But it looked as if Brazil would break through in the 72nd minute when Marta made a run down the left side. "We know she's great person and a great soccer player."īrazil had dominated much of the Olympic final with its dazzling speed and control, forcing Solo to make one save after another. "We all respect Hope and we all love Hope," Lauren Cheney said. A month later, Ryan was essentially fired. was routed 4-0, its worst loss in history, and Solo ripped Ryan's decision afterward, saying, "It was the wrong decision, and I think anybody that knows anything about the game knows that." Ryan kicked Solo off the team, not even letting her be on the bench for the third-place game. Ironic, considering it was then-coach Greg Ryan's decision to sit Solo against Brazil in the semifinals of the 2007 World Cup that sparked such a firestorm. Solo has started the last four games against Brazil, with the U.S. Marta hasn't scored yet against Solo in international play - but neither have any of her teammates. "But I hope I would have the opportunity to score." "Of course she's a great player," Marta said after Brazil's practice Friday night. The Americans, meanwhile, lost for the first time in World Cup group play and are in danger of making their earliest exit ever from the tournament.īut the Americans still have Hope, and both sides are well aware of it. Marta remains the most dynamic player in the game, the FIFA player of the year for five years running, and Brazil had little trouble winning its group. The Brazil-United States matchup in Sunday's World Cup quarterfinals is their first since that 2008 Olympic final, and Brazil would seem to have the advantage. Brazil, eager to escape the shadow of its brilliant men's team, went home bitterly disappointed, runners-up for the third straight time at a major tournament. It gave us that adrenaline going forward."įired up by Solo's highlight-reel save, the Americans would go on to claim their second straight Olympic gold medal in Beijing. "Seeing it out of the corner of your eye, yeah, you think it's going in. "I just remember Marta being point-blank cracking it, and Hope stretching out and getting a hand on it," U.S. How, Marta would ask afterward, did she not score? Her left-footed blast from 6 yards looked certain to be a winner, the goal that would give Brazil's women the Olympic gold medal and their first title at a major tournament. DRESDEN, Germany - Bent at the waist, her back to the goal, Marta buried her face in her hands.
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