Second ComingFormer reject Shannon MacMillan's overtime goal put the U.S. women in the gold medal soccer gameby Peter King
During a tryout camp to select the U.S. women's national soccer team last December in San Diego, the coaches called in forward Shannon MacMillan. They were making final cuts for the 25-woman team, from which the Olympic roster would be selected, and even though MacMillan was the 1995 college player of the year, that meant little on a team loaded with talented forwards. All she remembered was that one of the coaches said, "You haven't made the team, but we might call you back." She stormed out of the room, crying bitter tears.
"My world ended that night," MacMillan says now.
Showing the determination that marked the game, Mia Hamm (9) of the U.S. and Gro Espeseth gave chase.
photograph by
You would never have known that last night in Athens, Ga., not after she scored the biggest goal in U.S. women's soccer history before the biggest paying crowd—64,196—ever to watch a women's soccer game. Six minutes into overtime of the Olympic semifinal match against reigning world champion Norway, MacMillan, who had in fact been recalled to the team, was sent into the game. Three minutes later she one-timed a pinpoint pass from Julie Foudy, and her 15-yard strike into the lower left corner of the goal gave the Americans a 2-1 sudden-death victory at Sanford Stadium.
The Americans play China, which scored twice in the last seven minutes of the other semifinal to beat Brazil 3-2, in Thursday-night's gold medal game. However, allow the U.S. a celebratory day before looking toward the Chinese. "Understand where women's soccer in this country has been," said forward Tiffeny Milbrett. "They announce the crowd as 64,000 and that alone gives you chills. Then to win in overtime with them screaming for you—in the Olympics, in my home country—and you understand why we're so choked up."
Norway capitalized on sloppy U.S. defense and striker Linda Medalen's rocket shot in the 18th minute to take an early lead. The Norwegians made it stand up for almost an hour, until the U.S. benefited from a questionable hand-ball call in Norway's penalty area. With 14 minutes left, Michelle Akers converted the penalty kick. Then came overtime and MacMillan's chance.
She had failed to make the national team before the 1995 World Cup because of a broken left toe. Then she received that unkindest of cuts. "I lost it leaving the meeting, I lost it in my car, I lost it at the airport in Portland when my friends picked me up," she said. "I thought my career was over."
Only after nine players were locked out of camp in a dispute over bonuses that were tied to a gold medal did U.S. coach Tony DiCicco call MacMillan back. "I supported the players who were out, but it was a break for me," MacMillan, 21, said. "And I was determined never to give [DiCicco] the chance to cut me again."
She was a starter for most of the national team's 23-game schedule, but DiCicco went with a defense-oriented 2-5-3 alignment against Norway, benching MacMillan for midfielder Tiffany Roberts. "She was bugging me all game about getting in," said DiCicco. With the team tiring in the 85° Georgia heat, MacMillan finally got her chance. She made it count.
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SI Olympic Dailies
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