Women's World Cup:
USA 1, Norway 0
The United States women's soccer team played stifling defense and won the battle of the top two rated teams in women's soccer, as they defeated rival Norway 1-0 to advance to the World Cup Semi-Finals.??
These two teams came in with a storied history, as Norway beat the USA in the 2000 Olympic gold medal match 3-2 in overtime.?? Wednesday's game was a different story.??
Abby Wambach plagued Norway all evening. She scored the only goal of the evening in the first half, on a header off Cat Reddick's feed. Wambach spent the rest of the night drawing fouls and harassing Norway goalkeeper Bente Nordby.??
The United States defense played superbly, and as a result, most of the action took place near the Norwegian goal. By halftime Wambach already had five shots on goal, and the United States continued to pressure Norway in the second half.
Bente Nordby kept Norway in the game with a few superb saves.?? She blocked a Mia Hamm penalty kick after she was carded for running into Wambach near the top of the goal box. Later, she made a diving stop on a header by Cindy Parlow. All her efforts were in vain as Norway was unable to get any good looks at the United States goal.
The United States won before a crowd of 25,103 fans at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass.??Their next game will be Oct. 5 in Portland, Ore., against the Canada-Germany winner.
Florida 9, San Francisco 5
Juan Pierre and a little help from the Giants' defense, helped the Marlins to a much-needed win at Pac Bell Stadium, tying the series at 1-1. The speedy lead-off hitter drove in three runs picked up four hits and stole a base in the victory. One of those hits, a bases-loaded double, was the result of a misplayed ball by Giants outfielder Jose Cruz Jr.??On a fly ball to left field in the Marlins' three-run sixth inning, Cruz fell near the warning track, allowing Pierre to get a double.??
The Giants further hurt their cause as Marquise Grissom had a ball bounce off his glove and J.T. Snow let one roll through his legs.
The Marlins combined for 15 hits as they chased starting pitcher Sidney Ponson from the game after five innings. They then lit up Joe Nathon, Ponson's replacement, for four runs in one-third of an inning.
Atlanta 5, Chicago 3
The Atlanta Braves, powered by pitcher Mike Hampton and some timely hitting, pulled out a must-win game against the Chicago Cubs. Entering today's game, the Braves faced the prospect of going down 0-2 and having to go on the road to Wrigley Field. Now they hit the road with the series tied at a game apiece.
Hampton gave Bobby Cox six strong innings, as he gave up two runs and struck out nine.??The Braves took at 3-2 lead in the bottom of the sixth on a two out single by pinch hitter Marcus Giles, scoring Javy Lopez.??Giles did not start the game, as Mark DeRosa got the start at second, because of GIles' deep leg bruise.
The Cubs came back to tie it at three in the eighth, on a Randall Simon pinch hit single off John Smoltz's glove, scoring Doug Glanville. Smoltz was able to record the win, however, when DeRosa hit a two-run double to deep left center in the bottom of that inning.
Game 3 is Friday at Wrigley.
