Wambach lifts US to final in 3-1 win over France

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MOENCHENGLADBACH, Germany (AP) — The U.S. kept its fans breathless

again. And just like last time, Abby Wambach – who else – came up

big.

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Wambach broke a tense tie with a thunderous header in the 79th

minute, and the U.S. earned its first trip to the World Cup final

since winning it in 1999 with a 3-1 victory over France on

Wednesday.

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“We’ve achieved part of our goal. We’re in the final,” Wambach

said. “We want to complete it. We want to be world

champs.”

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Lauren Cheney and Alex Morgan also scored for the Americans, who

will play Japan – 3-1 winners over Sweden – on Sunday in Frankfurt.

If the U.S. wins, it would be the first team to claim three World

Cup titles.

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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!” and the party quickly spread across the

Atlantic. A thrilling win over Brazil in the quarterfinals

captivated fans back home, and a little thing called the workday

wasn’t enough to deter them.

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Dozens of fans crowded around TVs in the Phoenix airport to watch

the game, and less than an hour after it ended, “World Cup Finals”

was trending on Twitter. “My heroes. Wambach. Boxx. Rapinoe. Solo.

That TEAM! Our team!” actor Tom Hanks tweeted. Super Bowl MVP Aaron

Rodgers said, “Awesome job US Women, finish it off Sunday

now.”

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Wambach and company were glad to share the moment.

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“These wins, we can’t do it alone. We know a whole nation is

cheering us on,” Wambach said. “We believe in ourselves and we’re

in the final. I couldn’t be happier.”

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The Americans had only two days’ rest following the Brazil game,

their quickest turnaround of the tournament, and there had been

concern that fatigue or emotions might get the best of them. But

Wambach, who has been playing with an Achilles’ tendon so sore it

often keeps her out of practice, dismissed that idea.

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And she sure didn’t look hobbled.

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Lauren Cheney, who’d staked the Americans to an early lead with her

goal in the ninth minute, took a corner kick in the 79th and

immediately looked for the star forward. Wambach is one of the

world’s best in the air, and France was guarding her tightly. But

Cheney delivered the ball perfectly to the far post, and the

5-foot-11 Wambach soared over the scrum, pushing the ball past

French goalkeeper Berangere Sapowicz.

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“I knew Abby was going to beat her,” Cheney said.

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Asked how, Cheney said, “Because she’s Abby Wambach.”

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Wambach let out a scream and did a sliding sprint into the corner,

where she was mobbed by her teammates. It was her 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.

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Alex Morgan added an insurance goal in the 82nd, the first for the

World Cup rookie. Fed by second-half sparkplug Megan Rapinoe,

Morgan outraced four defenders up the left side before

stutter-stepping to throw Sapowicz off before taking her

shot.

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“The priority is not to accept another goal,” France coach Bruno

Bini said through a translator. “When that happens, you’ve had it.

We conceded another goal and that was it for us.”

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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.

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The U.S. was staked to an early lead by Cheney’s goal in the ninth

minute. But with the silky smooth Louisa Necib calling the shots,

France dominated for most of the game, finishing with a whopping

25-11 advantage in shots. The French missed two great chances in

the first half, with goalkeeper Hope Solo having to tip a Gaetane

Thiney shot away in the 30th and Sonia Bompastor rattling the

crossbar two minutes later.

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Finally, in the 55th, France got its equalizer. Bompastor floated

in a cross from about 30 yards and, with the dangerous Gaetane

Thiney right in front of her, Solo had little opportunity to move.

The ball flew right past her.

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But just as they did Sunday against Brazil, the Americans got

stronger and stronger as the game went on before Wambach – who

scored a critical goal in the waning moments against the Brazilians

– came through.

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“In the end, we’re in the finals,” Wambach said, “and that’s all

that matters.”

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