Abby Wambach bids farewell in US women’s loss to China

USING HER HEAD: Wambach’s most famous goal came against Brazil in the quarterfinals at the 2011 World Cup.

Wambach won’t be on the field in Rio – she says she will definitely be a fan watching and supporting them though – but the foundation she helped create appears strong.

One of the most legendary careers in United States Women’s National Team history came to a close Wednesday evening at the Superdome in New Orleans as Abby Wambach made her final Red, White and Blue appearance in a 1-0 friendly loss to China. She’s already risen to become the top worldwide scorer – male or female – in soccer history.

After a slew of cupcake opponents and easy wins for the US national team over the course of its victory tour, China provided the best defensive opponent the USA has seen since the Women’s World Cup this past summer. China scored in the 58th minute via Wang Schuang, and Wambach was substituted off in the 72nd minute to a standing ovation.

It was the Americans’ first loss to China in 26 games and their first loss to anybody in 24 games.

The official attendance was 32,950 to set a record for a US National Team game in Louisiana. That wouldn’t have been like her, after all.

“She does transcend soccer”.

Wambach got her 10th start of the year in her send-off game and also was designated the captain.

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“These younger players have so much to look forward to”. But it didn’t have enough power or direction on it.

The U.S. did not answer Shuang’s strike, and thus China ended an unbeaten streak for the Americans that dated back to 2004.

Once she announced back in October that it would be her final game before retirement, this match took on a very different meaning. And then China celebrated like it had just won the World Cup.

On that score, Wambach goes out the biggest victor ever. “I scored a lot of goals”. A role model beyond reproach. “She did well, had a few chances”, Lloyd said.

As a part of being forgotten, Wambach deactivated all of her social media accounts on Wednesday. She hopes, as she put it in the ad, that the sport will carry on and eventually overshadow her and the many contributions she has made. She fights for the ball, she’s courageous and she never gives up. Abby was women’s soccer. And now, she simply wants to be forgotten.

“It is time to go”. It’s probably why we didn’t score, because they were so focused on that. “It’s unfortunate to lose the match but at the same time this is a celebration of Abby and what she’s done for the team and I think that’s what matters”.

Her voice broke as she spoke of her “storybook career”.

It was hardly the prettiest game from the reigning world champions, and the lack of fluidity in their play was the result of trying to force Wambach the ball time and again when windows simply weren’t there. We feel that yeah because it was her final match she was kind of the center.

Leander Schaerlaeckens is a soccer columnist for Yahoo Sports.

“It has”, she told the Superdome, “been my pleasure and my honor”.