After all the uncertainty facing the U.S. women heading into the World Cup, a pair of convincing victories has given them a spot in the quarterfinals. But one major question still looms: With one goal in her last 13 matches, when will Abby Wambach score?
How about this for an answer: Maybe she doesn’t have to.
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Inheriting the mantle from Mia Hamm, Wambach has been the U.S. team’s biggest star since the generation of 1999 World Cup winners. While outspoken Hope Solo garnered the headlines, no player has been more influential on the field than the 5-foot-11 Wambach. The very definition of a target forward (118 goals in 157 matches entering the World Cup), she has one objective in mind after two third-place World Cup medals and after missing the 2008 Olympics with a broken leg.
But all too often the focus on Wambach has become an irresistible gravitational pull that has tilted her teams off axis.
“I think at times … it’s been the Abby Show,” Maryland women’s soccer coach Brian Pensky said. “When a team becomes a little bit one-dimensional like that, and that one dimension is struggling to get goals, that becomes a real challenge emotionally for the whole team.”
With five goals from five different players in Germany, the United States isn’t having any of those problems, and Wambach deserves some of the credit, tracking a ball deep into the left corner against North Korea and crossing to Lauren Cheney for the first U.S. goal of the tournament.
If she’s on the field, Wambach is going to draw attention. But the tendency to play directly through her — and risk being left vulnerable on the counterattack — could hurt in tighter knockout games.
“At that level, you’ve got to be able to keep the ball,” Georgetown women’s coach Dave Nolan said.
Heading into the group stage finale, Wambach is also carrying a yellow card, which could influence U.S. coach Pia Sundhage’s decision to play her. No matter the decision, Wambach’s presence is crucial. But it seems her goal-scoring — or lack thereof — isn’t.
“I think a lesser person mentally would be struggling,” Virginia women’s soccer coach Steve Swanson said. “I just haven’t seen that in her play in the games so far. She’s come out and been very active. I think that’s the kind of mentality you have to have. She could easily score two, three goals against Sweden, and we wouldn’t think anything of it.”
