U.S. soccer women advance to semifinals

By SCOTT PITONIAK

Gannett News Service

THESSALONIKI, Greece - Shannon Boxx found herself in unfamiliar territory. Nobody but the Japanese goalkeeper Nozomi Yamago in front of her. Three teammates to her side.

"It was definitely a little nerve-wracking,'' the veteran midfielder said after setting up the goal that enabled the United States to beat Japan 2-1 Friday and advance to the women's Olympic soccer semifinals on Monday. "I'm not up there ever.''

But Boxx looked like she had been there hundreds of times before, charging in on goal. After controlling Mia Hamm's free kick at the 59th minute, she drew out Yamago, then slipped a pass to Abby Wambach, who tapped the ball into the goal.

"I will never, ever score an easier goal than that,'' said Wambach, who has a team-leading three goals in the Olympics and 17 in her past 18 international matches. "Shannon showed great composure, then showed how unselfish she can be. She is the reason we won this game.''

Wambach's goal, coupled with Kristine Lilly's score 16 minutes earlier, got the job done against a Japanese team that had tied the United States back in June.

The Americans now get the game they wanted - a rematch with the German team that beat them in the 2003 World Cup. The Germans, who trailed Nigeria with 14 minutes to go, rallied to win their quarterfinal match, 2-1.

"It's funny how things work out that way, huh?'' said U.S. goalkeeper Briana Scurry. "I think it's great not only for us, but for women's soccer.''The matchup was in doubt after the Japanese scored on a shot that was meant to be a pass by Emi Yamamoto at the 48th minute. The Japanese midfielder lofted the ball toward the U.S. goal in hopes one of her teammates would get a foot on it and convert.

As it turned out, no one on either team touched the ball and it went past a stunned Scurry, who was initially screened.

"I think that was one of those plays where everybody thinks the other person has it and then it's too late to react,'' Scurry said.

The freakish goal knotted the score, but the disappointed Americans didn't panic. Coach April Heinrichs and her staff had scouted the Japanese tendencies closely. They discovered that Japan likes to come out and trap on some free-kick situations. That prompted Heinrichs to draw up a play in which Boxx and Julie Foudy sprint toward the goal.

When Boxx took Hamm's perfectly-placed kick about 10 yards to the right of the goal, she heard Wambach telling her to take her time. Boxx looked up and was surprised to see nothing but U.S. jerseys.

"I definitely didn't have a shot,'' she said. "I'm glad that Abby was there.''

Heinrichs also made two lineup changes, starting Brandi Chastain at defender and Lindsay Tarpley at midfield. It was the first action that the veteran Chastain has seen for the 3-0-1 Americans.