Alex Morgan

The above photo, which appeared Thursday with a story on fans of the Women's World Cup, misidentified U.S. player Alex Morgan, who was battling for the ball with France's Ophelie Meilleroux. The Inquirer wants its news report to be fair and correct in every respect, and regrets when it is not. If you have a question or comment about news coverage, contact assistant managing editor David Sullivan (215-854-2357) at The Inquirer, Box 8263, Philadelphia 19101, or e-mail dsullivan@phillynews.com .

THE UNITED STATES stunned Italy, 1-0, yesterday in Genoa as Clint Dempsey's second-half goal gave the Americans their first-ever victory over the Azzurri in 11 meetings. Dempsey became only the fourth American to score against Italy when he fired past Gianluigi Buffon in the 55th minute, and the U.S. clung on for a memorable win in the friendly international. It is Jurgen Klinsmann's fifth victory in 10 games as U.S. coach and also will serve as personal revenge for the former Germany great after losing the 2006 World Cup semifinal to eventual champion Italy when in charge of the German national team.

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. - On her final victory lap, Pia Sundhage hopped and high-stepped her way around the field. As the U.S. women's national soccer team coach soaked in the cheers from the capacity crowd, her team began serenading her by belting out, "You Are My Sunshine. " It was a fitting tribute, since Sundhage has had the squad in harmony for five years. It was a fitting way to go out, too. Abby Wambach broke a tie early in the second half, and Alex Morgan added two goals and two assists, helping the U.S. team beat Australia, 6-2, Wednesday night in an international friendly that was Sundhage's farewell game.

LONDON - The rivalry with those varmints north of the border was finally on. The U.S. against Canada: Yuengling vs. Molson, states vs. provinces, the Red, White, and Blue vs. the Great White North. That was the feeling Monday night, as the Americans and Canadians waged a soccer war for the ages. It was physical, it was intense, it was emotional. It took a goal by Alex Morgan in injury time of overtime for the U.S. women to advance to the gold-medal game. Just 14 hours later, it was time for Round 2: the United States and Canada in the quarterfinals of the Olympic women's basketball tournament.

LONDON - If it's the Olympic Games, it must be Carli Lloyd. On the biggest possible stage, in front of the biggest crowd ever to watch an Olympic women's soccer game, Lloyd scored both goals for the United States in a 2-1 victory over Japan for the gold medal. Four years ago, in Beijing, Lloyd scored the winning goal in the Olympic final against Brazil. The opponents change, the continents shift, but Lloyd comes through when gold is on the line. "This is huge," Lloyd said.

Spain and Italy confirmed their heavyweight reputations at the European Championship on Monday, advancing to the quarterfinals after winning their final group matches. Defending champion Spain sealed top spot in Group C by beating Croatia, 1-0, in Gdansk, Poland, on a late goal by substitute Jesus Navas. Navas, who replaced Fernando Torres, struck in the 88th, tapping into an empty net. In Poznan, Poland, Mario Balotelli came off the bench to score Italy's second goal in a 2-0 victory against Ireland, lifting the Azzurri above Croatia in the standings.

FRANKFURT, Germany - Once the Americans get over the disappointment of coming up just short at the Women's World Cup, they will find plenty of reasons for optimism. The U.S. team pulled together amid a series of challenges that, just a few years ago, would have broken it apart. And while the illustrious careers of captain Christie Rampone, Shannon Boxx and maybe Abby Wambach are nearing their end, Lauren Cheney, Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe proved in Germany they are more than able successors.

After she scored the game's first goal, Delran native Carli Lloyd dropped to her knees, slid to the sidelines, and threw her hands up in celebration, soon to be mobbed by her teammates. The only problem? Some friends who went to Delran High School with the midfielder had no idea it was Lloyd who scored the goal for the U.S. in the women's soccer gold-medal game against Japan. They assumed it was forward Abby Wambach who put the cross from Alex Morgan into the back of the net. But it was Lloyd, who seemingly came out of nowhere to head the ball in for a goal.

Facing former coach Pia Sundhage for the first time, the U.S. women's soccer team came from behind to tie Sweden, 1-1, Monday in the Algarve Cup in Lagos, Portugal. Alex Morgan's 56th-minute goal sent the Americans to the Cup final for the 10th time in 11 years. Midfielder Carli Lloyd of Delran missed the game because of a minor shoulder injury. The Americans, who extended their unbeaten streak to 28 games, will play Germany in Wednesday's title game. Germany finished first in Group A, and the United States led Group B. Sundhage left the U.S. team after the 2012 Olympics, in which the Americans won their second consecutive gold medal, to return to her native Sweden.

LONDON - Carli Lloyd has already had one kick in the head in this Olympic soccer tournament. She has no interest in another one. That's how a loss in Thursday's gold medal game against Japan would feel. A year ago in Frankfurt, Lloyd and her mates lost the World Cup final to this same Japanese team on penalty kicks. "It was horrible, to be honest, to be that close and losing," said Lloyd, the Delran native whose penalty-kick attempt that night sailed over the crossbar. "It made us all dig deeper.

Facing former coach Pia Sundhage for the first time, the U.S. women's soccer team came from behind to tie Sweden, 1-1, Monday in the Algarve Cup in Lagos, Portugal. Alex Morgan's 56th-minute goal sent the Americans to the Cup final for the 10th time in 11 years. Midfielder Carli Lloyd of Delran missed the game because of a minor shoulder injury. The Americans, who extended their unbeaten streak to 28 games, will play Germany in Wednesday's title game. Germany finished first in Group A, and the United States led Group B. Sundhage left the U.S. team after the 2012 Olympics, in which the Americans won their second consecutive gold medal, to return to her native Sweden.

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. - On her final victory lap, Pia Sundhage hopped and high-stepped her way around the field. As the U.S. women's national soccer team coach soaked in the cheers from the capacity crowd, her team began serenading her by belting out, "You Are My Sunshine. " It was a fitting tribute, since Sundhage has had the squad in harmony for five years. It was a fitting way to go out, too. Abby Wambach broke a tie early in the second half, and Alex Morgan added two goals and two assists, helping the U.S. team beat Australia, 6-2, Wednesday night in an international friendly that was Sundhage's farewell game.

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. - Abby Wambach broke a tie early in the second half, and Alex Morgan added two goals and two assists, helping the U.S. women's national soccer team beat Australia, 6-2, on Wednesday night in an international friendly that was coach Pia Sundhage's farewell game. Sundhage announced earlier this month she was stepping away after leading the squad to back-to-back Olympic gold medals. She will return home to coach the Swedish national team. Heather O'Reilly, Shannon Boxx, and Sydney Leroux also scored for the Americans, who are 21-0-2 against Australia.

LONDON - Christie Rampone had the ball, then she didn't. The captain of the U.S. women's soccer team, the veteran leader who steadies the defense, never saw the Japanese player who stole the ball from her. With a one-goal lead and seven minutes remaining to protect it, all she knew was that the ball was gone. "My life flashed in front of me," said Rampone, who is from Point Pleasant, N.J. Instead of disaster, though, the play turned into one of the highlights of the U.S. team's 2-1, gold-medal-clinching victory.

After she scored the game's first goal, Delran native Carli Lloyd dropped to her knees, slid to the sidelines, and threw her hands up in celebration, soon to be mobbed by her teammates. The only problem? Some friends who went to Delran High School with the midfielder had no idea it was Lloyd who scored the goal for the U.S. in the women's soccer gold-medal game against Japan. They assumed it was forward Abby Wambach who put the cross from Alex Morgan into the back of the net. But it was Lloyd, who seemingly came out of nowhere to head the ball in for a goal.

LONDON - If it's the Olympic Games, it must be Carli Lloyd. On the biggest possible stage, in front of the biggest crowd ever to watch an Olympic women's soccer game, Lloyd scored both goals for the United States in a 2-1 victory over Japan for the gold medal. Four years ago, in Beijing, Lloyd scored the winning goal in the Olympic final against Brazil. The opponents change, the continents shift, but Lloyd comes through when gold is on the line. "This is huge," Lloyd said.

Literally five minutes - maybe seven - after the Olympic gold medal women's soccer game ended in London, its star, Carli Lloyd, scorer of both U.S. goals, made a phone call. She called her trainer for the last 10 years, James Galanis, who had been watching the contest Thursday in a sports bar in Marlton with youth soccer players and parents. "This is her on the phone right now," he said as he answered. "Can you hear me?" he said. "What's going on? What time's the game on?"

LONDON - Carli Lloyd has already had one kick in the head in this Olympic soccer tournament. She has no interest in another one. That's how a loss in Thursday's gold medal game against Japan would feel. A year ago in Frankfurt, Lloyd and her mates lost the World Cup final to this same Japanese team on penalty kicks. "It was horrible, to be honest, to be that close and losing," said Lloyd, the Delran native whose penalty-kick attempt that night sailed over the crossbar. "It made us all dig deeper.

LONDON - The rivalry with those varmints north of the border was finally on. The U.S. against Canada: Yuengling vs. Molson, states vs. provinces, the Red, White, and Blue vs. the Great White North. That was the feeling Monday night, as the Americans and Canadians waged a soccer war for the ages. It was physical, it was intense, it was emotional. It took a goal by Alex Morgan in injury time of overtime for the U.S. women to advance to the gold-medal game. Just 14 hours later, it was time for Round 2: the United States and Canada in the quarterfinals of the Olympic women's basketball tournament.

Spain and Italy confirmed their heavyweight reputations at the European Championship on Monday, advancing to the quarterfinals after winning their final group matches. Defending champion Spain sealed top spot in Group C by beating Croatia, 1-0, in Gdansk, Poland, on a late goal by substitute Jesus Navas. Navas, who replaced Fernando Torres, struck in the 88th, tapping into an empty net. In Poznan, Poland, Mario Balotelli came off the bench to score Italy's second goal in a 2-0 victory against Ireland, lifting the Azzurri above Croatia in the standings.