United States Women Pursue Soccer Gold After Crushing New Zealand

United States Women Pursue Soccer Gold After Crushing New Zealand
2012 London Summer Olympics

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London, England

Mia Hamm may be passé but the United States' soccer team continues to carry forward the high standards set by the former captain. On Friday night, the team came up with a superb performance New Zealand, beating the Asia-Oceania island nation 2-0 to seal a semifinal berth at St.James' Park in Newcastle.

France had a tough time overcoming the challenge of Sweden at Hampden Park in Glasgow, finally securing a last-four berth with a 2-1 victory. The US will take on the winner of the clash between Britain-Canada, while France will slug it out against either Brazil or world champions Japan for a place in the final.

The French team, making their maiden appearance at the Olympics, thus took sweet revenge over for last year's loss to Sweden in the third place playoff at the World Cup. Laura Georges and Wendie Renard turned out to be the heroes for France scoring in the 29th and 39th minutes, respectively.

Sweden opened the scoring with Nilla Fischer firing a header in the 18th minute, but Georges equalized 11 minutes later and Renard adding insurance with six minutes to go for the half-time.

A beaming France coach, Bruno Bini, was quoted as saying that the team played some really crafty football and the forwards were allover the Swedish defense after Fischer snatched the opening goal.

Favorites to win a medal, Sweden coach, Thomas Dennerby, looked shattered: Dennerby was quoted as telling the media that he was at a loss for words to explain where the strategy backfired.

The United States' Abby Wambach and Sydney Leroux worked in tandem upfront to score two devastating goals --- once in each half --- to send New Zealand packing. The thee-time Olympic champions are favorites to win the title at London as well.

Wambach got US the breakthrough in the 27th minute, converting a well-timed pass from Alex Morgan, while Leroux blasted a goal with just three minutes remaining for the long whistle.

New Zealand, ranked 23rd, were making their maiden appearance in the Olympics and though they lost to the US for the ninth straight time, after their only recorded win in 1987, they made a point or two at the Games.