U.S. scoreless in first half of Abby Wambach's final game

NEW ORLEANS — The first half of famed American striker Abby Wambach’s last game ended in a scoreless tie in the friendly against China on Wednesday.

The U.S. team, the defending women’s World Cup champions, played like it, controlling the ball for most of the half. But with the American players desperately trying to funnel the ball to Wambach to get the game’s all-time leading scorer a curtain call goal, the U.S. attack was distorted.

With the Mercedes-Benz Superdome crowd buzzing at every indirect kick, corner or cross, Wambach maneuvered around the box trying to get an angle and add to her 184 international goals. It was only after about 20 minutes in that the Americans appeared to relax and tried to take advantage of whatever opportunities arose.

Defender Julie Johnston sent a bicycle kick over the crossbar at the 22-minute mark, and almost 5 minutes later Wambach set up forward Carli Lloyd perfectly in the box, but Lloyd’s try sailed high and right. Wambach had her best chance at 29:21 but was unable to get any power into her shot, which China goalie Zhao Lina easily scooped.

The Chinese women got the ball in U.S. territory intermittently, but their attacks invariably petered out before the box and American goalie Hope Solo was never seriously challenged.

U.S. team officials said Wambach, who was named captain for her final game, would not play the full 90 minutes Wednesday but it was unclear at what point she would take her last curtain call on the international stage. The crowd, chanting its singsong “A-bby Wa-mbach!” throughout the match was still awaiting that moment as the teams went to half.

PHOTOS: Wambach's final game