United States, Soccer | featured news

A year after blowing two leads in losing to Japan in the World Cup championship game, the USA women's soccer team was once again the best on the planet, and they wept at the power of it all.

They talked about redemption for months on end, and now it's here, the pending denouement of a script fit for Hollywood. With a 4-3 semifinal victory against Canada late in the second period of extra time Monday, the U.S. women's soccer team advanced to play Japan for Olympic gold. The Americans also get a shot at payback for the island nation's victory on penalty kicks in the World Cup last summer.

The Women's World Cup final between Japan and the United States set the record for tweets per second, eclipsing the wedding of Prince William and Kate and the death of Osama bin Laden.

Japan has won the Women's World Cup, stunning the United States 4-1 in a penalty shootout Sunday night after finishing in a 2-2 tie.

If Americans don't fall in love with soccer after this, well, maybe they never will. Yes, the epic quarterfinal win by the U.S. women over Brazil featured nearly everything their countrymen hate about the "beautiful game."

Pablo Barrera scored two goals and Mexico rallied to beat the United States for their second consecutive Gold Cup title.

Clint Dempsey scored in the 77th minute off an assist from Landon Donovan, and the United States advanced to the Gold Cup final with a 1-0 victory over Panama on Wednesday night.

The United States is no longer in the running to host soccer's 2018 World Cup after its bid committee decided to withdraw from contention and focus on hosting the 2022 tournament instead.

By winning its group, the United States has given itself a route to the semifinals.

England shook off a traumatic start to the World Cup on Wednesday to beat tiny Slovenia and squeeze into the second round while the United States booked their place with a last-gasp goal against Algeria.