I was sad. I wanted my country to win the World Cup. I was not angry, though. Japan won fair and square. The US should have put the Japanese away in the first half and failed to convert a couple of stellar chances. Those hurt in international soccer. The Morgan goal was classic; the Ayama tying goal might not have happened had Sundehage started Sauerbrun instead of Buehler as would have been the better choice; Wambach came up big in overtime and seemed destined to have a spectacular sports story, but Sawa came up even bigger and the US failed to convert its penalties while the Japanese made theirs. If the US were to play Japan 10 times in 2011, the US would win 8. But winning the one actually played is what counts, and Japan earned its WWC. Besides, there was a side benefit. It made the rematch in the final in 2015 that much more anticipated, propelling it to be the most widely watched soccer game in American history. Soccer game, not women's soccer game. The 2015 WWC final outdrew every one of the Warriors-Cavs finals games that year. The quest for redemption perhaps played a role. At the end of the day, based on quality of play, as painful as it is to say it, the 2011 final was a better game than the USA-Brazil game. If you were to ask citizens of nations not in any of those games, I think overwhelmingly they would concur.
Does anyone know what ever became of Keller? I know the history of the late '90s and why she was not on the '99 team (perhaps unjustly), but what did she do in life after that?
Thanks for acknowleging that. Ah, that hurt! You crushed Aya Miyama into a single name! Anyway, 2012 showed they were probably closer than that, since that year USA and Japan played 4 times (!), with 1 win for Japan (at Algarve), 2 for USA and a draw. Unluckily, one of the US wins was the final of London Olympics!
I've lost all my files for all theses games. Sorry bout the old school.. Can we get a mod to sticky that link ? Or should I make a different post with it? Help!!!!?!