- April 26, 2024
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Two weeks ago, my face was plastered to the TV screen. It was the quarterfinals of the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The United States was a player down against Brazil as it neared the 90th minute — full time in soccer.
When I saw Brazil take the lead a few minutes into the 30-minute extra time period, I thought to myself that it would be tough for the U.S. to pull a goal back — the women had already been playing down a player for about 30 minutes.
But as the 120th minute passed and the clock reached the second of three added minutes (because of goals and injury stoppage), the U.S. was able to take possession of the ball in the corner. The team advanced the ball up the field. And within seconds, a searching ball came across the Brazilian box and found the head of U.S. striker Abby Wambach.
Goal.
And there I was, standing in my parents’ house, screaming so loudly that the neighbors likely heard me.
From that moment on, the U.S. Women’s soccer team grabbed the attention of an entire country.
Wambach saved the country from World Cup oblivion.
The U.S. women did it again when they topped France, 3-1, in the semifinals.
I was quite loud for this game, too, though I watched it in the office.
The finals were played Sunday afternoon while I was traveling in the car. Fortunately, I was able to tune in on the radio (13.5 million watched it on ESPN, making it the second biggest, daytime cable-TV audience ever).
So often, it seemed the U.S. was going to win its first World Cup since that memorable 1999 match against China. It was not to be.
Japan won the match.
But what made me so happy watching the U.S. compete during the three-week tournament was how one team, one group of women, brought together one nation. Soccer fan or not, people watched. Sports fan or not, more people watched. And the U.S. team knew it.
But that’s what I love about sports. And though the U.S. women will have to wait four more years to claim worldwide soccer prestige, people will be waiting. Including me.
