Soccer is played all over the world, but the Women’s Soccer Final of the London 2012 Olympic Games, which took place on August 9, 2012, bears special significance.
Women’s Soccer has only been around as an Olympic sport since the 1996 Summer Olympics, in Atlanta, Georgia. The American National Team has only lost the gold medal game once, and that was at the hands of Norway (Longman, 2000). The American Women’s Soccer Team has built a legacy of prominence.
The game featured a victory over Japan (ESPN.com, 2012). The Japanese National Team had defeated the United States in a World Cup match in 2011 (ESPN.com, 2012). Perhaps that outing provided the American team with some inspiration. At any rate, the Japanese Women’s National Team should be proud, because they put up a great effort in a suspenseful match.
The athletes who featured in the final match are a part of why the game was so great. Hope Solo was the American Goalkeeper (ESPN.com, 2012). She moved quickly, and she was very attentive. Carli Lloyd was the academic reason for the American victory; she scored both of the goals for the American Team (ESPN.com, 2012). Abby Wambach is a co- captain of the team, so the gold medal game was a victory for her, too. Yuki Ogimi scored for the Japanese National Team, and she made sure that the American team always had a challenge (ESPN.com, 2012).
There were 80,203 spectators at the gold medal women’s soccer game. That is a record for an Olympic Women’s Soccer game (ESPN.com, 2012). It speaks to the growth of the sport and the talent of the players. Women’s Soccer has a bright future.
Despite all of the joy that is tied to the American victory, there is some sadness tied to it. There was a Women’s Soccer league in America, but it folded (Dure, 2012). As a result, the Summer Olympics are a rare chance to see American Women’s Soccer players in action. More importantly, the Olympics are a chance to embrace them.
Sources:
Dure, Beau. “Women’s Professional Soccer Folds.” ESPN.com. ESPN Internet Ventures. 18 May 2012. 11 August 2012. http://espn.go.com/sports/soccer/story/_/id/7945174/women-professional-soccer-folds-three-seasons
Longman, Jere. “SYDNEY 2000: SOCCER; After a Wild, Intense Match, Norway Steals One From U.S.” 29 September 2000. 10 August 2012. http://www.nytimes.com/2000/09/29/sports/sydney-2000-soccer-after-a-wild-intense-match-norway-steals-one-from-us.html
“U.S. Tops Japan for Soccer Gold.” ESPN.com. ESPN Internet Ventures. 9 August 2012. 10 August 2012. http://espn.go.com/olympics/summer/2012/soccer/story/_/id/8252773/2012-london-olympics-carli-lloyd-2-goals-give-us-women-soccer-gold
