Wambach suffers defeat in final game

Abby Wambach threatened to score several times in the final game of her extraordinary career, but China shut out the World Cup champion United States 1-0 on Wednesday night to hand the Americans their first loss on home soil in more than a decade.

Wambach, 35, will be remembered for her unflinching determination to advance the cause of American, and women’s, soccer on and off the pitch. “The future is so bright”.

Wambach was also chosen as the 2012 FIFA’s World Player of the Year, and she was instrumental in helping the University of Florida get its very first national championship as a freshman in 1998.

Abby Wambach hugs forward Alex Morgan, facing, during a ceremony honoring her, before an worldwide friendly soccer match against China in New Orleans, Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2015. “It was about celebrating, not just my career but the chances that I’ve had with all my other teammates and the time that I’ve spent with them”. And their reward came in the 58th minute, when Shuang volleyed a cross from the right by Wang Shanshan past American goalkeeper Hope Solo to put China up 1-0, stunning the US and their fans.

– Abby Wambach sounds certain there will be no unforeseen circumstances luring her back onto the field next year at the Rio Games.

But as ESPN reports, her harshest words were for Klinsmann, the German football manager and former player who is now head coach of the USA men’s national soccer team. “That was the one thing on her mind for the last eight years or so”.

The U.S., which won the women’s World Cup this summer, had gone 104 home games without losing since falling to Denmark in 2004.

It’s a (some might say overly) dramatic approach, which sees the US soccer legend expressing a simultaneously somber and hopeful sentiment. She holds the record for most multi-goal games (44) and goals scored in a match (5), and her header against Brazil in 2011 will live in USWNT folk lore forever.

However, staff members convinced Wambach that fans would want the opportunity to say goodbye to her, so she decided to make her farewell plans public in October.

In post-match remarks on the field, Wambach said, “I love you all so much”, then closed with, “Bourbon Street, watch out”, and dropped the microphone.

Yet, fellow USA players also respect her decision to retire. “I will say she will be dearly missed”. While the legend had a few chances, the goal that the team and the crowd longed for evaded Wambach and the USA. “It’s been her, the leader; her the advocate; her, the spokesperson”, Ellis said.

“She’s been vocal about everything, whether it’s turf-related issues, whether it’s just making this team atmosphere better, whether it’s fighting for women’s rights, equal pay, she’s done it all”, team mate Carli Lloyd said. “I don’t believe in it. I don’t believe in it in my heart”.