U.S. WOMEN'S SOCCER TEAM SOAR INTO THE SEMI-FINALS WITH WIN OVER NEW ZEALAND

This time, the United States women’s soccer team celebrated with cartwheels instead of the worm, but the result was the same.
The U.S. outclassed New Zealand on Friday and punched their ticket into the Olympic semifinals with a 2-0 win at St. James’ Park.
For the second straight match, the Americans dominated but because of poor finishing mixed in with a little bad luck the result remained in doubt until substitute Sydney Leroux scored in the 87th minutes.
Abby Wambach scored for the fourth time in as many matches and increased her career total 142 goals, trailing only Mia Hamm for the all-time lead. After Wambach scored she joined in with the rest of the field players for a cartwheel celebration in the corner of the stadium.
Wambach and Alex Morgan were again a handful up top but their inability to finish is a growing concern as the competition improves. Morgan came off in the 80th minute, just seven minutes after banging her knee into the face of New Zealand goalkeeper, Jenny Bindon, who was under siege all afternoon at St. James’ Park. In the first half, Wambach inadvertently clipped Bindon in the face.
Bindon somehow managed to stay in the game. It’s also remarkable that Morgan wasn’t awarded a free kick since she tapped the ball past Bindon. New Zealand was asking the same question in the 83rd minute when Rosie White, a 19-year-old who plays for UCLA appeared to be taken down in the U.S. box but no foul was called. A few minutes later, Leroux ended the suspense.

Alex Morgan collides with New Zealand goalkeeper Jenny Bindon.

New Zealand was appearing in the knockout stage of the major tournament for the first time and simply didn’t have the creativity or talent to put a scare into the U.S. Most of the Kiwis shots were from long distance and were easily handled by Hope Solo, who recorded her third straight shutout. The Americans haven’t conceded a goal in the last 345 minutes.
U.S. is 4-0 in the tournament and will play the winner of Canada-Great Britain on Monday at Old Trafford in Manchester where they will see a bigger crowd. The announced attendance at the home of Newcastle United was just under 11,000. Morgan missed an open net from a tough angle in the 10th minute and then couldn’t reach dangerous pass from Megan Rapinoe in the 17th minute that slid across the goal mouth. Wambach reached it at the back post but her left footed shot sailed wide.

Morgan, Wambach kept applying high pressure which left New Zealand unnerved and had the Kiwis trying to play long ball. The Americans also played long balls toward the corner flags and it was a pass out of the back from Rachael Buehler that led to the first half goal.
Morgan caught up to the ball at the corner of the 18 and deftly beat the defender by cutting the ball back with her foot before striking a low shot toward the back post. Wambach, who was barely onside, stretched out and tapped it home in the 27th minute.
It was poor defending by New Zealand which looked unorganized in the back throughout. A ball played back to goalkeeper Jenny Bindon was intercepted by Morgan, who should have scored by badly missed the target from eight yards out.