Twelve years ago yesterday, the nation was rapt with the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team’s World Cup final against China. More than 90,000 watched the Americans win the penalty kick shootout in person, and millions upon millions caught the game on TV.
This year’s Women’s World Cup in Germany isn’t quite up to those standards. But it’s getting close.
The U.S.’ stirring victory over Brazil yesterday fast became a hot topic on news sites, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, and highlights were all over ESPN and the like. Abby Wambach and Hope Solo are no less household names than Mia Hamm and Brandi Chastain a decade ago, and Wednesday’s semifinal against France is likely to draw big TV numbers.
Perhaps most visibly, the Americans’ quarterfinal victory made its way to the front page of a fair cross-section of U.S. newspapers. On Saturday, the tournament was largely invisible. Now, it’s making inroads again.
The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle — Wambach’s hometown paper — splashed the game across the top of Page 1. The (Allentown, Pa.) Morning Call, in suburban Philadelphia, played a standalone big, as did the Charlotte Observer. Universal wall-to-wall coverage? Nope. But remember — this was a quarterfinal game in a women’s tournament, held on a Sunday morning East Coast time.
In case you missed it, here’s Wambach’s tying goal in the 122nd minute.
Just for fun, note the similarity in the call from Landon Donovan’s game-winner against Algeria in the 2010 World Cup. “Oh, can you believe this?” Yes, we can.
