BEIJING • Brenda Villa’s goal with a minute remaining pushed the U.S. women’s water polo team to Thursday’s gold medal game.

The 9-8 semifinal victory wasn’t easy. Australia, America’s archrival, refused to depart quietly. The Americans struggled to victory after dominating much of the second half.

The U.S. bolted to an 8-5 lead with a brilliant third quarter. The Australians seemed done.They weren’t. While the American offense hibernated, the Aussies surged back. Australia tied the score, 8-8, with 2:27 left.

Suddenly, the Americans were in danger. Their fans, who had chanted “USA, USA!” the entire game fell into silence.Natalie Golda admitted she and her teammates were rattled.

“We were saying, ‘Oh, great. Here we go,'” she said. “But at same time we were saying, ‘We are not going to lose.'”

And they didn’t. Villa’s shot rescued the world’s No. 1 team and sent it to the finals against the Netherlands, which upset Hungary, 8-7, in the other semi.

It was Villa’s third goal of the game. She’s trying, in the twilight of her career, to finally grab gold.

Australian coach Greg McFadden, apparently trying to ignite his team, had guaranteed a victory for his team. The guarantee did fire up at least one team.”We heard about it,” Golda said. “And it inspired us.”The Americans must play for the gold without Lauren Wenger, who suffered a fractured hand against Australia.

American coach Guy Baker said he’s disappointed by Wenger’s injury, but still optimistic.

Baker said he would use the next “couple days” to make “adjustments” to help ease the loss of Wenger.-Contact the writer: Columnist David Ramsey can be reached at 476-4985 or david.ramsey@gazettedev.gazette.com. Check out David’s blog at http://daveramseysez.freedomblogging.com

Henry Cejudo of Colorado Springs is congratulated by friends and family after his defeat of Japan’s Tomohiro Matsunaga for the Gold Medal Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette

MARK REIS