MOENCHENGLADBACH, Germany — The U.S. kept its fans breathless again. And just like last time, Abby Wambach — who else — came up big.
Wambach broke a tense tie with a thunderous header in the 79th minute, and the U.S. earned its first trip to the World Cup final since winning it in 1999 with a 3-1 victory over France on Wednesday.
“We’ve achieved part of our goal. We’re in the final,” Wambach said. “We want to complete it. We want to be world champs.”
Lauren Cheney and Alex Morgan also scored for the Americans, who will play Japan, which beat Sweden 3-1, Sunday in Frankfurt. If the U.S. wins, it would be the first team to claim three World Cup titles.
When the final whistle sounded, the Americans rushed onto the field. Wambach found U.S. coach Pia Sundhage and gave her a bearhug as the pro-American crowd of 25,676 serenaded the team with chants of “U-S-A! U-S-A!” and the party quickly spread across the Atlantic. A thrilling win over Brazil in the quarterfinals captivated fans back home, and a little thing called the workday wasn’t enough to deter them.
Dozens of fans crowded around TVs in the Phoenix airport to watch the game, and less than an hour after it ended, “World Cup finals” was trending on Twitter.
“My heroes. Wambach. Boxx. Rapinoe. Solo. That TEAM! Our team!” actor Tom Hanks tweeted.
Super Bowl MVP Aaron Rodgers said, “Awesome job US Women, finish it off Sunday now.”
Wambach and company were glad to share the moment.
“These wins, we can’t do it alone. We know a whole nation is cheering us on,” Wambach said. “We believe in ourselves and we’re in the final. I couldn’t be happier.”
The Americans had only two days’ rest following the Brazil game, their quickest turnaround of the tournament, and there had been concern that fatigue or emotions might get the best of them. But Wambach, who has been playing with an Achilles tendon so sore it often keeps her out of practice, dismissed that idea. And she sure didn’t look hobbled.
Cheney, who’d staked the Americans to an early lead with her goal in the ninth minute, took a corner kick in the 79th and immediately looked for the star forward. Wambach is one of the world’s best in the air, and France was guarding her tightly. But Cheney delivered the ball perfectly to the far post, and the 5-foot-11 Wambach soared over the scrum, pushing the ball past French goalkeeper Berangere Sapowicz.
France 0 1 — 1
United States 1 2 — 3
First half — 1, United States, Cheney (O’Reilly), 9th minute. Second half — 2, France, Bompastor, 55th minute. 3, United States, Wambach (Cheney), 79th minute. 4, United States, Morgan (Rapinoe), 82nd minute.
Yellow cards — Thomis, France, 90th. Referee — Kirsi Heikkinen, Finland. Linesmen — Tonja Paavola, Finland; Anu Jokela, Finland.
