attacking players in yellow displayed led even the most objective observers to realize that a Brazil goal was inevitable.
Brazil got their earned equalizer on a penalty kick call in the 65th minute, but the storm of controversy that ensued ensured that referee Jacqui Melksham has refereed her last game at this year's World Cup. The penalty kick call was debatable as Marta literally flung her body at the ball--martial arts style--to reach it as it bounced toward the net. Had defender Rachel Buehler not touched Marta when Marta was in the air, Marta would not have landed on her feet given the Bruce Lee position she put her body in.
What happened next helped elevate the game to "instant classic" status. American Buehler was red-carded, and the US was down to 10 players. Brazilian Cristiane stepped up to take the penalty kick, and--yes!--Hope Solo calmly parried the ball past the post to preserve the US's slim one goal advantage.
Not so fast.
Villain referee Melksham inserted herself into the match again. In a decision that defied logic, Melksham declared that a US player had encroached on the play by crossing over the penalty box line before Cristiane took the penalty kick. The kick needed to be retaken.
[Note: This is a call I have never seen made at this high level in such an important match. In baseball, umpires routinely let middle infielders sweep their foot somewhere near the bag on double plays. It's a practice that has been going on for years. Imagine the firestorm of an umpire actually deciding that Derek Jeter didn't touch the base in game four of the 2011 World Series. Melksham's call was to the letter of the law, but it's never, EVER enforced at the highest levels of soccer because the encroaching player is out of sight of the kicker and not a part of the play.]
For the penalty re-kick, Marta stepped up to the line and Solo didn't have a chance. Now with the game tied and the US down a player, the best the US could do was hope to endure the final 25 minutes and 30 minutes of extra time to get to penalty kicks, where the US's superiority in the goal would give the Americans the advantage and the win.
The 10 players actually played better than the 11 did as the US began to employ a more flank-oriented attack. With speedy winter Megan Rapinoe in the game, the US started to assert itself in the front half of the field. The US managed to survive regulation but, like a panther, Marta struck when she curled a perfectly placed shot over the outstretched arms of Solo to give Brazil the 2-1 lead all but 2 minutes into the two fifteen minute extra sessions (fortunately international soccer does not use sudden death).
The US team stepped it up into desperation mode, and Brazil began to stick needles underneath the fingernails of US soccer fans as they began to rely heavily on the most despised tactics of soccer--feigning injury and deliberate time-wasting. Fans at the Dresden stadium and in US homes whistled and shook their fists at the villainous Brazilians and their unsporting deceit.
[Note: Had this been a men's game, the fans would have whistled their disapproval but their hearts wouldn't have been into it. Faking major injury and time-wasting are accepted in men's soccer, but women's soccer has been relatively clear of such boorish deception. What fan's reaction to Brazil's tactics says about gender role expectation is revealing. Read this article from the New York Times for more information about gender and "simulation" in soccer.]
All the catcalling and hurled epithets must have woken up the soccer gods because a huge helping of Justice was served up for all to feast on. In the extra time--which was added on to the game for the stalling tactics--the US had time for one last mad dash up the field. The US backs dispossessed the Brazilian attacker in the defensive right corner, and then quickly moved the ball through the midfield and out to the waiting winger Megan Rapinoe. The Bleached Blonde Ball of Energy took one big touch down the field and whipped a long cross with her left foot to the far post.
Choosing to rush out of her goal and try to deflect the cross or stay at home and prepare to a make a save, the Brazilian keeper heedlessly went all-in and lost her chip stack. As the ball sailed over her fingertips, US forward Abby Wambach soared into the air, coiled her head and shoulders back, and uncorked the cleanest, purest driven head ball right by the post and into the back of the net. Big Mo had swung completely around, and the penalty kick shoot-out almost felt like a formality as the US won 5-3 and inconceivably advanced to the semi-finals.
In the preview blog for this game, I wrote that ratings were not doing well for the US women and the 2012 World Cup. That is clearly no longer the case. The team has once again become media darlings, and the US-Brazil game even claimed the lead story on Monday morning's Today Show. If the team can just get through France tomorrow (coverage starts on ESPN at 11:30 am), the ratings for the Sunday final could be through the roof.
There should be no guilt about getting on the bandwagon at this point. This a fun, attractive team to watch, and the determination the American women showed in the Brazil match was incredible. Get on board now--there are only five more days (hopefully) to take part in the magic of this team.
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