Hope Solo helped set the tone early in what would become a frustrating day for the Germans. Hope Solo’s diving stop in just the fourth minute of play denied Germany the early opener. Solo punched clear a perilous ball from the left corner, fully laying out to reach it, and stopped what would be the best German chance of the first half.

Chalupny and Solo teamed up in the 15th minute. This time Chalupny cleared away a loose ball on the edge of the six-yard box. Solo had gotten a hand to the ball, just enough so that Chalupny could come in and relieve the pressure. Later, in the 29th minute, Germany’s Kim Kullig volleyed an 18-yard shot right at Solo who saved comfortably.

Abby Wambach, from the Washington Freedom, place the U.S. ahead in the 34th minute when she headed in a goal from 12 yards. Wambach was on the end of a cross from Sky Blue FC’s Yael Averbuch that deflected off a German defender. Wambach rose to meet it with a solid header, getting over the top of the German defender and goalkeeper.

The second half started with Chalupny right back in the middle of the action. Chalupny’s 46th minute clearance halted an early German attack. Chalupny dug out the ball from a scrum inside the goal box, sending it out of the penalty area and into midfield.

Hope Solo found herself with some more work to handle in the second half. She raced to the edge of the penalty area to prevent a chance from materializing in the 57th minute. One minute later, she easily handled a cross from the right that could have become problematic.

Germany had two excellent chances during the rest of the second half, but Solo stopped each. In the 69th minute Anja Mittag found herself with some space at the edge of the penalty area, but her resulting shot was no test for Solo. Germany’s last excellent effort came in the 87th minute on a lofted ball straight into the goalmouth. Solo, taking no chances, punched it away. Afterwards Solo had high praise for the Germans.

“I have never seen a team so patient in their attack,” Solo said. “They attack with so many numbers, and they keep possession in the final third of the field. They are just plain excellent.”

The match in Augsburg was played at the new Impuls Arena, which will be a venue during the 2011 Women’s World Cup which will be played in Germany. The win by the U.S. will keep it ranked first in the FIFA world rankings.

Related posts

• American soccer stars Wambach, Lilly, Hope Solo lead the way to 4-0 U.S. women’s soccer victory above Germany (0)
• Women’s Professional Soccer: Going Hope Solo (0)
• Women’s soccer (0)
• Who is Hope Solo? (0)
• USA 1-0 Brazil (AET) (0)