Fri, Oct 30th 2009, 09:18
Abby Wambach scored her 101st career goal on a header in the 34th minute and a world class performance by the U.S. defense made sure it held up for a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Germany in front of a sold-out crowd at Impuls Arena.
Impuls Arena, a new venue which will host matches of the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup, was sold out last week and 28,377 singing and chanting German fans filled the stadium to cheer for their defending European and Women’s World Cup champions against the defending Olympic champions. It was the first international match at the stadium and also set a record for the largest crowd to see a match at the venue in its young history. The crowd was also the largest to see a stand-alone U.S. WNT friendly match outside of the USA, and the third-largest home or away crowd for a stand-alone friendly.
The Germans were by far the better attacking team on the night, out-shooting the USA 17-7, but some suspect finishing and tremendous individual and team defending from the Americans were the themes of the night. Young center backs Amy LePeilbet and Rachel Buehler were phenomenal and outside backs Heather Mitts and Lori Chalupny put in miles of running while chasing down many a German attack on the flanks. U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo was a calming presence in the back for the USA, handling her duties expertly, especially on high balls.
The Germans came out attacking with impressive speed and numbers and never really slowed down over the 90 minutes. The hosts found their way around the outside of the U.S. defense on numerous occasions, but either the retreating U.S. backs were there to clear or Solo managed a great catch or a timely punch. It was Solo’s fourth straight shut-out against Germany in the four games she has played against them.
Germany had the first chance of the game when Mitts scythed down German star Birgit Prinz about 22 yards straight in front of the goal. Linda Bresonik spun a hard free kick over the wall, but Solo flew to her right to punch the ball away.
The Germans tormented the USA down the left flank early on, led by Fatmire Bajramaj, who got around the U.S. defense three times in the first half and dribbled straight at the near post. Each time, she laid a short passes into the six yard box, but on all three occasions, the U.S. defenders somehow managed to get to the ball before a German.
The crosses were flying into the U.S. penalty area from both sides of the field for much of the match, but a supremely confident Solo and her defenders managed to repel almost every one. The services the Germans did get a head or a foot on invariably went high or wide.