The match of the tournament turned into one for the ages Sunday when an own goal, retaken penalties, a sending off, an injury time equalizer and a penalty shootout win swept the United States past Brazil and into the World Cup semifinals after both teams drew 2-2.
Earlier, Sweden advanced in regulation time, scoring early and convincingly to destroy the hopes of underdog Australia with a 3-1 victory.
Playing for 55 minutes with a woman down, the gritty U.S. team never gave up against two-goal Marta and the Brazilians and got an injury time equalizer from forward Abby Wambach to set up the penalty shootout.
"We never give up," said Wambach. "We never gave up."
They won the shootout 5-3, when Alex Krieger slotted the last penalty past Andreia.
In Dresden, superstar Marta turned into the villain of the sellout crowd of crowd of 25,598 because relentless whining marked her as much as her superb talent when she set up and converted Brazil's penalty to tie the match in the 65th minute and secured the win with a delicate volley in the 92nd minute.
With the United States reduced to 10 players since the penalty, the Americans kept up their drive which had given it domination since a clumsy own-goal from Daiane as soon as the second minute.
Yet it long looked like they could not make up for the lack of one of their players, and the presence of Marta on the opposition side. Till Wambach came alive with one desperate attempt, soaring high and nailing the qualizer in the 122th minute.
"I am so happy it went in," she said.
With two goals, Marta became joint World Cup scorer with 14 overall, tying Germany's Birgit Prinz in the all-time list. Marta, though, is just 25, while Prinz effectively retired from the World Cup with Germany's loss against Japan on Saturday.
Wambach and a missed penalty from Daiane made sure Brazil's owmen still have no major title after finishing secondin the last World Cup and last two Olympics.
Australian referee Jacqui Melksham also made the headlines, for a string of decisions in the 65th minute.
With dazzling skills, Marta had first outwitted two defenders in the penalty area with a chip over their heads to come eye-to-eye with goalie Hope Solo. As she tried to shoot Rachel Buehler came back to challenge her, and Melksham not only ruled it a penalty but a red card as well.
To compound the controversy, Solo produced a sterling save off Cristiane's penalty but Melksham ruled it should be retaken. Marta stepped in and scored to give Brazil hope.
There were claims for off-side when Marta scored the second goal and in the 106th, U.S. easily could have claimed a penalty when Amy Le Peilbet went down, but Melksham disregarded the strong claim.
Yet she came to the help of the United States when she allowed Shannon Boxx to retake her first penalty of the shootout after it was saved.
Earlier, Sweden advanced in regulation time, scoring early and convincingly to destroy the hopes of underdog Australia with a 3-1 victory.
Playing for 55 minutes with a woman down, the gritty U.S. team never gave up against two-goal Marta and the Brazilians and got an injury time equalizer from forward Abby Wambach to set up the penalty shootout.
"We never give up," said Wambach. "We never gave up."
They won the shootout 5-3, when Alex Krieger slotted the last penalty past Andreia.
In Dresden, superstar Marta turned into the villain of the sellout crowd of crowd of 25,598 because relentless whining marked her as much as her superb talent when she set up and converted Brazil's penalty to tie the match in the 65th minute and secured the win with a delicate volley in the 92nd minute.
With the United States reduced to 10 players since the penalty, the Americans kept up their drive which had given it domination since a clumsy own-goal from Daiane as soon as the second minute.
Yet it long looked like they could not make up for the lack of one of their players, and the presence of Marta on the opposition side. Till Wambach came alive with one desperate attempt, soaring high and nailing the qualizer in the 122th minute.
"I am so happy it went in," she said.
Wambach and a missed penalty from Daiane made sure Brazil's owmen still have no major title after finishing secondin the last World Cup and last two Olympics.
Australian referee Jacqui Melksham also made the headlines, for a string of decisions in the 65th minute.
With dazzling skills, Marta had first outwitted two defenders in the penalty area with a chip over their heads to come eye-to-eye with goalie Hope Solo. As she tried to shoot Rachel Buehler came back to challenge her, and Melksham not only ruled it a penalty but a red card as well.
To compound the controversy, Solo produced a sterling save off Cristiane's penalty but Melksham ruled it should be retaken. Marta stepped in and scored to give Brazil hope.
There were claims for off-side when Marta scored the second goal and in the 106th, U.S. easily could have claimed a penalty when Amy Le Peilbet went down, but Melksham disregarded the strong claim.
Yet she came to the help of the United States when she allowed Shannon Boxx to retake her first penalty of the shootout after it was saved.
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