Ramsey: U.S. women’s soccer team makes finals, looks strong again
BEIJING • Bring on Brazil.
The United States marches into Thursday’s gold medal women’s soccer final blessed with a surprising boost.
The defending Olympic champs don’t carry the burden of expectations. The Americans will be underdogs to Brazil, the team they defeated in a dramatic overtime game at the 2004 Games in Athens.
The Brazilians, a colorful bunch, spent Monday performing freaky dance steps, celebrating goals as they ransacked an allegedly powerful German squad. Brazil’s 4-1 victory looked ridiculously artful and easy.
But a few hours later the Americans delivered their own soccer masterpiece. After falling behind by a goal, the U.S. played dazzling, virtually flawless soccer for 65 minutes and crushed Japan, 4-2.
Count on this: Thursday won’t be so easy. The reward for the Americans’ mastery is a battle against the world’s most powerful soccer nation.
Lori Chalupny smiled when she thought of her team’s burdens. When American male soccer teams do anything, they’re treated as heroes. Virtually no expectations burden our men’s squads.
The women are expected to reign, just as they did as World Cup winners in 1999 and Olympic champs in 2004. A proud history always follows them around.
Chalupny doesn’t mind.
“I think the great thing with this team is we use pressure as motivation,” she said.
A week ago, I would have called a clash between Brazil and the U.S. a mismatch. Now, the relaxed, balanced Americans look ready to tangle with anyone.
On Tuesday, the Americans relentlessly attacked Japan’s defense and slipped shots past Japanese goaltender Miro Fukumoto from odd, daring angles.
Coach Pia Sundhage is known for singing to her team before and after games. After Tuesday’s victory, she said everyone was singing.
“There was a lot of singing in that room,” Sundhage said. “All of us are singing.”
America’s soccer song seems ready to add a new verse. In 2004, America’s Olympic victory announced the end of an era. Mia Hamm, the queen of American soccer, retired after the win, and the U.S. hasn’t been quite the same since.
The Americans struggled with dissension and an unimaginative offense in last summer’s World Cup. Other nations had raced right past them.
Those bad days appear gone. Yes, the Americans enjoyed a breezy run to the final through a less-than-powerful bracket. They didn’t have to tangle with the world’s biggest powers.
But their easy ride won’t matter if they can upset Brazil’s jazzy, gifted team.
The Brazilians can be magical. Cristiane and Marta – Brazilian players don’t bother with last names – rank as the most imaginative, entertaining and dangerous female players in the world.
Brazil’s duo would love to dance after slipping goals past the Americans. That has to be their plan.
The Brazilians will struggle with overconfidence. They can’t help but expect a victory. Remember, Brazil stomped the Americans 4-0 in the semis of the 2007 World Cup.
But Cristiane and Marta and all their one-name friends could be in for a surprise.
America – the once and perhaps future Olympic champs – again looks mighty.
US soccer midfielder Lindsay Tarpley leaps into the arms of teamate Angela Hucles after Hucles scored the first of her two goals of the match past Japan goalie Miho Fukumoto Monday, August 18, 2008, at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette