Wambach Confident in U.S. Team

TIANJIN, China - United States striker Abby Wambach believes confidence is the key if her side is to keep alive their hopes of a third World Cup title. The Americans face Brazil in the second semifinal of the competition on Thursday, 24 hours after defending champions Germany take on Norway. Greg Ryan's side will be hoping to add a second victory on Chinese soil after winning the inaugural event there in 1991.

The U.S. finished atop a difficult group before defeating England, 3-0, in the quarterfinals to set up the clash with Brazil. Wambach, who has four goals to her name, believes the U.S. will progress to the final if they can show the sort of confidence they did against England. "The group that we had was one of the most difficult groups in the tournament and having come out of that group on top gave us confidence that maybe we didn't even realize we were gaining," Wambach said. "We just keep continuing to build on that confidence and I think we will be okay."

Jorge Barcellos' Brazil side will face one of its toughest tests of the tournament so far as they look to secure their first World Cup. Brazil eased through the group stages by winning all three games, the only side to do so, before edging Australia, 3-2, in a thrilling quarterfinal on Sunday. They also boast one of the leading scorers at the tournament in Marta, who sits alongside Norway's Ragnhild Gulbrandsen with five goals.