CHAPTER 1 CHASTAIN'S CLASSIC KICK It was a game that had already lived up to its billing The United States Women's National Team USWNT and China had battled to a 0 0 draw through 90 minutes of regulation and another half hour of extra time After 120 minutes of give and take between the teams the record crowd of 90,185 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena California was at a fever pitch Only a shootout would settle it The team with the most successful penalty kicks after five rounds would be the winner of the 1999 Women's World Cup Both the United States and China scored in the first two rounds Carla Overbeck and Joy Fawcett beat Chinese goalkeeper Gao Hong Xie Huilin and Qiu Haiyan both scored against American keeper Briana Scurry Brandi Chastain celebrates her kick that placed American soccer in the global spotlight
But the game was about to be turned on its head in the third round Scurry dove to her left and saved Liu Yang's attempt Now the United States had the advantage If the Americans made their final three penalty kicks the championship was theirs Kristine Lilly and Mia Hamm both made their kicks as did China's Zhang Ouying and Sun Wen That meant the entire game landed on the shoulders of Brandi Chastain The California native was BRIANA SCURRY Before Hope Solo there was Briana Scurry Scurry was the original superstar goalkeeper for the USWNT A native of Minneapolis Minnesota Scurry played for the United States from 1994 to 2008. She won gold medals with Team USA in 1996 and 2008 Her save of Liu Ying's penalty attempt in the 1999 Women's World Cup helped lead to Brandi Chastain's eventual game winning kick In 2017 Scurry became the first black woman elected to the US National Soccer Hall of Fame just weeks away from her 31st birthday Chastain had been a part of the USWNT since 1988. She was part of the squad that had defeated China to win the 1996 Olympic gold medal Now three years later result of the Women's World Cup was up to her
American goalkeeper Briana Scurry makes a save to set up Chastain's final kick Chastain lined up the kick in front of thousands of US supporters clad in red white and blue Behind her players from both sides stood arm in arm with their teammates as they awaited the kick Gao stood 12 yards 11 m away staring down Chastain as the American backed away from the ball preparing to make the kick Then Chastain ran up to the ball and fired with her left foot
