LONDON — They are already America’s darlings of these Olympic Games and there has not even been a sports bra moment to spike interest.
One more win in today’s gold-medal match against Japan at Wembley Stadium (2:45 p.m. EDT), where more than 80,000 fans are expected,
and the U.S. women’s soccer team will truly become America’s Team.
From every corner of its roster, the American team has elements that draw you in and keep your interest.
There is the veteran guile and skill of forward Abby Wambach, whose 143 career international goals make her the second-most prolific scorer in the game’s history.
There is the unbridled youthful skill of 23-year-old forward Alex Morgan, who a year ago wasn’t even starting for the Americans yet it was her overtime goal in the 123rd minute of the U.S. semifinal win over Canada that sent the Americans to the gold-medal match.
There is the outspoken nature of goalkeeper Hope Solo, who drops outlandish verbal bombs as often as she makes spectacular saves.
“This team is wild,” midfielder Megan Rapinoe said yesterday. “We have so many different personalities, it’s cool. It’s one team and one cohesive unit, but there’s a lot of different flavors that make up the team.’’
The team’s tastiest flavor of all and what makes it so embraceable is its unrivaled will to win in spite of whatever adversity stands in its way. We love that element in American sports as much as we delight in the magazine-cover beauty of so many of the team’s stars.
“This team just has an unbelievable — insane — belief in itself,’’ Rapinoe said.
The American women began the Olympic tournament the way they finished it in their incredible 4-3 extra-time victory against Canada — living on the edge and surviving to advance.
The U.S. trailed France 2-0 early in its opening match, came back to win 4-2 and is the only team not to lose a match in these Olympics. Against Canada, the U.S. trailed 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2 and came back to tie the score each time en route to the win.
“I will, without uncertainty,
say that this team is loved by the American public, and it’s not just because they win big championships,’’ said former U.S. soccer star Brandi Chastain, the author of the sports bra moment when she tore her shirt off in celebration of the Americans’ 1999 World Cup victory. “I believe they’re loved for the fact that they don’t stop and that they keep playing. Everyone in our country loves that concept … you get knocked down and you get up, you get knocked down and you get up again.
“This team has this crazy belief that no matter how many goals they [allow] they’re going to score more than the other team. It is insane.’’
U.S. coach Pia Sundhage finds herself confounded by her players’ knack for survival, saying yesterday, “I’m learning every day being around these players that I am the lucky one.
“There is something special going on with this team.’’
The U.S. loss to Japan in penalty kicks in last summer’s World Cup final still sits like a pit in the stomach of the Americans, who wanted another shot at Japan as much as they wanted to get to this gold-medal match.
“They snatched our dream last year and we don’t want to let that happen again,’’ Rapinoe said.
“I’ve been hoping for this final,” said Wambach, “from the moment I stepped off the podium in Germany. … You’re going to see some beautiful soccer, you’re going to see some extraordinary goals and, hopefully, people will become legends.’’