9781422284278

GREATEST MOMENTS

ChastainWins It

The 1999 Women’s World Cup was held in the United States. This was the third edition of the women’s tournament, and the American women were looking to improve on their third-place finish in 1995. The Americans started strongly, going undefeated in the group stage and outscoring opponents 13-1. They continued to play well, advancing to the final against China. A women’s sports record crowd of more than 90,000 turned out to watch the final, which remained scoreless through extra time. The match was decided by a penalty kick shootout. After nine shooters had kicked, the teams were tied at 4-4 with only American Brandi Chastain left to shoot. When Chastain scored to win the match, she pulled off her jersey and fell to her knees flexing her arms. The image of Chastain in her sports bra made the cover of several magazines and is one of the most famous images in women’s athletics.

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