Another major women's soccer tournament, another dramatic U.S. victory.
Last summer in the World Cup, Abby Wambach scored on a header in the 122nd minute of the quarterfinals vs. Brazil, and the U.S. won in penalty kicks.
It captivated the American audience, and TV ratings boomed as the U.S. made it to the World Cup final, in which it lost to Japan in penalty kicks.
At the Olympics on Monday, the U.S. may have topped that unforgettable moment. The Americans fought back from a one-goal deficit three times vs. Canada to force overtime. And in extra time, Alex Morgan scored off a header to win 4-3 and send the U.S. to the gold-medal game.
For the past year, Wambach's header defined the U.S. women's soccer team. And it only took a year for the U.S. to have another defining moment.
Now the Americans just need to work on that storybook ending against a Japanese team that ruined their memorable run a year ago.
- Jeffrey Tomik