1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup Final
A game that will go down as the most iconic final in women’s soccer history, the United States Women’s National team faced the China Women’s National team in the FIFA 1999 World Cup Final.
According to FIFA, there were 90,185 people in attendance for this final in Pasadena, California on July 10th in 1999. They were all in for a treat because the U.S. Women’s National soccer team claimed their second World Cup title on home soil.
“This World Cup was a world-class, world-caliber, stand-alone event for women like none other,” said Marla Messing, CEO of the U.S. organizing committee.
The Women’s National team battled their way into the final by winning 5 games over a 3-week tournament. This included close games against Germany in the quarter-final where they came back to win the game 3–2 and a crazy 2–0 victory over Brazil in the semi-final. To their surprise, they would face China to win it all.
Both of the teams had great systems all around. They had attackers who could finish and defenders who prevented goals from being shot. This is why the game ended regulation with a score of 0–0.
In golden-goal (if you score you win) overtime, China had more chances to finish the game and go back home with the trophy. “They fired three in the 30-minute extra time, including one that should have been decisive: defender Fan Yunjie drove a header off a corner kick from Liu Ying toward an open net — a certain goal, it seemed — but USA midfielder Kristine Lilly jumped high to head a shot clear of the goal,” said FIFA. But it wasn’t enough, it was time for a penalty shoot out.
If you are a player of the game or an admirer you know that penalty kicks are one of the most nerve-wracking things you will ever experience/witness. It seems to be the easiest thing to do in soccer but standing 12 yards away from the goal with the goalie staring down into your soul is the hardest part of the game that even the most skilled players can mess up. It is more of a mind game if anything.
Briana Scurry was the deciding factor for this final. On the third penalty kick for China, Briana Scurry was able to make the save and left it in the hands of the 5th shooter, Brandi Chastain for the win. “She wasn’t even supposed to take the kick. Not when the list of U.S. shooters was first drawn up, anyway,” said Grant Wahl of Sports Illustrated
Brandi Chastain set up her shot. You can never forget, left-footed and in the upper right-hand corner. She had won the final for the United States.
This game was not only the second world cup victory for the Women’s National team but the face of a new movement of women soccer players. This game showed that girls play soccer too and they are pretty good at it. Now fast forward to 2015, this is now the headline for the team.
#SheBelieves is conceived and developed by the U.S. Women’s National Team players, SheBelieves is a movement to inspire young girls and women and encourage them to accomplish their goals and dreams, athletic or otherwise. In expanding this idea, they USWNT started the SheBelieves Cup which is a tournament bringing together the best women soccer players in the world to spread messages of empowerment.
The team is the most successful in international women’s soccer, winning three Women’s World Cup titles, four Olympic women’s gold medals, eight CONCACAF Gold Cups, and ten Algarve Cups. Let’s not forget that there are plenty more to come!
