Soccer's future is 'feminine'

The United States - the world - got what it expected and more from the 1999 Women's World Cup soccer tournament. The U.S. kicked its way to its second World Cup title since the tournament began in 1991 while the world saw firsthand that "the future of football [soccer] is feminine."

After 120 minutes without a score, including two sudden-death 15-minute overtime periods, on July 10, defender Brandi Chastain netted a shootout goal to give the Americans a 5-4 win before more than 90,000 fans in Pasadena, Calif.'s Rose Bowl. The win and the tournament have been called one of the most important moments in women's sports.

	The Team
	Briana Scurry, goalie, 27, of Dayton, MN Lorrie Fair, 20, defender, of Los Altos, CAB Christie Pearce, defender, 24, Point Pleasant, NJ Carla Overbeck*, defender, 31, Dallas Tiffany Roberts, midfielder, 22, San Ramon, CA Brandi Chastain, midfielder, 30, San Jose, CA Sara Whalen, defender, 23, Greenlawn, NY Shannon MacMillan, forward, 24, Escondido, CA Mia Hamm, forward, 27, Chapel Hill, NC Michelle Akers, midfielder, 33, Oviedo, FL Julie Foudy, midfielder, 28, Mission Viejo, CA Cindy Parlow, midfielder, 21, Memphis Kristine Lilly, forward, 27, Wilton, CT Joy Fawcett, defender, 31, Huntington Beach, CA Tisha Venturini, midfielder, 26. Modesto, CA Tiffeny Milbrett, forward, 26, Portland, OR Danielle Fotopoulis, forward, 23, Altamonte Springs, FL Saskia Webber, goalie, 28, Princeton, NJ Tracy Ducar, goalie, 26, North Andover, MA Kate Sobrero, defender, 22, Bloomfield Hills, MI Coach Tony DiCicco, 50, Wetherfsield, CT * Captain

Chastain's goal, which followed a save by Scurry in the shootout, gave the U.S. team the most prestigious trophy in soccer before the largest crowd ever to see a women's game.

"The future of football [soccer] is feminine," according to Sepp Blatter, president of soccer's world governing body FIFA.

ABC estimated 40 million viewers watched the Americans' 5-4 victory. The rating was nearly double the 6.9 overnight for last year's men's World Cup final between Brazil and France.

Here's how the U.S. raised the cup:

1st Round:
• USA 3, Denmark 0
• USA 7, Nigeria 1
• USA 3, North Korea 0

Quarterfinals:
• USA 3, Germany 2

Semifinals:
• USA 2, Brazil 0

Finals:
• USA 0, China 0 - (USA 5, China 4 in shootout)

While the country basks in the glow of this phenominal win, many are hoping that soccer has finally "arrived" in the United States. The U.S. Soccer Federation says it will assist in the development of a business plan to explore the feasibility of a future women's professional soccer league in the United States.

Promoters and supports of women's soccer also are hoping the upcoming Pan American Games which start later this month in Winnipeg, Canada and the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia will provide a boost.

Still, the USA's victory given women's soccer a whole new look that isn't likely to fade.

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