Congratulations Team USA - Women's 2012 Olympic Football Champions

A crowd of 80,203, setting a new Olympic record for women's football saw the United States beat Japan 2-1 in an entertaining and dramatic Women's Olympic Football final, at Wembley a few hours ago. This was a re-match of last summer's Women's World Cup final, when Japan beat the USA on penalty kicks.

An eighth minute goal by midfielder Carli Lloyd following good work by Alex Morgan gave the USA an early lead. Her sublime cross on the turn was headed home by the onrushing Lloyd six yards out, but it was Japan who dominated possession and had the better scoring chances in the first half.

Lloyd is mobbed by her US team-mates after scoring the opening goal in the Olympic final 

Christie Rampone had to make a clearance off the line from a shot by Nahomi Kawasumi in the 17th minute. Then in the 18th minute Ogimi missed two chances to draw Japan level. First US goalkeeper Hope Solo showed magnificent agility to tip the Japan striker's header onto the crossbar. The ball fell to Rachel Buehler, but her poor attempted clearance went straight back to Ogimi, but sadly she could only manage to blast her follow up shot from close range high and wide.

Hope Solo keeps Japan at bay with this outstanding save from Ogimi's header

In the 25th minute, Japan had their first of two clear cut penalty shouts turned down. Tobin Heath stuck out her arm and clearly handled the ball following a free kick, but no penalty was awarded.

The Americans' nearly went two up in the 28th minute, courtesy of a near-own goal by Azusa Iwashimizu. A deep cross to the back post was about to be met by Alex Morgan, but Iwashimizu's headed interception saw the ball bounce off her own post and away with Fukumoto stranded.

Then in the 33rd minute Aya Miyama's rasping drive from 12 yards cannoned off the crossbar to safety, and Shinobu Ohno curling right-footed shot from the edge of the box five minutes later beat Solo and the upright by a whisker.

At the break the USA still held a slender one goal advantage.

Early in the second half, an even more obvious penalty offence was committed by the US defender Rachel Buehler, who 'rugby tackled' Saki Kumagai to the ground. Incredibly, no penalty again was given by German referee Steinhaus Bibiana.

Nine minutes into the second half the USA doubled their lead, Lloyd getting her second goal of the night and what a goal it was! She dribbled her way through a number of defenders and towards the edge of the penalty area, before hitting a rocket of a shot across the face of goal and into the far corner of the net, giving Fukumoto in the Japan goal no chance. A contender for goal of the tournament!

Yuki Ogimi deservedly pulled a goal back for Japan in the 63rd minute. Following a goalmouth scramble, Ogimi was on hand to poke home and cut the United States lead to set up a tense final quarter of the match.

Japan did have one last great opportunity to equalise in the 83rd minute, but unlike their other chances, it came as the product of a gift and not their spectacular build-up play.

Rampone, who had been excellent all evening committed a horrendous mistake on the edge of her own penalty box, giving the ball away and allowing substitute Asuna Tanaka to get through on goal. She attempted to curl a shot around Solo, but the US goalkeeper made a spectacular two handed diving save to her left to preserve the lead.

That would be the last great chance that Japan would produce in the match. Japan played excellent football throughout the Olympic final, but Solo's heroics, Lloyds clinical finishing and a large slice luck kept the United States from conceding more than once.

For the fourth time, the United States women's football team are gold medallists at the Olympics.

Match highlights from Wembley as USA beat Japan in the Women's Olympic Football final

Teams:

USA: Solo, Rampone(capt) (Cheyney '57), Buehler (Sauerbrunn '80), O'Hara, Le Peilbet, Boxx, Lloyd, Morgan, Wambach, Rampinoe, Heath.

Japan: Fukumoto, Kinga, Iwashimizu, Kumagai, Sameshima (Iwabuchi '77), Sakaguchi (Tanaka '59), Miyama (capt), Sawa, Kawasumi, Ohno (Maruyama '86), Ogimi.

Penalty pain for USA, as Japan hold their nerve in Women's World Cup Final shoot-out !

Japan celebrate their World Cup success after defeating USA in a penalty shoot-out tonight

Japan became the first Asian nation to win the Women's World Cup, beating the USA in a penalty shoot-out in Frankfurt tonight.

It was a heart breaking end to the tournament for the USA, who were just three minutes away from becoming the first country to lift the trophy for a third time, in what was a truly exhilarating final.

The USA dominated the opening stages. Lively winger Lauren Cheney forced a save from Ayumi Kaihori with a shot from an acute angle, just 25 second into the contest.

On eight minutes, Megan Rapinoe found some space on the left and her excellent near post cross was turned just wide again by Cheney. Barely a minute later, Abby Wambach fired a shot over as USA maintained their bright start.

Then it was Atlanta Beat midfielder Carli Lloyd who had the next chance to break the deadlock. Japan were unable to deal with Shannon Boxx's cross into the penalty area and the ball dropped kindly for the midfielder, but her sweetly struck shot from inside the the box sailed just over.

In the 12th minute Rapinoe then pushed the ball wide at the near post in a move reminiscent of Cheney’s effort a few minutes earlier.

In the 29 minute Wambach, the USA’s all-time top FIFA Women’s World Cup goalscorer, hit a stunning shot from close to the corner of the penalty area which rattled the underside of the crossbar and rolled away to safety.

The second half followed a similar pattern to the first, with the USA looking the far more threatening and the more likely to score.

Alex Morgan who came on at half-time for Cheney immediately imposed herself on the game. Four minutes after coming on the youngster got on the end of a Heather O’Reilly cross, only to see her toe-poked effort come back off the upright.

Then on the hour mark a Wambach header forced an excellent save from Kaihori as USA pushed ever closer to an opener.

However it was Morgan (right, wearing 13) who eventually gave the Stars and Stripes the lead on 69 minutes. A quick counter attack saw Rapinoe play an excellent long ball through for Morgan to run onto. She used her strength to hold off a defender, before the 22 year-old substitute hit a perfectly placed angled drive past the despairing Kaihori. 1-0 USA.

The USA seemed comfortably on course for victory with Japan posing little in the way of an attacking force, but with nine minutes of normal time remaining and against the run of play the Asian side equalised. Rachel Buehler and Alex Krieger failed to clear their lines following a cross from the right, allowing Aya Miyama to smash the loose ball past Hope Solo. USA 1-1 Japan.

So for the fourth time in six FIFA Women’s World Cup Finals, the match went into extra-time.

The USA regained the lead in the 104th minute when Morgan aimed a pinpoint cross towards the towering Wambach. The forward powered home a header from six yards, Wambach's fourth goal of the tournament - all from headers. 2-1 USA

But once again, resilient and stubborn Japan equalised when captain Homare Sawa produced an audacious flick from a corner that left keeper Solo helpless. USA 2-2 Japan

The USA pressed again in search for a late winner. Morgan was en route to scoring her second before she was cynically brought down by Azuza Iwashimizu on the edge of the area, and the full-back received a straight red from German referee Bibiana Steinhaus.

The free-kick came to nothing which was followed by the whistle to signal the end of extra-time and penalty-kicks.

Shannon Boxx and Tobin Heath both had their penalties saved by Kaihori, whilst Carli Lloyd completely missed the target, as the USA failed to convert any of their opening three penalties. Although Yuki Nagasato had her effort saved by Solo, Saki Kumagai stayed cool to fire in the decisive spot-kick for Japan as they claimed the FIFA World Cup for the first time.

"We're so happy about the title, now we're number one," said Japan captain Homare Sawa, who won the Golden Boot for top scorer in the tournament with five goals.

Ayumi Kaihori, Japan's goalkeeper added: "We have some very good players on the team and this is why we have been able to win the final. I received excellent support from the other players and I want to emphasise this is a team effort. In the penalty shootout I just had to believe in myself and I was very confident."

USA goalkeeper Hope Solo offered her congratulations to Japan saying: "As much as I've always wanted this, if there were any other team I could give this to it would have to be Japan. I'm happy for them and they do deserve it."

Abby Wambach, the USA striker added: "Japan just kept coming and they never gave up, and in the end they're the world champs."

Match highlights: Women's World Cup Final - USA v Japan on 17th July 2011

Goals: Alex Morgan (USA) 69', Aya Miyama (JPN) 81', Abby Wambach (USA) 104', Homare Sawa (JPN) 117'

Penalty shoot-out:
Shannon Boxx - Saved
Aya Miyami - Goal
Carli Lloyd - Missed
Yuki Nagasato - Saved
Tobin Heath - Saved
Mizuho Sakaguchi - Goal
Abby Wambach- Goal
Saki Kumagai - Goal

Japan beat the USA 3-1 on penalties.

The next Women's World Cup finals will be held in Canada in 2015.

USA reach Women's World Cup Final as the French are fried!

For the first time since winning on home soil in 1999, the USWNT is back in the World Cup final, after they defeated a spirited French side 3-1 today in the Women's World Cup semi-final at the Borussia Park Stadium in Moenchengladbach, Germany.

Pia Sundhage, the Swedish coach of the USA team, was forced to make one lineup change from the starting eleven that took the field in the quarterfinal against Brazil. With defender Rachel Buehler serving a one-game red-card suspension, Sundhage opted to start Becky Sauerbrunn in her place in central defense.
Sauerbrunn aged 26, a former University of Virginia defender, was making her World Cup debut.

Although France started off the brighter and more adventurous of the two teams in wet conditions, it was the U.S. that took the lead in the ninth minute, when Lauren Cheney scored her second goal of the tournament. Following Heather O’Reilly’s strong run and cross down the left flank, Cheney was on hand at to deftly deflect the ball home at the near post.

Approaching the half-hour mark a Louisa Necib's shot from the edge of the penalty area forced Hope Solo (pictured right, at training yesterday) into a smart save, as she tipped the ball over the crossbar.

Then in the 33rd minute, the French then came even close to scoring an equaliser, but Sonia Bompastor's fierce shot rattled the crossbar.

USA striker Abby Wambach came close to increasing the American's lead twice in a matter of minutes before the interval. First she could only direct a header across the face of goal following a Shannon Boxx cross, and then she should have scored at the near post, but instead stabbed her shot wide.

However the first-half ended with the USA a goal to the good.

The second period continued in a similar vein to the first, with high tempo and end-to-end action. France restored parity ten minutes after the interval with a somewhat fortuitous goal, although one that proved reward for their persistent attacking endeavour. Bompastor played a searching cross into the penalty area for Gaetane Thiney and with Hope Solo in the American goal anticipating a header, she was caught wrong-footed when Thiney failed to connect, allowing Bompastor's cross to sail directly into the net.

Immediately Pia Sundhage made a couple of substitutions, bringing Alex Morgan on for Amy Rodriguez and Megan Rapinoe on for Carli Lloyd, and moving Cheney into the center of midfield.

With just 11 minutes remaining the U.S finally broke the deadlock and took the lead when Lauren Cheney's peach of a corner was met by Abby Wambach. The American striker scored with a towering header giving Berangere Sapowicz no chance in the French goal.

That goal saw Wambach, draw level with fellow American Michelle Akers as the USA's most prolific scorer to date in Women's World Cup Final tournaments, with twelve goals.

Alex Morgan, (below, wearing 13) who came on as a second-half substitute for Amy Rodriguez, added a third just three minutes later with a smart finish following a swift counter-attack, to put the result beyond doubt.

The 3-1 scoreline somewhat flattered the U.S, who were often outplayed by a French team that were resilient, dominated possession and were a constant goal threat throughout the match.

However their poor defending and goalkeeping was their undoing and proved to be the ultimate difference in the match.

So a combination of determination, some solid defending, particularly from the U.S central defensive pairing of Becky Sauerbrunn and Christie Rampone, and a a bit of luck saw the U.S through, but France have shown that they can compete with the superpowers of women's soccer. They are undoubtedly a team to watch in the future.

"First of all I’d like to thank the French team. They’re a fantastic side with an amazing attack. It was a great game and a privilege to play against them today. We stuck together out there. We stayed strong and we kept going when things got tough. In the dressing room I said to [Lauren] Cheney: ‘When we have a corner send the ball to the far post and we’ll score’. Her delivery was exceptional. I was so close to the post I thought I was going to bang my head against it, but luckily I made contact with the ball. I couldn’t be more excited, proud or happy." - USA striker Abby Wambach's post-match reaction.

"We didn’t play well today. France played well. But the team found a way to win and that’s the great thing about being the coach of this team. I made some tactical errors today, but my coaching staff gave me a hand and switched the midfield around just when France were playing their best football." - Pia Sundhage, the USA coach speaks after his sides victory over France.

Match highlights: Women's World Cup Semi-Final - USA v France on 13th July 2011

Goals:Lauren Cheney (USA) 9', Sonia Bompastor (FRA) 55', Abby Wambach(USA) 79', Alex Morgan (USA) 82'

In today's other semi-final, Japan beat Sweden 3-1 and will play the USA in Sunday's Women's World Cup Final.

Sunday 17th July: FIFA Women's World Cup Final, United States v Japan, in the Frankfurt Stadium, Germany, kick-off 19.45 BST, live on BBC3, ESPN, British EuroSport1, ARD, CBC, cbcsports.ca, FIFA.com, SBS One Australia, TLN.

Read more at: USA Women's Soccer and USA Women's Soccer/Facebook

'My Goal Of The Week' - Abby Wambach for the United States at the Women's World Cup.

'My Goal of the Week' was scored by Abby Wambach on 14th September, for the US against Sweden during their Group B match at the Women's World Cup 2007.

Abby, 27 (pictured right) from Rochester, New York finished fourth in the voting for FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year in 2006.

She hit both goals in her sides 2-0 victory against Sweeden, the first from the penalty spot.
Her 2nd goal however in the 58th minute combined terrific chest control with an absolute sublime half-volley.

Now the US will play England in the quarter-finals this Saturday 22nd September.

Click on the 'Link' below to see Abby's wonder strike!

Link