A unification bout is on tap
BEIJING - They were left for dead up in Qinhuangdao before the Games even began after being shut out by the Norwegians in the opener. But by pluck and luck, the US women's soccer team will be playing for the Olympic gold medal today in the Workers' Stadium against effusive Brazil in a rematch of the 2004 final.
"We're pumped," said midfielder Heather O'Reilly, whose teammates are coming off a 4-2 decision over Japan in the semifinals. "We've played Brazil before and we know they're a pretty awesome team with a lot of great personalities. But this team, player for player, is unified and strong and we're together."
Yet while they're playing for their third gold in their last four Games, the Americans are decided underdogs to a Brazilian side that humiliated them, 4-0, in last year's World Cup semis in Hangzhou in the worst defeat in US history and that also steamrolled Cup champion Germany, 4-1, to reach the final here.
"Even if we won that last one, there would be motivation to win this one, since you're playing for a gold medal," said midfielder Shannon Boxx.
Four years ago in Athens, the Canarinhas played the Yanks off their feet for most of the evening before losing, 2-1, on an Abby Wambach header in overtime. "I firmly believe that it will be a different story this time around," Brazil striker Cristiane told FIFA.com.
The Germans hadn't allowed a goal until Brazil hung four on them, getting three within 10 minutes on either side of intermission from Formiga, Cristiane, and Marta. If the Americans don't keep them and midfielder Daniela on a leash, they could be overrun again and they know it.
"They're personality players that have their own individual flair," said captain Christie Rampone. "They're good on the ball, they have speed and confidence. We're going to have to stay tight as a unit, play as a full team once again, stay compact, and know where they are at all times."
The Americans also are going to have to find a way to beat the Brazilians without Wambach, their go-to target who broke her leg against the Canarinhas in their final Games tuneup in San Diego in mid-July. When Wambach went down, their scoring dried up until coach Pia Sundhage, preaching patience and diversity, had her players spread the ball around and the goals began coming.
While seven players have scored, the new gunner has been midfielder Angela Hucles, who has tallied four, two in the semis. "It's been a change for the whole team," said Hucles, who didn't play in last year's Cup.
After the Norway loss, in which the US fell behind, 2-0, in the first four minutes, the Americans knew they had to shape-shift or perish. "What I think is great about this team is that nothing needs to be said," said defender Lori Chalupny. "We knew where we were headed and what we wanted. You can tell just by looking in each other's eyes that we knew we still had a chance to get to the final game."
Losing a group opener is far from fatal, as defender Kate Markgraf reminded her teammates. In 2000, Norway was blanked by the US by the same score and came back to beat the Americans, 3-2, in overtime for the gold medal. "That was a good reminder to say, we're starting off here, but it's only for now," said Hucles.
After that, the US was steady-on in front of goalkeeper Hope Solo, last year's outspoken pariah after her Cup benching, blanking Japan and New Zealand and winning the group when Japan beat Norway, 5-1. That allowed the Americans to duck Brazil in the quarters and Germany in the semis and face Canada and Japan instead.
So the US is back where it always is at Olympus, playing for the planet and the Brazilians, who are 2-22-2 lifetime against the Yanks and 0-3 at the Games, are duly respectful. "We haven't won anything yet," acknowledged coach Jorge Barcellos, "and it would be a huge mistake to get carried away just because we beat Germany."
Still, Marta and friends believe this is their quadrennium, their moment. "Everything is falling into place for that to happen," says Cristiane.
"It seems like someone has written this story just for us."
John Powers can be reached at jpowers@globe.com. 