Coming off an inspired come-from-behind victory over Germany in the quarterfinals in Maryland, the U.S. Women’s National Team carried that momentum to the West Coast, topping Brazil 2-0 in the semifinals on July 4, 1999, to secure its spot in the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup Final.
Four years after falling to Norway 1-0 in the semifinal of the 1995 FIFA World Cup, the USWNT secured its spot in the championship match with a professional performance at Stanford Stadium in front of a crowd of more than 73,000.
Forward Cindy Parlow scored the USA’s fastest goal of the tournament, giving the Americans the lead just five minutes into the match as she pounced on a mishandled cross by Brazilian goalkeeper Maravilha and headed in her second goal of the tournament.
Goalkeeper Briana Scurry had one of the best matches of her career, producing several fantastic saves to deny Brazil throughout the afternoon, including a stellar tip over the bar just moments into the second half. With Scurry and the backline standing tall to stymie the Brazilian attack, Mia Hamm drew a foul in the penalty box late in the second half. Veteran midfielder Michelle Akers, who scored the first goal in U.S. Women’s National Team history back in 1985 and battled injury and illness throughout the 1999 World Cup, stepped up to the spot and buried her penalty kick in the 80th minute to give the Americans a 2-0 lead that they would not surrender. Then it was on to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.
In celebration of the 25-year anniversary of the 1999 World Cup, the 1999 Women’s World Cup team will be honored on July 13 at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J. prior to kickoff of USWNT vs Mexico in the “Impact 99” legacy match, presented by New York Life.
The “Impact 99” match will feature a U.S. Soccer-organized reunion of all 20 players on the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup Team in celebration of the 25th anniversary summer of their historic run to the championship of a tournament that changed the course of women’s soccer history in the USA and globally. Tickets for the July 13 match are available for purchase at ussoccer.com/tickets.