Women’s Olympic Soccer: The U.S. Women Advance

The final score for the U.S. Women was USA 4 - Japan 2. It was a tough match and one in which the U.S. team showed that they were capable of playing with a goal deficit. Japan scored the first goal and the USA netted the next four scores.

The goal by Lori Chalupny was a masterpiece. She beat an initial defender, then two more defenders and shot while yet another Japanese defender was approaching. It was a perfectly placed shot under the cross bar and gave the American team a one goal lead.

In the early minutes, Hope Solo, the American goalkeeper, kept her team in the game. She had a save off Shinobu Ohno which would have put the U.S. team in a greater deficit. That may have changed the game.

Another interesting development was two yellow cards. One was given to Heather O’Reilly and the other was given to Heather Mitts. Both calls were questionable. What was interesting was that the calls were made by referee Nicole Petignat from Switzerland. This is the same referee who disqualified Shannon Boxx in last year’s World Cup. Ms Petignat must find the American play too rough for her liking.

The win over Japan advances the U.S. Women’s Team to the gold medal game. There they will face a familiar nemesis, Brazil. It was Brazil that eliminated the U.S. Team for World Cup play last year. It was a 4 - 0 trouncing in the World Cup semi final - a defeat that is still fresh for this American team. This time Brazil and the USA will be playing for the gold medal.

And one final note - I watched this game in real time with a large group of soccer fans. The sound was muted by mutual agreement. Brandi Chastain is just annoying. And it seems that we are not alone in that assessment.

Catherine Forsythe