WORLD CUP SOCCER U.S. bows out in semifinals, 3-0

Germany beat the Americans and will meet Sweden for the title.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- The stars who nurtured U.S. women's soccer and made it the best in the world will not win another World Cup.
That goal vanished in a 3-0 loss to Germany in the semifinals Sunday night.
"It's the end of an era, a chapter in a book," U.S. goalkeeper Briana Scurry said.
Mia Hamm already has said she will retire after next year's Olympics, and many others on the team will not be playing the game when the next World Cup is held four years from now.
Tears streamed down Hamm's face as she hugged teammates at the finish.
"I've loved every minute of it," Hamm said. "I wouldn't change one minute. Even in defeat, this is one of my favorite teams that I've been a part of."
Solid defense
Germany, with a solid defense and spectacular play by goalkeeper Silke Rottenberg, will play Sweden for the World Cup title in Carson, Calif., next Sunday. Sweden rallied to defeat Canada 2-1 on Sunday night to earn its first finals berth.
The United States and Canada will meet next Saturday in Carson for third place.
Canada, ranked 12th in the world at the start of the tournament and a surprise winner over China in the quarterfinals, led 1-0 on Kara Lang's free-kick goal in the 65th minute.
"We got a little stressed, but we felt we were so much better and had so many more chances," Sweden's Anna Sjoestroem said.
Sweden tied it minutes later when Malin Mostroem caught the Canadians flat-footed for a goal, then Josefine Oeqvist glanced one off the post and into the net for the winner in the 86th minute.
The Americans mounted repeated attacks against the Germans only to see them thwarted or misfire.
"We had opportunities, but it's one thing to create them, it's another to finish them," Hamm said.
Stars in goal
Rottenberg blocked everything that came her way, and even made a diving grab of the ball off Hamm's feet during a breakaway threat.
"This was one of my best games," Rottenberg said. "Now I'm in the final and want to be world champion."
The scene had been set for an emotional U.S. victory. Flag salesman were doing a brisk sale outside the stadium. Face painters drew U.S. flags on the cheeks of youngsters.
But Germany scored an early goal on a brilliantly executed header by Kerstin Garefrekes from a corner kick by Renate Lingor, then held off repeated attacks before sealing it with goals in the final two minutes by Maren Meinert and Birgit Prinz, who has scored seven of Germany's 23 World Cup goals.
"Honestly, I was disappointed," Garefrekes said of the Americans' effort. "They didn't play their offensive game. It was not really organized and they missed many opportunities."
Only second loss
It was the second World Cup loss ever for the United States. The other came in the semifinals against Norway in 1995. The Norwegians went on to beat Germany for the championship.
The capacity crowd of more than 27,623 in cozy but raucous PGE Park -- many of them youngsters wearing No. 9 jerseys with the name "Hamm" on the back -- chanted "USA! USA!" to the finish and then after the game ended.
"All those girls in the stands, that's the legacy," Hamm said.