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Posted on 10/02/2003 6:23:39 AM PDT by zx2dragon
A dominant performance from Abby Wambach and the rampaging U.S. saw Norway fall 1 - 0 in USA 2003’s second quarter-final in Boston. Despite a missed Mia Hamm penalty in the second half, Wambach’s first-half header was all the U.S. needed to book a spot in the semi-final.
Wambach owned the first half. Constantly forcing defenders into mistakes with her size and skill, her headed goal in minute 24 was only a matter of time in coming. The USA’s iconic Mia Hamm had a chance to ice the contest in the 67th minute, but lamely missed from the spot. In the end it did not matter and the States will now take on the winner of tomorrow’s clash between Germany and Russia in the semi-final.
"Abby is obviously a force, somebody that they were keying in on and neutralize her presence and certainly in the air she was dangerous all day long in terms of the goal that she scored, the balls that she flicked, but also you could see her will power, and her fighting presence and the competitiveness which she brought to her game today," said U.S. head coach April Heinrichs. "I said to her after the game, that was her best game of her life."
Both teams struggled to take control of midfield in the early going. But the U.S. began to swing the flow of the match their way after about five minutes, with Kristine Lilly heading out on the attack. A good piece of service from the U.S. caps-leader picked out the sizable target of Wambach, but the big striker’s header splattered against the bar (5’).
The tall forward continued to press against the struggling Norwegian rearguard, forcing one more flicked header well wide of the target (9’). And once again, this time with the right foot, Wambach forced keeper Bente Nordby into a fine save. Getting on the end of a nice bit of service from Hamm, she hammered the ball low and hard (20’).
Wambach finally got her breakthrough when a Cat Reddick free kick picked her out six yards from goal. The forward made no mistake, flicking her header brilliantly to the far post and past the diving Nordby (1-0, 24’).
The Scandinavians did their best to drag themselves back in the match, but with Hamm poking holes all over the pitch, the Europeans were doing well just to keep up.
Lilly nearly put the USA one more goal to the good, firing a low, right-footed drive just wide of Nordby’s right post (37’).
After the disappointing opening period, Norway hit out on attack early in the second half looking for the crucial equaliser. But, it was Wambach who nearly grabbed another goal for the hosts. Getting on the end of a fine cross from Lilly, she only just failed to poke the ball home before Nordby raced off her line to grab hold (50’)
Lilly then fired another shot that nearly found the back of the net. Cutting to the inside she hammered a rocket with her right boot, but it somehow slipped wide of Nordby’s goal when it looked destined for the back of the net (58’).
A beautiful through ball from Cindy Parlow picked out Wambach racing toward goal. Nordby sprang off her line and looked to catch the striker’s ankle just inside the area as the ball flew over the end line. The referee agreed and pointed to the spot. Hamm stepped up to take the penalty and somehow conspired to fire a waist-high shot that was easily saved by the diving Nordby (67’).
Just seconds later Nordby was the hero for Norway once more, diving to keep Parlow’s snapped header from crossing the line (68’).
Norway head coach Age Steen credited his goalkeeper with keeping his side's slim chances alive throughout the contest.
“She is a very good goalkeeper, maybe the best goalkeeper in the world, but that wasn’t enough today to win the game," Steen said.
Dagny Mellgren got in behind the U.S. defence to fire a hopeful shot late in the match. In truth though, it did not trouble Briana Scurry much, and the U.S. took their slim 1-0 lead all the way to the final whistle (77’).
Steen said he believes the U.S. has every weapon it needs to repeat as world champions.
"I think the U.S. is a big favorite to win the World Cup," the Norway coach said. "Germany has played very well in the group, but not against the toughest teams. So I think the U.S. is the favorite.”
U.S. coach Heinrichs said the win proved the resilience of the defending world champions.
“We are thankful to get through the quarterfinal round," Heinrichs said. "This was a difficult time for us, to play two games back-to-back with only two days rest, and having to travel, while Norway was here with three days rest.”
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They were rampaging!
The score?
1 - 0
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