Tallahassee Democrat from Tallahassee, Florida • Page 21

WOMEN'S WORLD CUP PAGE 2 Sunday, July 17,2011 Tallahassee Democrat SPORTS Women's World Cup run could have major impact on nation's youth 2A- 'I yju 4' 1 And Krikorian thinks this World Cup run highlighted by Wambach's late-match heroics could have a similar impact on the nation's youth as the 1999 one. "We're in our second professional league and hopefully something like this can lift the sport of women's soccer in America's eyes and allow for the growth of the sport again," he said. "There are so many players that grew up seeing Brandi Chastain's goal. And right now there are an awful lot of people my daughter's age at 10 that are watching Abby Wambach score. And that's going to affect their development." Krikorian, who is conducting a soccer camp this weekend at Florida State, said he will gather all the campers around a big TV at the Moore Athletic Center for today's final against Japan.

"It is big," he said. "Especially if the U.S. can find a way to win (today). The American sport platform is greater than everywhere else. So if the U.S.

can continue to capture the imagination of fans and of ESPN, CBS and the major networks it will continue to help the sport leap By Corey Clark NoleSports.com editor The last time the United States women were in the World Cup finals was 12 years ago. You remember that championship match against China. Sunny day in Southern California. A jam-packed Rose Bowl stadium of more than 90,000. Brandi Chastain ripping off her shirt in exultation after sending the game-winning penalty kick into the back of the net.

It was a seminal moment in the history of women's sports in this country. And Florida State head coach Mark Krikorian is quite sure it had a dramatic impact on the soccer world. "In my mind it definitely did," he said. "I don't know that I have any evidence to substantiate that, but I would certainly be willing to go out on a limb and say it had a huge effect." A dozen years later the U.S. Women's National team is at it again.

Abby Wambach's game-tying goal in the 122nd minute against Brazil in the quarterfinals instantly became a legendary moment in the history of American soccer. MARCIO JOSE SANCHEZTHE ASSOCIATED PRESS United States goalkeeper Hope Solo makes a save Friday during a training session in preparation for today's final match against Japan in Women's World Cup. Bumpy road looking pretty good now for Americans WOMEN'S WORLD CUP FINAL U.S. vs. Japan WHEN: 2:45 p.m.

today TV: ESPN i ment, having lost to the U.S. in the semifinals at the Beijing Olympics. "Of course it's something I bring up," U.S. coach Pia Sundhage said. "We've been there before, we've done it before." But Japan is a far better team than the one the Americans saw in May, having upset pre-tournament favorite Germany in the quarterfinals and Sweden in the semifinals.

The Nade-shiko's ball-handling skills are exquisite, drawing comparisons to Barcelona for their lightning quick passes and slick combination play, and they dominate possession as if it's a game of keep-away. They've shown a nice scoring touch, too, their 10 goals at the World Cup second only to the 11 scored by the U.S. The ageless Homare Sawa has been a marvel, sharing top-scoring honors with Mar-ta with four goals. "Why shouldn't we be confident?" Sawa asked. Japan also has powerful motivation, knowing it has provided some emotional relief for a nation still reeling from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

The team displays a banner reading "To our Friends Around the World Thank You for Your Support," after every game, and coach Norio Sasaki inspired his players before the quarterfinal by showing them pictures of the devastation. But the Americans remain confident, just as they were through every pothole and dip in their bumpy road. "Nothing worries me right now," Sundhage said. "You have to enjoy the moment. Look at the road we've taken.

If I get worried, I just have to look back at that road." By Nancy Armour The Associated Press FRANKFURT, Germany The bumpy, windy road got the Americans right where they wanted to go all along. Eight months after having to win a playoff just to get to Germany, the Americans face Japan in the Women's World Cup final on today. A win would be the ultimate finish to their improbable journey, making the United States the first three-time champions and delighting a country of newfound fans. "I believe all the way we'll find a way," Carli Lloyd said Saturday after the team's last training session. "It's going to be a tough match like every other match has been, but I believe that we will find a way and it's our destiny to get it done." For a long time, the Americans were about the only ones who believed that.

The U.S. is the No. 1-ranked team in the world and defending Olympic champion, and the Americans have dominated the women's game for the better part of two decades now. But they arrived at the World Cup looking, well, kind of average. They were stunned in regional qualifying in November in Mexico, a team that hadn't managed a win in its first 25 tries against its neighbor to the north, and had to beat Italy in a two-game playoff for the very last spot in the World Cup.

They opened the year with a loss to Sweden, then fell to England for the first time in 22 years so long ago Alex Morgan hadn't even been born yet. Then, after easy wins in their first two games in Germany, the Americans lost to Sweden again, their first loss ever in World Cup group play. wrong," Lloyd said. "Now I think everyone is starting to believe in us. We've won everybody over, which is tremendous because the support back home has been unbelievable." While part of the U.S.

appeal is its success here, it's the team's spunk that has really charmed can-do attitude uniquely proudly American. This might not be the best team the U.S. has ever had, but none will try. harder. "We are disappointed in the kind of soccer we played in last few games.

It's just not the kind of soccer we want to play," Wambach said. "Sometimes games turn into what games turn into and you have to deal with what you've got and somehow find a way and figure it out. And that's what we did and that's something to be proud of and that's what we take away from it. "But against Japan, we want to do and play the way we've been training. We don't want it just to be a dogfight.

We want it to be a game people can watch and be excited about." Japan will have something to say about that, of course. The Nadeshiko have never beaten the Americans draws in 2000, 2003 and 2004 are the best they've managed in 25 games and have been outscored a whopping 77-13. They have three losses this year alone to the U.S., including a pair of 2-0 defeats in warmup games a month before the World Cup began. This also is Japan's first final at a major tourna "In the past, we'd always won everything," captain Christie Rampone said. "Those losses made our team what it is today.

We need each other and you feel that, from the locker room to the time we step on the field." Never was that faith in each other more evident than in their quarterfinal against Brazil. Down a player for almost an hour and on the verge of making their earliest exit ever from a major tournament, Abby Wam-bach's magnificent, leaping header in the 122nd minute tied the game and sparked one of the most riveting finishes ever in a World Cup game men's or women's. The Americans beat Brazil in a penalty shootout and, just like that, the folks back home were hooked. Hollywood celebrities, fellow pro athletes and people who don't care about any sport, let alone soccer, have adopted the players. The Brazil match drew the third-highest ratings ever for a Women's World Cup game, and Wednesday's semifinal victory over France did almost as well despite being played in the middle of the workday back home.

The Empire State Building is lit with the red, white and blue this weekend, along with Japan's colors. And the White House is sending an official delegation led by Vice President Joe Biden's wife, Jill, and Chelsea Clinton, who just happened to be part of that massive Rose Bowl crowd 12 years ago, the last time the Americans won the title. "We've proved everyone 1 jJ Cup From Page 1 SPORTS current squad, Erica Walsh and Paul Rogers, worked for Krikorian here at Florida State. So while there may not be a Seminole on the roster, the team still has Seminole handprints all over it. "For me, it's fantastic," Krikorian said.

"I just feel a great deal of pride in seeing all these folks do so well. I'm proud of them and I told them the other day how happy I am and how proud I am for them. They've done a great job." The FSU coach was actually in attendance in Dresden for that instantly legendary win over Brazil. When Abby Wambach's header found the back of the net in the final minute of overtime to tie the game he said it was unlike anything he had ever seen or felt before. "The whole crowd exploded," Krikorian said.

"I've never been in an environment like that personally." Afterwards, he went to dinner with the United States staff and talked a bit about the French side. Krikorian scouted two France games earlier in the tournament and put together a detailed scouting report for Sundhage and her staff. They had a formal meeting the following day to go over the opponent in detail. "They showed they were susceptible to crosses," Krikorian said. "And marking in the box was an issue for them.

And that proved to be the case. "That was my biggest highlight noted for attacking France get crosses in. You might find yourself wide open for Soccer From Page 1 SPORTS way to find the most competition, so she contacted the team. They watched her play and asked her to join. She has helped the Eclipse Select U14 team win the Illinois State Cup and the Midwest Regional League, winning them the bid to the Region II Championship in which they won.

Now the team will play in a four-team round robin next week for a chance to win a national title. "I'm so excited," Brock-meier said about the tournament. "I love (being on the team). It's so much fun and the team is amazing." Like her mom, Cathy, said, her daughter says Hammarstrom sends Sweden past VICTOR DECOLONGONGETTY IMAGES Team USA assistant coach Erica Walsh was an assistant coach for Mark Krikorian at Florida State. the header." Which is exactly how the Americans took the lead in the 79th minute when Wambach headed in the game-winner in off a crossing pass.

Krikorian however wasn't there to see the semifinal win. He was on an airplane heading back to the United States. His work for the national team was over and he needed to be back for FSU's soccer camp, which started on Saturday. "When she asked me to serve as a scout, I looked at our schedule and commitments here and said I'd be happy to come," he said. "She said she would like me there for the opening game to scout Germany-Canada, which I did.

But I told her I had a camp starting on the Saturday of this week. 'All the scouting would in essence be done by that time. And I told her I needed to return to get ready for the camp starting. So it really worked out perfectly for them and perfectly for me." "these are her girls her peeps." "Her dad (Lanny) and I are so proud of her," Cathy added. "She puts in the hard work she has the skinned knees and elbows to prove it.

She knows to compete at this level you need to put in the work." All that hard work is paying of for a special trip to nationals. "It'll be a great experience," Brockmeier said. "Not a lot of girls get to go to this kind of tournament." Brockmeier also earned other honors recently being named to the Region III Olympic Development Team for the second year in a row. She has also been selected to the Florida ODP team for the third year in a row. France, 2-1 running at a dead sprint, caught up to it at the edge of the box.

As French goalkeeper Berangere Sapow-icz rushed out to try and smother the ball, Schelin deftly flicked it into the net with the outside of her right foot. The two then collided, and Sapowicz came down on the outside of her right ankle. She immediately fell to the ground and was soon removed from the game. Despite losing silky smooth playmaker Louisa Necib to an injury in the 32nd minute, France managed to equalize in the 56th. Blanketed by three defenders, Gaetane Thiney lost the ball but quickly managed to reclaim it and slide it to Elodie Thomas, who had replaced Necib.

Thomas skipped a shot along the ground that was just beyond the outstretched hands of Hedvig Lindahl. The teams were the top European finishers, qualifying them for next summer's London Olympics. The Associated Press SINSHEIM, Germany Marie Hammarstrom scored in the 82nd minute Saturday, giving short-handed Sweden a 2-1 victory over France in the third-place game at the Women's World Cup. Down a player for almost 15 minutes after Josefine Oqvist was sent off for kicking Sonia Bompas-tor in the chest, Sweden won a corner kick that the French managed to clear at the near post. But the ball popped out to Hammarstrom, who faked out a defender with a small side-volley, touched the ball a second time and then let fly with a thunderous left-" footed strike from the edge of the box.

It was Hammarstrom's first-ever goal for Sweden, and it allowed the Swedes to do the hippity-hoppity dance that's become their trademark one last time. Lotta Schelin staked Sweden to an early lead, scoring her second goal V. I MATTHIAS SCHRADERTHE ASSOCIATED PRESS Sweden's Charlotte Rohlin, right, and Sara Larsson celebrate after beating France, 2-1, in the third-place match on Saturday at the Women's World Cup in Sinsheim, Germany. of the tournament in the son booted the ball from 29th minute. Sara Lars- about midfield and Schelin,.