USA Captures Third Place at World Cup

SHANGHAI, China (Ticker) -- The United States finished in third at the 2007 Women's World Cup after defeating Norway, 4-1, in the third-place game on Sunday. The contest was played prior to the clash with defending champion Germany and Brazil in the title match. The Brazilians keep the Americans from a shot at their third World Cup title with a 4-0 victory in the semifinals on Thursday.

A pair of goals from Abby Wambach and further scores by Lori Chalupny and Heather O'Reilly ensured the game was over by 60 minutes although Ragnhild Gulbrandsen grabbed a consolation goal for Norway. It was a strong finish for the United States following the off-pitch problems leading up to the game regarding goalkeeper Hope Solo's public outburst after not being started in the loss to Brazil. On Sunday, Solo was dropped from the squad with her apology clearly coming too late.

It was the United States that drew first blood when it opened the scoring in the 30th minute. Norway goalkeeper Bente Nordby punched away a corner but only as far as Chalupny, who sent a stinging shot towards goal that Wambach deftly diverted over the line. Norway did have the ball in the back of the net shortly before halftime but it was ruled out for a foul on an American player. It was unfortunate for the Scandinavians as they fell further behind straight after the break when Cat Whitehill's volley from a corner hit a defender and bounced into the path of Wambach, who duly smashed home her second of the night. And the Americans added a somewhat fortuitous third in the 58th minute when Ane Strangeland Horpestad's clearance rebounded off the head of a U.S. player into the path of Chalupny, whose shot took a deflection off a defender on its way into the net. Seconds later it was 4-0 when Lindsay Tarpley's point-blank effort was saved by Nordby but she could only push it back into the danger area and O'Reilly pounced to smash the ball home.

The goals kept coming as Norway pulled one back in the 63rd minute as Gulbrandsen sent a looping header beyond the reach of Briana Scurry.