What a Kick: How a Clutch World Cup Win Propelled Women's Soccer
CAPTURED SPORTS HISTORY WHAT A KICK HOW A CLUTCH WORLD CUP WIN PROPELLED WOMEN S SOCCER by Emma Carlson Berne Content Adviser Tracy Noonan U S Women's National Team goalkeeper 1995 1999 and founding member Women's United Soccer Association COMPASS POINT BOOKS ton img
Chapter One FIVE KICKS FIVE CHANCES The field was blistering hot that day at the Rose Bowl stadium in Pasadena California Some members of the U S Women’s National Soccer Team lay on the turf towels draped over their necks as trainers massaged their aching legs Others stood in huddles pouring water over their heads and bouncing back and forth to keep their legs loose They were all exhausted It was July 10 1999 and the thermometer measured 105 degrees Fahrenheit 41 degrees Celsius It was the final game of the 1999 Women’s World Cup the ultimate in women’s soccer Sixteen teams had participated in the final tournament over the last 21 days Now in the scorching summer heat of the final match the last two teams had run the field for 90 minutes and two 15-minute overtimes The score was 0-0 And the U S athletes on the field were like hounds at a hunt They were going to capture the World Cup no matter what They were facing China a powerful opponent which had beaten them three months earlier in an exhibition game But the Chinese players were tired too Sun Wen the Chinese forward had feet full of blisters We were all exhausted U S forward Tiffeny Milbrett later recalled I don’t think as much physically as mentally I was surprised by how tired I thought China was too Technique was breaking down You just have to fight through it You just have to battle
U S forward Tiffeny Milbrett 16 was chased down the field during the second half of the Women’s World Cup final game Two overtimes and no one had scored The game was going into a dreaded phase penalty kicks The players hated them Five kicks for each team One shooter versus the opponent’s goalkeeper The team that puts more kicks past the goalkeeper wins It’s as simple as that But penalty kicks say almost nothing about the physical skills of a player A decent amateur can kick the ball past even a good goalkeeper Penalty kicks are all about mind games All about concentration outwitting the goalkeeper and keeping your mind tightly focused
