Abby Wambach, Former Florida Gator Star, Leads US Against France in Women's World Cup UPDATE

UPDATE: Wambach scored the game winner in the USA's 3-1 win over France this afternoon.We've heard all the bogus excuses: "soccer is boring; women aren't good enough; if they aren't in bikinis, I'm boycotting."Accept it, dude. The Women's World Cup has been downright kick-ass this year: from six-goal thrillers --...

By Michael E. Miller

July 13, 2011

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UPDATE: Wambach scored the game winner in the USA's 3-1 win over France this afternoon.

We've heard all the bogus excuses: "soccer is boring; women aren't good enough; if they aren't in bikinis, I'm boycotting."

Accept it, dude. The Women's World Cup has been downright kick-ass this year: from six-goal thrillers -- better than any game so far in the Copa America -- to Team USA's miraculous, come-from-behind penalty shootout win over Brazil on Sunday.

It may be Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim in Miami, but it's soccer studs day in Moenchengladbach, where the US faces France in the semifinal this afternoon. While you're comparing fabrics, we'll be watching US forward Abby Wambach make foie gras of the French defenders.

Wambach will again lead the line for the Yanks this afternoon, despite a sore right achilles tendon. At 31 years old, she's easily the oldest player on the team.

And the most feared. In 160 games for the US, Wambach has a redonkulous 120 goals, making her the most deadly striker -- male or female -- in her country's history.

Like US defender Ali Krieger, Wambach has a Florida connection. The Rochester, NY native starred in college for the Gators, notching 31 goals, and 13 assists in her senior year alone. She also owns school records for goals (96), assists (49), game-winning goals (24), and hat-tricks (10) in her career.

But a double leg break just before the 2007 World Cup in China derailed her career. Wambach also looked rusty in early games this tournament, only for the powerful 5'11" forward to bag a pair of goals in the past two games.

The US won the World Cup on home soil in 1999, when Brandi Chastain famously flashed the globe her sports bra. Since then, however, Team USA has underperformed. This year it again seemed as if traditional men's powerhouses like Germany and Brazil were taking over the women's game as well.

But coming after several horrible refereeing decisions and a shameful fake injury by one South-American, Wambach's bullet header on Sunday was an emphatic punch to the Brazilian beach balls.

More importantly, her goal launched the US into the semifinal this afternoon (12 pm ET on ESPN) against France. So -- against all better judgment -- pry your eyes off of the models around town for a couple minutes, and onto the nearest TV screen.

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Michael E. Miller was a staff writer at Miami New Times for five years. His work for New Times won many national awards, including back-to-back-to-back Sigma Delta Chi medallions. He now covers local enterprise for the Washington Post.

Contact: Michael E. Miller