An hour after the game, Abby Wambach was still at a loss for words.
Amazing. Riveting. Dramatic.
Take your pick, any one of them will do.
The Americans are into the semifinals after one of the most thrilling games in the history of the World Cup -- men's or women's -- beating Brazil 5-3 on penalty kicks after a 2-2 tie. Wambach tied it with a magnificent, leaping header in the 122nd minute, and goalkeeper Hope Solo denied the Brazilians again.
"I'm at a loss and I literally cannot believe what just happened," Wambach said. "But we've got two games left."
For Brazil, it is yet another disappointment at a major tournament. And this one is sure to sting more than any others because Marta had it won for the Brazilians on Sunday, scoring her second goal of the game in the second minute of overtime for the 2-1 lead that would have sent the Americans to their earliest exit ever. But Erika stalled when she went down on a tackle, and the delay added three minutes of stoppage time to the game.
That was all the time Wambach and the Americans needed, after pushing themselves to limit while playing a woman short from the 66th minute on.
Two minutes into stoppage time, Megan Rapinoe sent a blast of a cross from the left side that Andreia didn't come close to getting her hands on. Wambach, one of the best players in the world in the air, made contact and with one furious whip of her head, buried it in the near side of the net.
Wambach let out a primal scream and slid into the corner, pumping her fists and being quickly mobbed by teammates. It was the latest goal in World Cup history.
"Not for one second," Wambach said when asked if she ever felt the Americans were beat. "I kept saying, all it takes is one chance. I kept holding up one finger to the girls."
Report: Brazil v United States - Women's World Cup - ESPN Soccernet
Amazing. Riveting. Dramatic.
Take your pick, any one of them will do.
The Americans are into the semifinals after one of the most thrilling games in the history of the World Cup -- men's or women's -- beating Brazil 5-3 on penalty kicks after a 2-2 tie. Wambach tied it with a magnificent, leaping header in the 122nd minute, and goalkeeper Hope Solo denied the Brazilians again.
"I'm at a loss and I literally cannot believe what just happened," Wambach said. "But we've got two games left."
For Brazil, it is yet another disappointment at a major tournament. And this one is sure to sting more than any others because Marta had it won for the Brazilians on Sunday, scoring her second goal of the game in the second minute of overtime for the 2-1 lead that would have sent the Americans to their earliest exit ever. But Erika stalled when she went down on a tackle, and the delay added three minutes of stoppage time to the game.
That was all the time Wambach and the Americans needed, after pushing themselves to limit while playing a woman short from the 66th minute on.
Two minutes into stoppage time, Megan Rapinoe sent a blast of a cross from the left side that Andreia didn't come close to getting her hands on. Wambach, one of the best players in the world in the air, made contact and with one furious whip of her head, buried it in the near side of the net.
Wambach let out a primal scream and slid into the corner, pumping her fists and being quickly mobbed by teammates. It was the latest goal in World Cup history.
"Not for one second," Wambach said when asked if she ever felt the Americans were beat. "I kept saying, all it takes is one chance. I kept holding up one finger to the girls."
Report: Brazil v United States - Women's World Cup - ESPN Soccernet