The Many Shades of Soccer Celebration

The US women’s soccer team just defeated a favored Brazil to advance to the next round of play in the Women’s World Cup in Germany in a nailbiter of a game that was finally resolved with a shootout.

Goalkeeper Hope Solo played well, stopping a swagger-iffic Marta and the Brazilians at the net, but it was Abby Wambach who served as the team’s cheerleader and arguably the MVP of the game, encouraging the women to keep playing hard as they went into extra time and almost immediately fell down one goal, even as penalties left the team with only 10 players for the final hour of the match. She also netted the game’s final goal, tying the score up and forcing the Americans and Brazilians to face off with penalty kicks.

With this defeat, Brazil is eliminated from the tournament.

Emotions ran high during the game and in the ensuing post-game celebration, complicated emotions expressed with gestures from beastly roaring to happy tears to turbo hugs.

Pictured: United States’ Megan Rapinoe and United States’ Abby Wambach hug after the US won in a penalty shootout the quarterfinal match between Brazil and the United States at the Women’s Soccer World Cup in Dresden, Germany.

US players celebrate after winning in a penalty shootout. My favorite part of this picture is the Brazilian team in the background. That’s class, right there. Good on them.

Brazil’s Marta celebrates scoring her side’s second goal.

United States’ Abby Wambach.

Tobin Heath roars at the camera.

United States goalkeeper Hope Solo jumps in celebration after the US won in a penalty shootout.

Abby Wambach reacts after scoring her side’s second goal during the quarterfinal match between Brazil and the United States.

[Women’s World Cup: United States Advances in Women’s World Cup Classic] WSJ