What tired legs? US ready for semi

Associated Press

MOENCHENGLADBACH, Germany

The Americans feel just fine, thank you, not tired a bit. The high they were on after that epic Brazil game? That’s so yesterday.

The U.S. women are one game away from reaching their first World Cup final since 1999 — the last time they won soccer’s biggest prize — and the only thing on their minds now is beating France.

“Losing is not an option,” Abby Wambach said Tuesday. “We want to win this thing, and France is standing in our way right now.”

The Americans are the top-ranked team in the world and defending Olympic gold medalists, yet they were almost afterthoughts when the tournament began two weeks ago.

Two-time defending champion Germany was considered the heavy favorite, sure to get a boost playing on home soil.

Then there was Brazil, runner-up at the last three major tournaments and led by Marta, FIFA’s player of the year five years running.

And the U.S.? They had to win a playoff with Italy just to get here, and they’d been uncharacteristically inconsistent with three losses in a five-month span. But the Germans are now spectators, stunned by Japan in the quarterfinals.

Brazil is gone, too, losing to the Americans in a penalty shootout in one of the most exciting games ever at the World Cup, men’s or women’s.

And the U.S.? They’re still playing, and they go into tonight’s semifinal with more than a touch of swagger.

“We have what it takes,” Wambach said. “It’s just a matter of putting it all together.”

The biggest uncertainty for the Americans isn’t their fitness, it’s their backline. Rachel Buehler has started all but one game the last two years, and her bruising style of defense — she isn’t called the “Buehldozer” for nothing — has been vital.

But she’s suspended for the semifinal after getting a red card for taking down Marta in the box in the 65th minute Sunday.

While U.S. coach Pia Sundhage wouldn’t say who will play in Buehler’s place, Becky Sauerbrunn was working with the starters during training Tuesday.