1) To me, the shots of Abby Wambach and Hope Solo hugging it out in triumph after the USA's legendary and improbable win over Brazil yesterday are the most poignant. The two were at odds in the last World Cup, with Wambach one of the harshest critics of Solo's outburst, ignoring the honesty of her statements to lash out at the breaking of the team code.

It is always sad when a World Cup ends. No more matches at all hours of the day, no more constant media coverage, no more excitement with new heros daily emerging from obscurity. This year's 2011 Women's World Cup was as entertaining an affair as we have seen from this (or any other tournament) in quite some time.

By now, we all know how the Women's World Cup played out. Despite theheartbreaking outcome, the USWNT hasn't had much time to feel down about their loss to Japan on penalty kicks.

It's been 12 years since the US was in a Women's World Cup final and this American team showed such class, pride and respect that they captured the hearts of a nation.

Abby Wambach and Hope SoloOK, you've won me over United States Women's National Team (#USWNT as we say in the Twitterverse). I got sucked into that game yesterday and I enjoyed it; why is this starting to sound like some kind of Alcoholics Anonymous initiation rite?
I admit I was late, forgive me, but I did catch up quickly after halftime.

Abby Wambach and Hope SoloOK, you've won me over United States Women's National Team (#USWNT as we say in the Twitterverse). I got sucked into that game yesterday and I enjoyed it; why is this starting to sound like some kind of Alcoholics Anonymous initiation rite?
I admit I was late, forgive me, but I did catch up quickly after halftime.

USWNT

Abby Wambach says the US is ready to face Japan.

The USA v France Women's World Cup semifinal was the fourth most watched USWNT match ever. An average of 3.35 million people watched the match on ESPN, another 450,000 on ESPN3. Philly was not one of the top-five markets for that or any of the games.

USWNT

Abby Wambach says the US is ready to face Japan.

The USA v France Women's World Cup semifinal was the fourth most watched USWNT match ever. An average of 3.35 million people watched the match on ESPN, another 450,000 on ESPN3. Philly was not one of the top-five markets for that or any of the games.

The Good - Abby "Ice Cold" Wambach, Megan "Pixie Dust" Rapinoe, Hope "Han Would be Proud" Solo
Wambach and Rapinoe celebrate their 123rd minute equalizerWhile Wambach hasn't been scoring at quite the rate of her 2007 campaign, she was the perfect recipient of Rapinoe's pinpoint cross in the 123rd minute to bring the US back from the dead.

Time for some quick hits on business stories circulating the world of American soccer scene. We'll start with USWNT goalie Hope Solo, who has reportedly inked a mult-year deal with Gatorade to join their stable of spokesman/atheletes. According to the Sports Business Journal, the deal is estimated to fall in the low six-figure (per year) range.

Becky Sauerbrunn and Ali Krieger work the abs with a medicine ball throw

This morning was weight training for the U.S. WNT, which the team powered through as usual, but the most amusing part occured when the first group was finishing up and the second group was arriving at the gym and the team decided to have an impromptu "emergency goalkeeper tryout" which basically meant U.

Just giving the people what they want:

Hope Solo, Abby Wambach and Alex Morgan have reached an agreement on a marketing deal with Bank of America

Lot's of soccer news this week!
We start with the Strikers re-signing 3 players yesterday. Here is what the team had to say:

The Strikers announced today that they have resigned forward/midfielder Martin Nuñez, midfielder Lennon Celestino, and forward Brian Shriver for the 2011 season.

There was no more margin for error in today's WWC quarterfinal game between the US and Brazil. The team that lost goes home, while the winning team books a ticket to the semifinals on Wednesday. Twitter and Facebook blew up as the match progressed and more and more fans logged on to see what was happening.

Abby Wambach, from Isiphotos.net

If, for whatever reason, you've dismissed the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup and didn't bother to watch this afternoon's war between the United States and Brazil, you missed one helluva match. Some might call it the greatest finish in US soccer history, regardless of the gender involved.

Abby Wambach's dramatic stoppage-time header, Hope Solo's amazing reflexes, and an incredible 10-women team effort saw the United States Women's National Team triumph over the anti-soccer tactics of Brazil and capture the nation's interest.
Unfortunately, no matter how many heroic these women perform there will be one thing that they can't triumph over.

Hey look, its another generation of youth captivated by a women's team. I'm sure that won't pay dividends for the future of American soccer...The word "destiny" got thrown around pretty casually in the run up to this Women's World Cup Final. Granted it was by a lot of media types looking to make Sunday's match as hyperbolic as possible; most American soccer fans held back only hoping for the best while fearing the worst (hey it's in our nature).

Hey look, its another generation of youth captivated by a women's team. I'm sure that won't pay dividends for the future of American soccer...The word "destiny" got thrown around pretty casually in the run up to this Women's World Cup Final. Granted it was by a lot of media types looking to make Sunday's match as hyperbolic as possible; most American soccer fans held back only hoping for the best while fearing the worst (hey it's in our nature).

Image via Michael Loccisano/Getty Images North America.

Since we're still on a high from the phenomenal Women's World Cup final, we've got two more tidbits on the USWNT to share with our lovely readership:

- Alex Morgan and Hope Solo attended the premiere of season eight of Entourage in NYC last night and looked gorgeous while doing so.

Nike, long one of the greatest supporters of women's soccer in the United States, has done it again. Witness the HUGE billboard of Abby Wambach currently residing at 34th and 7th in New York City. How cool is that? Answer: Very.

Dance. The essence of movement. The embodiment of rhythm. A fine, practiced discipline designed for entertainment and expression. Football, it's own form of dance. Two teams, two styles. Style deeply rooted in culture, passion, and attitude. An attitude that defines the way in which we play and perform.

U.S. captain Christie Rampone leads the victory charge

One word: Wow.
Playing almost half the game with 10 players, scoring in the final seconds of overtime and then winning in penalty kicks againts Brazil in the quaterfinal of the Women's World Cup which just happens to be in a sold-out stadium in Dresden where the U.

Abby Wambach of the USA celebrates as her side takes a 1-0 lead during the FIFA Women's World Cup 2011 semifinal match between France and USA at Borussia Park on July 13, 2011 in Moenchengladbach, Germany. USA defeated France 3-1 to advance to the championship match on Sunday. (Scott Heavey/Getty Images)

To see more pictures from the match, click here.

Frankfurt, Germany. Sunday, July 17, 2011.

FIFA Women's World Cup Final: Two stories. One dream.

Story 1:

Japan. A thriving culture devastated by unstoppable power. A once strong body now undergoing the most meticulous reconstruction.

Most of us in South Florida who know of the existence of magicJack, the Women's Professional Soccer team playing in Boca Raton, have been wondering why the owner of the team (Dan Borislow) has not made a real website or even done some type of marketing for a team filled with stars who in their majority play for the U.

Most of us in South Florida who know of the existence of magicJack, the Women's Professional Soccer team playing in Boca Raton, have been wondering why the owner of the team (Dan Borislow) has not made a real website or even done some type of marketing for a team filled with stars who in their majority play for the U.

As you may have heard, Abby Wambach won the Women's Sports Foundation Sportswoman of the Year Awardfor team sports and was honored earlier this week in New York City. Quite a few U.S. WNT players attended and we've got some pics. Needless to say, the ladies were not in their soccer uniforms so we hope you can recognize them.

Hola muchachitas y muchachitos! Burrito want to tell you about his new love. Her name is Hope Solo and she gonna play in South Florida! Well, at least that's what SI.com say and Burrito believe anything they say cause they always have the swimsuit issue an if that no give you credibilitys then nothing will!

Hola muchachitas y muchachitos! Burrito want to tell you about his new love. Her name is Hope Solo and she gonna play in South Florida! Well, at least that's what SI.com say and Burrito believe anything they say cause they always have the swimsuit issue an if that no give you credibilitys then nothing will!

It was a roller coaster of a match in Dresden, Germany on Sunday July 10, 2011, when the United States and Brazil met in the quarterfinals of the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup.
It was an own goal, put into the net by Daiane, that gave the United States an early lead:
Then in controversial confluence of events, Rachel Buehler picked up a red card in the 65th minute, but after Hope Solo stopped a penalty kick taken by Cristiane, but, after an encroachment call, the penalty was retaken, and converted, by Marta:
The match stayed tied at 1-1 as regulation came to end.

It was a roller coaster of a match in Dresden, Germany on Sunday July 10, 2011, when the United States and Brazil met in the quarterfinals of the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup.
It was an own goal, put into the net by Daiane, that gave the United States an early lead:
Then in controversial confluence of events, Rachel Buehler picked up a red card in the 65th minute, but after Hope Solo stopped a penalty kick taken by Cristiane, but, after an encroachment call, the penalty was retaken, and converted, by Marta:
The match stayed tied at 1-1 as regulation came to end.

Team USA Defeated by Sweden 2-1

Writer Jerrod Roh will provide coverage, analysis, and opinion for the 2011 Women's World Cup for IMSoccer News. He has attended the last 3 men's World Cups in South Korea, Germany, and South Africa as well as the 2003 Women's World Cup in the U.

By Dr. Raf Crowley Yesterday, Neil W. Blackmon took our readers back through the emotional gauntlet that all true US Soccer fans experienced during the latest heart-stopping track meet, thriller of a match late Sunday morning and early Sunday afternoon. As a US Soccer fan for many years, I was emotionally at a loss for [.

Extended highlights of the USA/Brazil match, along with individual highlights of the big plays and all the penalty kicks, can be found here. And are totally awesome.

This was a moment.

All the stories about this moment that make it about something big: Women's soccer, American pride, personal glory or redemption, desire, belief, composure.

Come join Minnesota supporters of the Women's National Team, along with readers of IMSoccer News, duNord Futbol, and the Dark Clouds supporters group for a US National Team World Cup watch party.

The US National Team plays France in a 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup Semi-Final match, Wednesday, July 12, with a 10:55 a.

Yeah, it's Abby Wambach. Were you expecting someone else? Image: Scott Heavey/Getty Images/Daylife

Usually we write something amusing here. Lately, our purple prose preamble has been little more than a device to divert your attention from the fact that the Women's World Cup and Copa America haven't kept us to the level of excitement we demand here.

Should the U.S. go on to win their third Women's World Cup title against Japan this Sunday, the turning point for the USWNT will most surely be the goal from Abby Wambach against Brazil that tied the...
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Should the U.S. go on to win their third Women's World Cup title against Japan this Sunday, the turning point for the USWNT will most surely be the goal from Abby Wambach against Brazil that tied the...
[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more!

The United States Women's National Team will play against Japan this afternoon in the 2011 Women's World Cup Final. Feel free to chat in the comments section below from now until the Philadelphia Union-New England Revolution game tonight.

Game Time: 2:45 pm Eastern (EST), with coverage beginning at 2 pm.

BOCA RATON, FL Keelin Winters' 31st minute goal wasn't enough to lead the Breakers back to the WPS semifinals this season, as the Breakers fell to magicJack 3-1 Wednesday night at FAU Soccer Stadium.

The rookie midfielder's tally leveled it after Abby Wambach's first goal gave the home club the early lead in the 6th minute.