|
 |   |
EVENTS Fantasy Central Inside Game Multimedia Central Statitudes Your Turn Message Boards Email Newsletters Golf Guide Cities Work in Sports
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE
|  |
Controversial strike fires United States into final
CANBERRA, Sept 24 (AFP) - The United States beat Brazil 1-0 to reach the final of the Olympic women's football tournament with a hotly disputed goal here Sunday. Mia Hamm's winner on the hour, which booked the defending champions a final date with Norway, provoked furious protests from the Brazilian players. A free-kick was swung into the area from the left flank and Hamm's partner Tiffeny Milbrett appeared to foul Brazilian goalkeeper Andreia as the pair challenged for the ball. But the Swiss referee did not blow her whistle and Hamm tapped the ball into an empty net from an acute angle inside the six yard box. Andreia stayed down and received treatment for several minutes for an injured shoulder. The first 45 minutes were almost a complete non-event with neither side able to create a clear-cut chance. Brazil held the edge in possession and territory but could not breach the their opponents' physical back-line, while Hamm and Milbrett became increasingly frustrated at the lack of service afforded them. It was a poor advert for women's football in a front of crowd which inluded Sepp Blatter, the head of world football's ruling body FIFA. The first strike in anger was US midfielder Shannon McMillan's free-kick, which was deflected wide in the 30th minute. The closest the Brazilians came to breaking the deadlock was also from a set-piece but Formiga's effort drifted harmlessly wide of the far post. Brazil were content to keep most of their side behind the ball and unwilling to commit numbers to attack - conscious perhaps of their 4-0 defeat at the hands of the US in San Jose three weeks ago. The second-half began in equally mundane fashion. In the 49th minute Juliana was booked for an appalling tackle on Hamm and ten minutes later Formiga also received the yellow card for a crude challenge on the same player, which led to Hamm's controversial opener. Brazil responded with their best period of the match and almost immediately Pretinha had the ball in the net for the Brazilians but it was correctly disallowed for offside. Her stinging drive then forced the save of the match Siri Mullinix before the US keeper cut-out a dangerous looking pull-back from the same player. But the world champions weathered the storm and were able to play out time.
|
