By Scott French, Senior Editor in Foxboro, Mass.
The United States strided another step closer to its third World Cup championship on Wednesday, dominating archrival Norway in nearly every phase of a 1-0 quarterfinal victory before 25,103 at Gillette Stadium.
Abby Wambach, playing what Coach April Heinrichs called the finest game of her national team career, overwhelmed the Norwegians with a bruisingly physical performance that gave the Americans their only goal and created the penalty kick that should have doubled their advantage.
Near-perfect play by the U.S. backline, especially (as always) Joy Fawcett, and a superb gameplan engineered by Heinrichs kept Norway on its heels throughout, never in the match despite the deceivingly tight margin of victory.
The Americans advanced to Sunday's semifinal in Portland, Ore., against Germany or Russia while eliminating the defending Olympic gold medalist from the competition at next year's Athens Games.
(The top two European finishers in the World Cup — Sweden and the winner of Thursday's Germany-Russia quarterfinal — join host Greece as UEFA's Olympic entrants.)
The victory was the United States' fourth in succession and third this year over Norway, the only nation with a winning record (18-17-2) against the Americans, and it was built on physical play and command of the aerial battles, the foundation of the Norwegians' success for more than a decade.
Wambach repeatedly exploited the weakest link in Norway's back line, right back Marit Fiane Christensen, pushing her aside to get to Catherine Reddick's 40-yard free kick in the 24th minute. Her header past Bente Nordby was all the Americans needed, as Fawcett and Co. cut off nearly all service to Dagny Mellgren and invisible Marianne Pettersen, limiting Norway to three shots.
Goalkeeper Briana Scurry needed to make just one save, stepping up in stoppage time to beat Mellgren and Solveig Gulbrandsen to a loose ball that Anita Rapp nodded past the U.S. backline.
Nordby was sensational in the nets for Norway, diving to stop a Wambach half-volley in the first half and a potent Cindy Parlow header in the second. Nordby was penalized unfairly, with a penalty kick and yellow card, when Wambach lost her footing leaping over the keeper midway through the second half, but Mia Hamm's spineless spot kick provided no trouble.
Parlow was outstanding at the top of the midfield diamond in a 4-4-2 formation, using her size and ball skills to forage deep in the Norwegian territory and making defensive plays all over the field.
Kate Sobrero, next to Fawcett in the middle most of the match to take advantage of her familiarity with Boston Breakers teammate Mellgren, stumbled with the ball in the early going but made huge plays defensively. She swapped spots late in the match with left back Catherine Reddick, whose aerial strengths prevented Norway from rallying behind its traditional long-ball game.
Norway suffered creatively without Hege Riise, who finally came on in the 84th minute but made no impact. The Carolina Courage star, coming back from a torn anterior cruciate ligament, played only 36 minutes in the Norwegians' four matches.
Norway's backline, weakened by injury and Gunhild Folstad's exclusion following a horrendous performance in the 4-1 loss to Brazil in group play, gave a stirring performance, especially Monica Knudsen, who won air balls all game, and Ane Stangeland, who was felled in the second half by a Parlow kick to the face.
Heinrichs acknowledged afterward that the Americans' backline play is based on Norway's traditional defensive game, which she has been studying since serving as Tony DiCicco's assistant coach at the 1995 World Cup, won by the Norwegians.