U.S. rallies to beat Japan 4-2, reach Olympic final

BEIJING (AP) The U.S. women's soccer team is getting used to recoveries at the Beijing Games.

Down 1-0 and being outplayed by Japan in Monday's semifinal, the Americans found ways to score two quick goals just before halftime and rallied to a 4-2 victory that sent the defending champions to yet another Olympic final against Brazil.

Angela Hucles scored her first goal of the match in the 41st minute and Lori Chalupny added another just three minutes later to put the U.S. back in the game, and Hucles and Heather O'Reilly each scored in the second half to seal the American victory at Workers' Stadium.

"We found the strength to stay in the match and get the goals we needed," U.S. captain Christie Rampone said. "We knew we could come back, we have done it before."

The U.S. got off to a slow start at this year's Olympics, losing 2-0 to Norway before recovering to advance in first place in its group. It was in danger of being eliminated from the competition if it failed to win its last group match, but it was able to go through with a 4-0 win over New Zealand.

"The great thing with this team is that we use pressure as motivation," Chalupny said. "We look forward to those pressure situations."

It will be the fourth straight Olympic final for the U.S., which beat Brazil 2-1 in extra time four years ago in Athens.

The Americans have played in the Olympic gold medal match every time since women's soccer debuted at the 1996 Atlanta Games, missing the title only in 2000 in Sydney after a loss to Norway.

The U.S. and Japan played an open match in front of more than 50,000 fans, with both sides creating several scoring chances from the beginning.

Japan was the first to take advantage of its opportunities, however, and Shinobu Ohno opened the scoring from close range in the 16th. Ohno was by herself in front of the goal when she collected a crossing shot by defender Yukari Kinga and easily hit the net past U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo.

The U.S. had a hard time trying to penetrate the Japanese defense after the goal, but Hucles and Chalupny dug the Americans out of the hole with their goals before halftime.

Hucles scored after a low cross by O'Reilly from the right side, and Chalupny got on the board after getting past two defenders just inside the area and firing a right-footed shot into the left-upper corner of the net.

Japan tried to control possession and get back in the match, but the U.S. kept threatening on counterattacks and had several good chances to increase the lead.

O'Reilly capitalized on one of the chances with a long-range left-footed shot from near the sideline in the 70th. Her rainbow kick went over Japan goalkeeper Miho Fukumoto and found the far corner of the goal.

Hucles' second goal came from just inside the penalty area on the right side in the 80th. She struck the top of the net as Fukumoto apparently expected a cross into the area.

"Coming back from 1-0 was about the team," U.S. coach Pia Sundhage said. "Scoring different goals from different places makes a difference."

It was the second match between the teams in this year's Olympics. The U.S. had beaten Japan 1-0 on Aug. 9 in the group stage.

Monday's result keeps the Americans unbeaten against the Japanese in all 22 matches played between the nations. It was the team's sixth straight victory against Japan, and 19th overall.

The Americans beat Brazil to win the gold in Athens, but lost to them 4-0 in the semifinals of last year's World Cup, which also was played in China.

Led by two-time FIFA player of the year Marta, Brazil reached Friday's final by beating world champion Germany 4-1 in Shanghai.

Japan's best Olympic showing so far had been a quarterfinal appearance in Athens, when it lost 2-1 to the United States. It didn't make it past the group stage of last year's World Cup, however, in a group that saw Germany and England advance.