Abby Wambach scored goals in the second half or overtime to tie or put her team ahead, in each of the quarterfinal, seminfinal and final games of the 2011 Women's World Cup. That is a clutch feat unequaled in ANY World Cup, men's or women's. Gino Colaussi scored tying or go-ahead goals for Italy in 1938, but all of his were in the first half. Alcides Ghigghia scored tying or go-ahead goals for Uruguay in 1950, but two of his were in the first half. I treated the last two games of second-round group play as quarterfinals and semifinals for this analysis. Helmut Haller scored tying or go-ahead goals for Germany in 1966, but two of his were in the first half. Johann Neeskens scored tying or go-ahead goals for Holland in each of the quarterfinal, seminfinal and final games in 1974, but all of his were in the first half. I treated the last two games of second-round group play as quarterfinals and semifinals for this analysis. Mario Kempes scored tying or go-ahead goals for Argentina in each of the seminfinal and final games in 1978, but in the former it was in the first half. I treated the last two games of second-round group play as quarterfinals and semifinals for this analysis. The game that would correspond to the quarterfinals a la Ghiggia and Neeskens was a scoreless tie. The first game of second round group play is one in which Kempes also scored the go-ahead goal in the first half. Paolo Rossi scored tying or go-ahead goals for Italy in each of the quarterfinal, seminfinal and final games in 1982. Two were second-half goals. I treated the last game of second-round group play as quarterfinals for this analysis. It has been nearly 30 years since a player scored in each of the quarterfinals, semifinals and finals to tie or put the team in the lead. Not only did Wambach do that; ALL of her goals came in the second half or extra time. All of her goals came after the other team had scored (in all of the examples above at least one of the games involved scoring a first half goal that put the team ahead to stay). I wanted to do this to put Wambach's accomplishment in some perspective. To perform a feat in the clutch that not even any man has done in a World Cup is the stuff of legends. Based on that, Abby Wambach deserves serious consideration for Sports Illustrated's Athlete of the Year (or whatever they call the award).
Another noteworthy performance along these lines was Roberto Baggio in 1994. Like Abby, slow start to tournament, rescues 10-man Italy with 88th minute equalizer and winner in OT in Rd of 16, gets game winner in 88th minute in Quarters, scores both Italy goals (albeit in first half) in 2-1 Semi win. But ultimately remembered for PK miss to seal doom in the final, as Abby could be remembered for the deflection on the equalizer and miss (though at least she did score the go-ahead goal as well).
Baggio's performance is noteworthy, but of course since the final was 0-0 he obviously did not score in it, so I left him off the list of comparisons.
Well what about Homare Sawa, who in each of the quarterfinal, seminfinal and final games of this World Cup, assisted or scored the tieing or go-ahead goals, and who drove the midfield, even participated in the defense too ? She was not even in the striker role. And she came home with the Cup in her luggage, plus Golden Ball and Golden Boot too.
In 1978 the format was not knockout until the final. The eight teams advancing from first round group play were placed in two groups of four, the two winners advancing to the finals. That's why I had the asterisk by Kempes.
Forlan's performance last year at the World Cup was pretty clutch and epic. Although not a whole lot of overtime goals, but the man single-handedly willed underdog Uruguay to the Semis, and almost tied Holland with the last shot of the game, which struck the cross bar.