Armour: Abby Wambach scores lone U.S. goal as turf talk continues
VANCOUVER — The scream was months in the making. More like years, really, bottled up and stuffed deep inside since that bitter disappointment of 2011.
Abby Wambach owes apologies to no one. She is the greatest goal scorer to play the game — male or female. She has two Olympic gold medals, and the only reason she doesn't have a third is because of a broken leg suffered just before the U.S. women left for Beijing in 2008. The Americans don't even reach that final four years ago, their first in 12 years, if not for her.
But she doesn't have a World Cup title, and that just kills her.
"How bad do I want it?" Wambach asked before the tournament began. "I want it as bad as my body needs air."
Maybe that's why, until the 45th minute of the first half Tuesday night, this World Cup was such a struggle. She got caught up in a debate not of her making when former U.S. coach Pia Sundhage said the 35-year-old wouldn't be starting if she was still coach, and her whiffs on her signature headers only added fuel to the argument.
Her complaints about the turf didn't help. She has always been one of the most popular players on the team, considered almost beyond reproach. But her remarks were met with immediate criticism, some of it scathing.
"It's weak. It irritates me," FOX Sports analyst Alexi Lalas said. "... If I'm on that team and someone says that, especially a legend like her, I'm walking down and saying 'Hey, what's up? Either you're in or you're out. And if you're out, bye bye.'"
The complaints, Wambach said Monday, weren't meant to be an excuse. The turf does change the game, changes the way players approach the game. But it's on her to score when she gets opportunities, Wambach said, and she's the first to acknowledge she wasn't doing that.
"I'm not making any excuses. I need to finish chances that are handed to me," she said. "All of us on my team would agree, if you're given a chance, you've got to take advantage of it."
It didn't help that the U.S. women had looked lackluster in their first two games, unable to find any kind of rhythm or threat on offense. True, they had the misfortune of being drawn into the Group of Death. But they are the No. 2 team in the world, with more depth and talent than anyone.
But when the U.S. absolutely, positively needs a goal, there is one person who always delivers.
"It was a great goal by her, (she was) determined to get that in," Carli Lloyd said.
In what would be one of the final plays of the first half, Megan Rapinoe lined up to take a corner kick, one of a half-dozen the U.S. had. With Wambach positioned two or three yards inside the 18-yard box, she seemed out of the play.
Then, from out of nowhere, Wambach swooped in.
As she neared the far post she thrust herself in the air and the crowd of 52,193 roared, sensing she was about to add to her long list of impressively headed goals. But they were only half right. Wambach extended her left leg and gave a swift, karate-like chop. Nigeria's Sarah Nnodim realized what was happening a second too late, making a desperate dive at Wambach as the ball was rocketing toward the goal.
The upper corner of the net was still rustling when Wambach let loose with a ferocious scream, her eyes wide.
"As a competitor, I just love this environment," said Wambach, who also had the assist on what should have been a goal by Julie Johnston. "The bigger the stakes shows the characters, the strong characters, the people who are willing to risk everything.
"I felt a little bit different today," Wambach added a few minutes later. "Whenever your back is against the wall, you can ask yourself certain questions. I always want to leave myself with no possible room for regret. Regardless if I scored today or not, I know I gave my team my very best effort and that's all I can give."
It's far too soon to know whether the Americans leave this World Cup with another title or more heartbreak. But know this: Wambach isn't going home without a fight.