PORTLAND, Ore. - This was not the ending that Mia Hamm and her teammates had envisioned.
They were supposed to advance to the World Cup championship game for the second straight time. They were supposed to at least have a shot at defending the title they captured in dramatic fashion at the Rose Bowl in 1999. Hamm and the half dozen or so other Americans playing in their final World Cup were supposed to go out as winners.
Instead, Germany, sparked by brilliant play from goalkeeper Silke Rottenberg, shocked the U.S. in the semifinals of the World Cup, 3-0, before 27,623 at PGE Park. It will be the Germans, not the Americans, who meet the Sweden-Canada winner for the championship at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. on Oct. 12. Whover wins, there will be a first-time World Cup champion crowned.
The U.S. instead will play in the third-place game on Saturday against the loser of the other semifinal.
"We're not in the finals and that's more where my head and my heart are right now," Hamm said as she held back tears talking to reporters. "The hard part is going to see our friends and our families right now."
Even after Germany scored two goals during stoppage time to ice the game, the crowd waved American flags and chanted "USA, USA." The American women then jogged to both sides of the field and saluted the fans. They gathered at midfield and exchanged hugs, knowing they would never play another World Cup together as this group.
Hamm and the other four players who have competed at every World Cup since 1991 - Julie Foudy, Joy Fawcett, Kristine Lilly and Brandi Chastain, as well as a few others who joined the team after '91 - will likely all make their final apperances at the 2004 Olympics.
"With reflection, we'll be able to deal with this loss in a lot of ways because that was perhaps the greatest game ever played in women's soccer," U.S. head coach April Heinrichs said. "Our heart aches. When these women work as hard as they have to... be the best in the world... it hurts when you lose. But I'm as proud of them right now as I was before the kickoff."
The U.S. had beaten Germany at the 1991 and '99 World Cups and was 6-0-2 in the last eight meetings between the two nations. The Americans are 12-4-3 all-time against Germany, whose previous best World Cup finish was second in '95.
The U.S. had not lost since Jan. 26, 2003 to China in China when LaKeysia Beene was in net. The Americans had not lost a World Cup match since the 1995 semifinals against Norway, a string of 10 consecutive World Cup matches. Scurry had gone 31-0-4 since April '99.
Germany seized a 1-0 lead in the 15th minute when Renate Lingor served a corner kick to Kerstin Garefrekes, who was positioned at the near post just inside the goalie box. Garefrekes beat Abby Wambach to the ball in the air and headed it off the crossbar and into the upper left corner of the net. Goalie Briana Scurry and the two American field players in the goalmouth had no chance to stop Garefrekes' fourth goal of the tournament. The goal marked the first time in this World Cup that the U.S. had trailed.
The U.S. had a key scoring opportunity in the 26th minute when Lilly dribbled into the top of the penalty box and fired a shot to the left side that was stopped by a diving Rottenberg. Two minutes later Hamm got free with the ball in the penalty area, but two German defenders immediately converged on her, taking possession and halting the attack.
Germany, which has now outscored opponents 23-4 in the tournament, was known for its offense. But the German defense smothered every American opportunity. The U.S. had outscored opponents 12-1 entering the match. The Americans outshot the Germans 15-13, but could not beat the goalie.
In the 34th minute, Wambach served an upfield pass to Hamm, who dribbled uncontested into the penalty box, exciting the crowd as she got closer and closer to the goal. But Rottenberg ran out to meet her, snatching the ball just before Hamm could have gotten a shot off.
"Their goalkeeper played a tremendous game, and the opportunities that we did have, she came up big, either by saving the shot or coming out and being aggressive in the box," Hamm said.
Rottenberg, who finished with six saves, then gobbled up a smash from Wambach at the near post as the American forward charged in on the wing in the 42nd minute.
"It was a great game for all players, not just the goalkeeper" Rottenberg said. "Germany is a great team and we (won) today with all the players."
In the 57th minute, the game was temporarily halted when two female streakers wearing nothing but sneakers ran out on the pitch carrying signs that read "Boycott adidas" and "adidas kills." The women ran around for almost a minute before being escorted off by security.
The U.S. inserted Portland native Tiffeny Milbrett in the 70th minute in an effort to generate some offense. Shortly after, she collided with Rottenberg in the box, but no foul was called, much to the dismay of the crowd.
"Initially when you look at it, it could be a little sketchy," Milbrett said. "But I think she really refereed a fair game today."
With the crowd chanting "USA, USA," the Americans had plenty of chances down the stretch, but could not convert. Milbrett fired a shot wide left in the 88th minute. Hamm sent a corner kick in from the right side during the 89th that was batted around before it was cleared out.
During stoppage time, Marin Meinert, the German who came out of retirement to play one last World Cup, made it 2-0 by dribbling in from outside of the penalty box and shooting one into the left corner, out of Scurry's reach. Not long after, Birgit Prinz did the same thing, icing the game with a goal that made it 3-0.
For Hamm and a handful of American legends, this was the last time on a World Cup stage. The future will belong to Wambach, Cat Reddick, Aly Wagner and other young guns. They will have four years to think about regaining the crown.
!
They were supposed to advance to the World Cup championship game for the second straight time. They were supposed to at least have a shot at defending the title they captured in dramatic fashion at the Rose Bowl in 1999. Hamm and the half dozen or so other Americans playing in their final World Cup were supposed to go out as winners.
Instead, Germany, sparked by brilliant play from goalkeeper Silke Rottenberg, shocked the U.S. in the semifinals of the World Cup, 3-0, before 27,623 at PGE Park. It will be the Germans, not the Americans, who meet the Sweden-Canada winner for the championship at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. on Oct. 12. Whover wins, there will be a first-time World Cup champion crowned.
The U.S. instead will play in the third-place game on Saturday against the loser of the other semifinal.
"We're not in the finals and that's more where my head and my heart are right now," Hamm said as she held back tears talking to reporters. "The hard part is going to see our friends and our families right now."
Even after Germany scored two goals during stoppage time to ice the game, the crowd waved American flags and chanted "USA, USA." The American women then jogged to both sides of the field and saluted the fans. They gathered at midfield and exchanged hugs, knowing they would never play another World Cup together as this group.
Hamm and the other four players who have competed at every World Cup since 1991 - Julie Foudy, Joy Fawcett, Kristine Lilly and Brandi Chastain, as well as a few others who joined the team after '91 - will likely all make their final apperances at the 2004 Olympics.
"With reflection, we'll be able to deal with this loss in a lot of ways because that was perhaps the greatest game ever played in women's soccer," U.S. head coach April Heinrichs said. "Our heart aches. When these women work as hard as they have to... be the best in the world... it hurts when you lose. But I'm as proud of them right now as I was before the kickoff."
The U.S. had beaten Germany at the 1991 and '99 World Cups and was 6-0-2 in the last eight meetings between the two nations. The Americans are 12-4-3 all-time against Germany, whose previous best World Cup finish was second in '95.
The U.S. had not lost since Jan. 26, 2003 to China in China when LaKeysia Beene was in net. The Americans had not lost a World Cup match since the 1995 semifinals against Norway, a string of 10 consecutive World Cup matches. Scurry had gone 31-0-4 since April '99.
Germany seized a 1-0 lead in the 15th minute when Renate Lingor served a corner kick to Kerstin Garefrekes, who was positioned at the near post just inside the goalie box. Garefrekes beat Abby Wambach to the ball in the air and headed it off the crossbar and into the upper left corner of the net. Goalie Briana Scurry and the two American field players in the goalmouth had no chance to stop Garefrekes' fourth goal of the tournament. The goal marked the first time in this World Cup that the U.S. had trailed.
The U.S. had a key scoring opportunity in the 26th minute when Lilly dribbled into the top of the penalty box and fired a shot to the left side that was stopped by a diving Rottenberg. Two minutes later Hamm got free with the ball in the penalty area, but two German defenders immediately converged on her, taking possession and halting the attack.
Germany, which has now outscored opponents 23-4 in the tournament, was known for its offense. But the German defense smothered every American opportunity. The U.S. had outscored opponents 12-1 entering the match. The Americans outshot the Germans 15-13, but could not beat the goalie.
In the 34th minute, Wambach served an upfield pass to Hamm, who dribbled uncontested into the penalty box, exciting the crowd as she got closer and closer to the goal. But Rottenberg ran out to meet her, snatching the ball just before Hamm could have gotten a shot off.
"Their goalkeeper played a tremendous game, and the opportunities that we did have, she came up big, either by saving the shot or coming out and being aggressive in the box," Hamm said.
Rottenberg, who finished with six saves, then gobbled up a smash from Wambach at the near post as the American forward charged in on the wing in the 42nd minute.
"It was a great game for all players, not just the goalkeeper" Rottenberg said. "Germany is a great team and we (won) today with all the players."
In the 57th minute, the game was temporarily halted when two female streakers wearing nothing but sneakers ran out on the pitch carrying signs that read "Boycott adidas" and "adidas kills." The women ran around for almost a minute before being escorted off by security.
The U.S. inserted Portland native Tiffeny Milbrett in the 70th minute in an effort to generate some offense. Shortly after, she collided with Rottenberg in the box, but no foul was called, much to the dismay of the crowd.
"Initially when you look at it, it could be a little sketchy," Milbrett said. "But I think she really refereed a fair game today."
With the crowd chanting "USA, USA," the Americans had plenty of chances down the stretch, but could not convert. Milbrett fired a shot wide left in the 88th minute. Hamm sent a corner kick in from the right side during the 89th that was batted around before it was cleared out.
During stoppage time, Marin Meinert, the German who came out of retirement to play one last World Cup, made it 2-0 by dribbling in from outside of the penalty box and shooting one into the left corner, out of Scurry's reach. Not long after, Birgit Prinz did the same thing, icing the game with a goal that made it 3-0.
For Hamm and a handful of American legends, this was the last time on a World Cup stage. The future will belong to Wambach, Cat Reddick, Aly Wagner and other young guns. They will have four years to think about regaining the crown.
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