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Brazil thrash 10-woman US 4-0

Brazil's Marta, center, celebrates with teammates after scoring against the US during their semi-final match in Hangzhou, China, yesterday. PHOTO: AP

Brazil are into the final of the women's World Cup and the US' bid to win a third title is over.

The No. 1-ranked US saw their undefeated string end at 51 games over almost three years as they were overpowered 4-0 yesterday.

Brazil went ahead through an own goal after 20 minutes, and Marta doubled the lead soon after. Cristiane and Marta added two more in the second half. Marta is now alone atop the tournament scorers' chart with seven goals.

The US played the final 45 minutes with 10 players after midfielder Shannon Boxx was sent off in first-half injury time for a contentious second yellow card.

Into their first women's World Cup final, Brazil will face Germany on Sunday in Shanghai. The Americans will play Norway in Sunday's third-place game.

The US were bidding for a third World Cup to go with titles in 1991 and 1999. But the US were by far the second-best team and a loss in the semi-finals is a repeat of the 2003 event when they went out to Germany at the same stage. It was also the heaviest defeat for the US women in any World Cup match.

Brazil took a 1-0 lead in the 20th minute. Formiga sent in a corner, which bounced just short of the goal. Attempting to head it behind, midfielder Leslie Osborne headed it into the net between goalkeeper Briana Scurry and Lori Chalupny.

Seven minutes later, creative Brazil striker Marta struck her first. She evaded a half-dozen US players and cracked a left-footed shot from 15m that hugged the ground and beat Scurry diving to her left. She got her left hand on the ball but couldn't stop it.

Brazil may have also deserved a penalty in the fifth minute when US defender Cat Whitehill escaped despite bringing down Cristiane in the area.

Forced to push for the goal in the second half, the US left themselves exposed at the back with Maycon, Daniela and Cristiane narrowly missing in the opening minutes. Cristiane finally broke through in the 56th to make it 3-0, left-footing a shot home in a one-on-one contest with Scurry.

The US had only two shots on goal in the first half and top striker Abby Wambach was never a factor. Kristine Lilly, playing in a record fifth World Cup, had the best US chance in the second half but her point-blank shot landed in Andreia's hands in the 63rd.

After the third goal, Brazil slowed the play as the US kept pressing for a face-saving strike.

Brazil last flurry came in the 79th when Marta showed off all her talent.

Off the left wing, she faked around US defender Tina Ellertson, raced into the box, dummied around another and beat Scurry with a shot that drew a huge ovation from a crowd of 48,000.

Scurry, the 36-year-old veteran who was coach Greg Ryan's surprise goalkeeping choice against Brazil, had a nervous first half. In the 7th minute she came out to catch a free kick, but it slipped through her fingers, although Brazil missed a chance go score early.

Scurry, playing in her 164th game for the US, was picked ahead of Hope Solo, who started the first four games for the US in the World Cup. She gave up two goals in the first match but was unbeaten for the following 300 minutes.

Ryan said he picked Scurry because of her quick reflexes. She was in goal in a 2-0 win over Brazil in June in New York, and she was also the 'keeper in the US' 2-1 victory over Brazil in the 2004 Olympic final. Badly outplayed in that match, Scurry was credited with winning gold for the US.
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