Women Earn Shot at Gold

Advance to Medal Game With Win Over Japan

August 18, 2008

BEIJING – Two goals from Angela Hucles propelled the United States women’s soccer team to the gold medal match following a 4-2 victory over Japan in the Olympic quarterfinals on Monday.

The Americans will play Brazil this Thursday for the gold medal, the fourth Olympic final for the U.S. team since women’s soccer was added to the games in 1996. The U.S. beat Brazil in the last Olympics, downing the South Americans 2-1 in Athens.

Lindsay Tarpley and the US women will play Brazil for the gold medal on Thursday. (CHRIS ADUAMA/aduama.com)

On Monday, Japan was dangerous from the start, forcing Hope Solo to make the save on a header off a corner kick in the fifth minute, and 11 minutes later getting the first goal of the game on a corner from the right side. The out-swinger was headed up in the middle of the penalty area and bounced out to the right side for Yukari Kinga. Kinga drove a low ball back into the center where Shinobu Ohno was all alone to settle and drive it under Solo.

The U.S. wasn’t without chances early. Heather O’Reilly and Lori Chalupny, both catalysts on the first two U.S. goals, each broke through into the area in the first 15 minutes. O’Reilly was muscled to the ground without a call, and Chalupny’s effort went wide.

Later it was Solo that started the play that created the first U.S. goal in the 41st minute. A long goal kick from the U.S. goalkeeper bounced once before a Japan defender was forced to play a clearance wide right in the path of O’Reilly. She dribbled to the endline past Kyoko Yano and cut a low cross back to the top of the six yard box, past a sliding Amy Rodriguez and through the dummy of Lindsay Tarpley where Hucles tapped it into the open goal for a 1-1 score.

The U.S. took the lead before halftime when Chalupny finished a play that started with possession in the back for the U.S., and then Kate Markgraf played the ball forward to Carli Lloyd. She found Rodriguez checking back, who turned and played Chalupny free up the left wing. She cut back around the defender and hit a 17-yard rocket that hit the roof of the net.

In the 70th minute, O’Reilly scored her second improbable goal from distance during the Olympics. She received a throw in from Heather Mitts from deep on the right wing, and immediately hit the ball with the top of her left foot from well outside the penalty area that dropped into the goal over a helpless Miho Fukumoto for the 2-1 advantage.

Ten minutes later, Hucles made it 3-1, scoring her second of the game on a skillful chip from a tight angle. Hucles dropped a corner kick off for O’Reilly, who promptly returned the ball. Hucles dribbled along the right edge of the penalty area before chipping a shot over Fukumoto from just two yards off the endline and one step inside the area.

Japan would add a goal in stoppage time. A cross from the left win came in for Nagasato, who hit the near post with her shot before squaring the rebound for Eriko Arakawa to tap in from three yards out.

The crowd of 50,137 is the largest crowd to watch the U.S. since a group match against China at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. It was third largest ever to watch the U.S. play outside of the U.S., and the 11th largest crowd of all-time to see the U.S. play.

Brazil advanced to the final with a 4-1 victory against Germany, including two goals by Cristiane who is running away with the Golden Boot award with seven goals so far in the Olympics. Marta has also continued to prove why she’s regarded as one of the world’s top players, with four goals – tying her in the running for the silver boot with Hucles. Brazil is tied with the U.S. and Japan for most goals in the tournament, 11, while surrendering four with a 3-0-1 record.

U.S. WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM GAME REPORT:

Scoring Summary:
JPN – Shinobu Ohno (Yukari Kinga) 16th minute
USA – Angela Hucles (Heather O’Reilly) 41st
USA – Lori Chalupny (Amy Rodriguez) 44th
USA – Heather O’Reilly (Heather Mitts) 70th
USA – Angela Hucles (Heather O’Reilly) 80th
JPN – Eriko Arakawa (Yuki Nagasato) 94+

Lineups:
USA: 18-Hope Solo; 2-Heather Mitts (14-Stephanie Cox, 86), 15-Kate Markgraf, 3-Christie Rampone – Capt., 17-Lori Chalupny; 9-Heather O’Reilly, 7-Shannon Boxx, 11-Carli Lloyd, 5-Lindsay Tarpley (6-Natasha Kai, 67); 8-Amy Rodriguez (12-Lauren Cheney, 83), 16-Angela Hucles

JPN: 1-Miho Fukumoto; 2-Yukari Kinga, 3-Hiromi Ikeda, 4-Azusa Iwashimizu, 7-Kozue Ando (13-Ayumi Hara, 56), 14-Kyoko Yano (12-Karina Maruyama, 73); 8-Aya Miyama, 10-Homare Sawa, 15-Mizuho Sakaguchi; 11-Shinobu Ohno (9-Eriko Arakawa, 71), 17-Yuki Nagasato

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