The Greatest Game Ever Played

Often in sports, the commentary birthed from the final whistle brings to life monikers fat of nostalgia and born free of perspective. Sports talk stations around the country have featured nauseating conjecture on which athletes get to be greater than the next as well as the games they play in. Athletes over their careers give us numbers to use as how to place them in the sports hierarchy. Those debates are filled with the shouting of statistics usually lacking any level of proper context. Half the time there’s no right answer, but how do you actually define a game worthy of being labeled “greatest of all time”? Sports are entertainment full of soap opera histrionics - if they entertain even a single soul, is that game to be considered or does it need specific identifiers and characteristics? Does it need the buzzer-beater endings or the tired David vs Goliath storyline to begin its rise to game GOAT hall of fame? If a game deemed as great lacks a large national audience is it simply the tree that falls in a forest?

Some games check all the aforementioned boxes – USC vs Texas 2006, Duke vs Kentucky 1992, the Miracle on Ice. As far as the United States is concern, rare is the great game we can all point to that was played on a soccer field. Sports fans alike would be quick to recall Landon Donovan’s late game winner vs Algeria in the 2010 World Cup. Less than a year later however, there would be a goal holding more importance in a bigger game that fit any and all requirements for greatest of all time.

Let’s revisit.

Sunday, July 10^th, 2011. Dresden, Germany. Women’s World Cup. Quarterfinal.

United States versus Brasil.

The history book of this rivalry is thick with endless chapters of clashes coming in major tournaments. Their results shape the narratives that have long stood for both national teams and countries. For Brasil, the underlining theme is that of a gross lack of support. Their federation turning blind eyes and empty shrugs for years to an immensely talented team. The samba dancing ladies in blue and yellow have done so much with so little backing from a soccer-crazed country such as Brasil. Cristiane, Formiga, Rosana, Aline – all players that were the nucleus for the foundation of a world super power. Then there’s Marta – the greatest, ever. A woman that can stand equal with the many Brasilian legends that have come before her. Yet it all feels somewhat wasted. Yes, the women have had success, but that has come in spite of the giant roadblock that is their own country. Not allocating resources, time, and money have capped what the women are able to do when facing other teams who are as talented.

The other side of the coin is the ladies in red, white, and blue. The story of soccer in the United States revolves around the women’s national soccer team. In an international regard, the history of women and soccer begins and ends with the USA. Despite who may hold the top spot in the FIFA rankings, the USA is always being heavily pursued, rarely, if ever pursuing. England legend Kelly Smith formed much of her professional career in the states due to the lack of a reliable domestic league across the pond. The USWNT have been the sole consistent force in soccer for over three-decades. Endless list of great players; Akers, Hamm, Lily, Heinrichs, Overbeck, Chastain, Fawcett, Milbrett, Foudy, Scurry, Rampone, Wambach, O’Reilly, Mitts, Chaulpny, Boxx,Markgraf, Hucles, Kai, Morgan, Heath, Cheney, Lloyd, Rapinoe, Solo, Dunn, Sauerbrunn, Johnston, Horan, Brian, Pugh, Lavelle. The challenge of reloading talent throughout the years never an issue as soccer is at the forefront in schools for young girls. For as much as soccer is talked about in a foreign space, the American women have dominated to a level that made it theirs, and gave the country the feeling of the sport being ours.

Abby Wambach versus Marta.

Polar opposites and contrasting flavors that have been the cornerstones for their respective countries. Wambach – tall, lengthy, a player-coach that better than any before her, regardless of gender perfected the use of the head in scoring goals. Both charismatic and brutally honest. Gracious and aware enough to pass the torch to Alex Morgan just as easily as she received it from Mia Hamm.

For Marta, there was no previous holder of any torch. There wasn’t an assembly line of players before her. She’s Mia Hamm, Abby Wambach, and Alex Morgan not because she needs to be, but because she can be. At the height of her powers, her skillset is unmatched. She has no secret weapon, her genius is always triggered, always ready for full display, there’s no hiding how great she is. When it comes together, it looks like this. We’ve come to understand Marta is more of lead by example than lead as a group type of player, which is fine. It wasn’t an issue for Kobe, and it works for Marta.

The game…

What if I told you to throw everything into a soccer game to make it interesting? I gave you a world of options to mix and concoct the game of your dreams. What would you create? Two powerhouses with a cast of star power and great players for starters sure.  You’d add bad officiating for one team to overcome. Throw in a red card probably. Oh, and can’t forget a last second goal, we’ve learned that’s a must. And because this is soccer, of course you add penalty kicks.

Check, check, check, and Čech. (See what I did there?)

An early own goal by Brasil put the USA in the driver’s seat to control the match at least until the half. It’s important to note who scored on Brasil for the USA – Daiane. Remember her name for later, because... well, just remember. I don’t want to spoil it, consider it a surprise.

The game swung between both teams for much of the first half. It was a clean contest, not one where either team couldn’t take the next step of control, but one where it was evident both teams were very evenly matched. What did become apparent was the officiating, and holy shit was it bad.

Australian ref Jacqui Melksham had a really, really, really bad day at the office. A more efficient and accurate way of that would be; she and her crew were trash. She was nowhere near the standard of professionalism required for a game in any pro setting, tenfold that of a World Cup quarterfinal.

In the 65^th minute, Melksham calls foul in the box on USA Defender Rachel Buehler. Of all the questionable and indefensibly bad calls made during this game, this was not one of them. Nor was the red card. Marta drew the foul just as much as she was fouled, but with any sport, the star and offensive player gets the benefit of the doubt. Before we get to the shenanigans that would follow this decision, note here that for the remainder of this game, the USA is playing 10v11.

A red card in the box for a foul on a goal-scoring-opportunity means it’s time for somebody to come up and take this penalty kick. That person was Cristiane. Against any other keeper, the striker has the advantage. Enter Hope Solo who, if is in goal for a penalty kick has the advantage of being better at goalkeeping than any striker is at placing a ball in the back of a net.

So Cristiane takes it. And Solo makes the save. The game was not to be tied up at one at this time. 

What some consider a cheap goal was disallowed by the soccer-gods channeled through their first daughter.

Except one particular Australian ref couldn’t contain herself without squeezing herself into the spotlight of this game and craving some damn attention!

Where this game becomes another embarrassment to FIFA is right about here. Melksham demands a do-over of the penalty kick due to defender Christie Rampone stepping over the 18-yard line before the Cristiane kick was taken. Of course replay would show she merely stepped on the line, and regardless there was nothing to be gained, given the blocked shot eventually went to the foot of a Brasilian player.

 So let’s review this.

A.      Terrible call.

B.      No advantage was to be had by Rampone being half a foot over the line.

C.      Zero context of how often this happens on PK’s vs how often (never) it’s called.

D.      Stupid decision to insert yourself as an official in a game of that magnitude to that degree.

E.       A. TERRIBLE. CALL.

The teams line up, and re-do this nerve-racking football formality once more. Marta takes and makes it.

Now we’re level. The game is back even and any mistakes from officiating has canceled out right? Well, in a word, no. A multitude of offside calls by the match officials (3/4 Australian) helped deteriorate the quality of a world class matchup. This would set the stage for an overtime goal from Marta who was… you guessed it, offside.

The player who sent in the service to Marta is of note for a strange bit of karma that comes back rather quickly to bite the ass of Brasil. Central Midfielder Erika wisely attempted to kill time off the clock by faking injury to the point the stretcher came onto the field. As soon as the stretcher carried her off the playing field, she ripped the straps off, jumped out the cart and jogged to the Brasilian touch line to an incredible thundering of boos and whistles from the fans. Fans hate it. Players hate it. Fans encourage it when their team is up, and players ultimately cave in and do it. You’d be dumb not to waste time in the final moments of a game of this stature no matter how egregious you fake injury. Hell, If you have to fake dead to run off two minutes of added time to win an indoor soccer championship, damnitt you do it!

Erika’s miserably horrid acting performance not only didn’t waste time, but in fact added precious seconds that allowed the USA to have one final chance at goal to tie the game.

Abby Wambach capitalized.

This moment’s gravity is maximized thanks to Ian Darke. The world’s standard for play by play commentary took a step back allowing the moment to breathe and more importantly, Julie Foudy - filled with emotion to find the words and apply the necessary weight to what had just transpired. Routine in sports does the commentary leave a lot to be desired in big moments. Usually there’s too much talking, and ego as it is, there’s fighting to be heard for the sole purpose of stamping personas into the highlight that will be played on Sportscenter that night and live on YouTube for years. Sometimes a lot of the time the best rule of thumb is to simply shut the hell up, and let one person, preferably the color analyst speak. Plus one for Darke forever.

How about that goal? Hard to summarize better than Foudy was able to in real time, but the goal is still mesmerizing when I see it. Brasil keeper Andrea was literal inches from sending the ball out the stadium and punching her team’s ticket to the semi-final. Even if Wambach had gotten her head to the ball, she still had to properly get it on the ball. How fitting that the king of headers in soccer scored the most important goal of her life in the biggest single moment of soccer history for her country.

But…

There’s always a but. For as amazing as the shot was, the pass before the shot was otherworldly. Megan Rapinoe sends the ball in on her weaker foot and for the distance traveled inside an open air stadium, it’s amazing no wind took the ball out of play for Wambach. It’s the equivalent of throwing a football off Sears Tower into an inflatable pool located on the Congress Parkway. In other words, it’s really unlikely that if you gave this scenario ten tries that it would play out the way it did on this day one.

It’s only the end of regulation - the game is still tied, far from over which is great because the high you feel from watching a game like this is addicting. Rare as these games are, you never want it to actually reach a conclusion. It was now time to begin the final ascension of this roller coaster you’d been on the last two hours with the best two words in the sports universe;

Penalty kicks.

We all know the score; goalkeepers have the simple task of getting one stop. The truth about penalty kicks is they’re designed against the goalkeeper. Any strikers should be able to put the ball pass the keeper into the back of the net. The sole advantage accompanying the keeper is the nerves of whoever is tasked with scoring. It’s them and them only on the center stage of the world. The entire stadium on top of you, the eyes of the keeper piercing into your soul. This is all before you fight the battle of… you. Which way do you go? Left, right, or dare to be bold and strike the ball down the center of goal? Do you have the balls to commit world class level disrespect? Do you read clues given by the keeper? What if those clues are planted? Do you even look at the keeper? Do you kick to the same spot you did last time? All these questions are ultimately answered before the ball is struck.

You trust Hope Solo to get you one. You didn’t know where it would come from, but you knew she would stop at least A shot from the Brasilians. Then you saw it and figured it out. You knew who the sorry soul was the moment she came onscreen to take her kick. Her life soon to be momentarily extinguished into the cold, unforgiving soccer universe. Remember Daiane? She walked to the spot and radiated nerves the entire time. I thought it was possible she’d faint before she took the shot. Her face screamed for help and of wanting to be anywhere else but there. Julie Foudy gathered as much and hinted that Solo would have a good chance of getting the save from a shrinking Diane. The closer she got meant the more Hope Solo’s ice cold piercing blue eyes came into focus. Hope essentially met her where the ball was to be placed, and stared her down into a puddle of piss as she backed into goal.

Save by Hope Solo.

Makes by both USA’s Rapinoe and Brasil’s Francielle meant the world would stop for Ali Krieger and the United States would have the chance to win what surely felt like a World Cup, Olympics, and Champions League infusion with a single successful strike past the Brasil keeper.

She did.

123 minutes of regulation. Seven added minutes of nail-biting penalty kicks. Two-in-a-half hours after it started, the game had concluded. It was time to finally breathe and relax our muscles. We know what we just saw and the weight it held. You lost a couple months off your life due to the adrenaline and euphoric high we were all on for that extended period of time. It was only the quarterfinal. The USWNT would get to the World Cup Final, all eyes watching both on television screens and broken twitter machines. Ironically, they’d lose that game in penalty kicks.

The power of this game floored the accelerator on soccer being a major sport in this country. Its citizens gathered around their team and wrapped themselves in the flag, standard protocol during international competitions, but this time was different. There was a real feeling of triumph that replaces the familiar one of dominance. The USWNT went to sleep as winners of not the World Cup, and woke up as legitimate rock stars. Literally, overnight the entire country wanted a piece of those who lived what they had witnessed the day before. Hope Solo and Abby Wambach were ready for it. The team was ready for it. Their spotlight was earned, long overdue, and ever since, never given back.

Countries that had often wrote off women footballers as charity had a clear picture of what (more) support looked like and what can be the result of it. It was both the grand sendoff for Japan legend Homare Sawa and an introduction of new talent such as Australia’s Caitlin Foord. Canada finished last in the 2011 World Cup and the next year lost an absolute thriller to the USA at the London Olympics. England hit the gas after a gutting loss to France in PK’s in 2011 to Bronze in the World Cup in 2015. Their federation, the FA invested heavily in the construction of a world class, state of the art training facility, and exposure with more online content about the players as people and as professionals. Currently at Right-Back they have the best player in the world in Lucy Bronze, and at the time of this writing, they’re the best team in 2017 Euros - 22-0 in five games dating back to qualifying.

In 2017, the USWNT signed a collective bargaining agreement that severely closed the gap on the long standing inequality under US Soccer. Without the masterpiece quarterfinal the path to equality and subsequent treatment of the players as world class professionals gets taken farther off course and possibly doesn’t become a reality. Without this game it’s also likely the USWNT isn’t on television as often as they are. Domestic tournaments such as the SheBelieves Cup and this weekend’s inaugural Tournament of Nations probably don’t exist. The USWNT doesn’t have the power to command higher salaries, better treatment from their federation, and the players likely don’t have a market value for endorsement contracts.

Without this game in 2011 who’s to say anyone with power and money fight to keep a professional domestic league alive in the United States? WUSA and WPS both crude black marks cast as utter failures but also leaders in development in world talent and for lesser players, a place to train daily, play competitive matches, and get paid for it. All are a must for growing the game and having a system in place for youth to ascend and become professionals.

So this weekend, another Sunday in July, they’ll meet again. Marta will be there. Abby Wambach has since retired as have Shannon Boxx, and Heather O’Reilly. This is a new USA team. Hope Solo is no longer in goal. Carli Lloyd is now the face of US Soccer. This is a transitioning USA team. 19 year-old Mallory Pugh returns to San Diego, the city where she scored her first professional goal and introduced herself as the next world class talent in America’s seemingly assembly line of great players. They’ll only meet once during this tournament. This time there won’t be extra time, penalty kicks, or Jacqui Melksham. The stage isn’t as big but the time-slot is more than appropriate; Sunday prime-time. This isn’t a friendly. You can fully expect an elevated level of intensity and a healthy hatred of the other team knowing its recent history. These two teams are trending in different directions. Brasil don’t have replacements for their star players or their star player. The USA has too many. But whenever these two teams get together there’s always a chance of a great game, and possible magic left over from greatest game.