What a Kick: How a Clutch World Cup Win Propelled Women's Soccer
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
Kristine Lilly battled for the ball She would be one of the five shootout kickers for the Americans Who would kick for the American team Lauren Gregg the U S assistant coach wrote down four names team captain Carla Overbeck defender Joy Fawcett midfielder Kristine Lilly and superstar forward Mia Hamm There were two possibilities for the fifth spot co captain Julie Foudy and midfielder and defender Brandi Chastain If the score was still tied after four kicks per team the fifth could win the World Cup They would need a clutch performer Someone who could handle the pressure of being the possible decider Someone who could surprise China’s goalkeeper
Co-captain Julie Foudy who played on four World Cup teams was the possible fifth kicker Gregg walked over to Chastain She wasn’t the obvious pick She had become predictable kicking with her right leg with the ball going to the goalkeeper’s right Chastain had missed more than half of her penalty kicks that year But she had a special skill she could shoot with either foot She could kick left-footed if she had to Maybe most important she had the guts to try it in a World Cup final Chastain was lying facedown on the turf with her eyes closed fighting a leg cramp Do you want a kick Gregg asked Chastain said she did Then Gregg suggested a new tactic Kick it with your left foot Chastain agreed And just like that the decision had been made The list was complete The United States was watching The world was watching Little girls teenage boys fans in face paint body paint USA shirts and hats soccer fans of every type packed the Rose Bowl Four years before in 1995 the Americans had played in the World Cup
