Wambach leads U.S. women's soccer to 2-0 win

Women's soccer

Wambach leads U.S. again

NEWCASTLE, England — These were perhaps going to be the Hope Solo Olympics for the U.S. women's soccer team. Or maybe the Alex Morgan Games. Instead, they belong so far to the old reliable, Abby Wambach, who has scored in every match to lead the Americans into the semifinals.

The 32-year-old striker slid onto the ball in the 27th minute Friday to knock home her fourth goal of the tournament and then led a celebration of cartwheels — a tribute to the gymnastics team — in the United States' 2-0 win over New Zealand in the quarterfinals.

"Everything she does on and off the field, she leads this team," U.S. coach Pia Sundhage said. "She's in a good place, that's for sure."

Sydney Leroux, who plays for Sounders Women along with Solo and Morgan, added an insurance goal in the 87th minute for the two-time defending gold medalists, who will play Canada in Manchester on Monday.

Wambach extended her U.S. record with her eighth career Olympic goal and pushed her international tally to 142, only 16 behind Mia Hamm's world record.

Solo recorded her third consecutive shutout, although she was rarely challenged.

"I'm waiting to still get tested, but that's what happens when you're ranked No. 1," Solo said.

Beach volleyball

Defending champs ousted

Defending gold medalists Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser of the United States were knocked out of the Olympics by Italy.

Rogers and Dalhausser lost the first set 21-17 and fell behind Paolo Nicolai and Danielle Lupo 12-7 in the second. The Americans tied it 19-19 but lost the final two points and were eliminated when Rogers' spike was blocked back into him by the 6-foot-8-inch Nicolai.

Women's basketball

U.S. wins 37th straight

Diana Taurasi scored 18 points and Seattle Storm guard Sue Bird had nine assists to lead the U.S. women's team to an 88-61 win over the Czech Republic.

The Americans have won 37 straight in the Olympics, including four straight gold medals.

Boxing

U.S. gets another chance

The U.S. men's boxing team was done in London. Then Errol Spence got another chance.

Amateur boxing's governing body overturned Spence's loss to Indian welterweight Krishan Vikas, five hours after the defense-minded Vikas had apparently clutched and grabbed his way to a 13-11 victory.

After the American team protested the result, AIBA's competition jury reviewed the bout and ruled Vikas had committed nine holding fouls in the third round alone. He also intentionally spit out his mouthpiece, which should have resulted in at least four points of deductions.

Spence advanced into the quarterfinals to face Russia's Andrey Zamkovoy of Russia on Tuesday. If he wins, the American men's team will avoid leaving the Olympics with no medals for the first time ever.

Track and field

Competition begins

Poland's Tomasz Majewski (men's shot put) and Ethiopia's Tirunesh Dibaba (women's 10,000 meters) won the first gold medals in track and field, and world champion Carmelita Jeter of the U.S. led the 100-meter heats with a time of 10.83 seconds

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