US Women Team To The World Cup Final

The U.S. kept its fans breathless again. And just like last time, Abby Wambach - who else - came up big.

Wambach broke a tense tie with a thunderous header in the 79th minute, and the U.S. earned its first trip to the World Cup final since winning it in 1999 with a 3-1 victory over France on Wednesday.''We've achieved part of our goal. We're in the final,'' Wambach said. ''We want to complete it. We want to be world champs.''

Lauren Cheney and Alex Morgan also scored for the Americans, who will play Japan - 3-1 winners over Sweden - on Sunday in Frankfurt. If the U.S. wins, it would be the first team to claim three World Cup titles.

When the final whistle sounded, the Americans rushed onto the field. Wambach found U.S. coach Pia Sundhage and gave her a bearhug as the pro-American crowd of 25,676 serenaded the team with chants of ''U-S-A! U-S-A!'' and the party quickly spread across the Atlantic. A thrilling win over Brazil in the quarterfinals captivated fans back home, and a little thing called the workday wasn't enough to deter them.

Dozens of fans crowded around TVs in the Phoenix airport to watch the game, and less than an hour after it ended, ''World Cup Finals'' was trending on Twitter. ''My heroes. Wambach. Boxx. Rapinoe. Solo. That TEAM! Our team!'' actor Tom Hanks tweeted. Super Bowl MVP Aaron Rodgers said, ''Awesome job US Women, finish it off Sunday now.''

The U.S. was staked to an early lead by Cheney's goal in the ninth minute. But with the silky smooth Louisa Necib calling the shots, France dominated for most of the game, finishing with a whopping 25-11 advantage in shots. The French missed two great chances in the first half, with goalkeeper Hope Solo having to tip a Gaetane Thiney shot away in the 30th and Sonia Bompastor rattling the crossbar two minutes later.

Finally, in the 55th, France got its equalizer. Bompastor floated in a cross from about 30 yards and, with the dangerous Gaetane Thiney right in front of her, Solo had little opportunity to move. The ball flew right past her.

But just as they did Sunday against Brazil, the Americans got stronger and stronger as the game went on before Wambach - who scored a critical goal in the waning moments against the Brazilians - came through.

''In the end, we're in the finals,'' Wambach said, ''and that's all that matters.''