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The game was over, right? All that remained was for the last bit of stoppage time to expire and the U.S. women's soccer team would be left with a bitter, controversial loss to Brazil in Sunday's quarterfinals of the World Cup.

This is why you keep playing.

This is why you keep watching.

The next thing anybody knew, the ball was soaring off the left foot of Megan Rapinoe, crossing toward the goal. Then, almost like Dwight Clark's hands extending to catch Joe Montana's pass 30 years ago, here was Abby Wambach, leaping in front of Brazilian goalkeeper Andreia and heading the ball into the net, tying the game 2-2.

Impossible, except it happened.

Inspiring, because it never should have happened.

Impressive, in the wake of everything the Americans went through Sunday.

When the outcome ultimately was decided by penalty kicks, Wambach declared the closing sequence "a perfect example of what our country is about," and who could argue with her?

This is the stuff that sports can deliver — the moments that reward us for tuning in, and should at least make temporary fans out of folks with only mild interest in soccer or women's sports in general.

This team undoubtedly played its way into a lot of hearts Sunday in Dresden, Germany. The rest of the tournament may be anticlimactic after everything that occurred in the quarterfinals, but how could anyone not care about these women now? They'll play France in Wednesday's semifinals, then meet Japan or Sweden in Sunday's final.

Nothing that follows could match the drama and emotion of the game with Brazil, could it? The Americans were playing a woman short after Rachel Buehler's controversial red card in the 65th minute, which led to a tying goal. And when the brilliant Marta scored again for Brazil early in overtime, a disappointing exit seemed inevitable.

Somehow, everything changed. Instead of having Brazil eliminate the U.S. team again, after a 4-0 beating in the semifinals four years ago, the Americans delivered a more thrilling, more stunning result than their 1-0 overtime defeat of Brazil for the gold medal in the 2008 Olympics.

That was a highly meaningful victory itself, which I witnessed at Workers Stadium in Beijing. It was vindication for goalkeeper Hope Solo, who was benched before the World Cup loss to Brazil the previous year. It was a thrill for Carli Lloyd, who scored the only goal. It was devastating for the Brazilians.

Yet none of the emotion displayed that night in China came close to matching Sunday's outpouring, even at the quarterfinal stage. The World Cup means everything — especially to Wambach, who missed the '08 Olympics after breaking her leg three weeks before the Games.

So she enjoyed every bit of Sunday's celebration. So did Lloyd, who delivered one of the Americans' successful penalty kicks. So did Solo, whose one deflection of a Brazil attempt was sufficient.

On his Twitter account, Real Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando applauded, "Much respect to Abby, such a passionate player and leader!"

Rimando even responded good-naturedly to someone who kidded him about having trouble stopping penalty kicks, unlike Solo: "Haven't saved one since '09," Rimando wrote.

Of course, that stop was a big one, enabling RSL to win the MLS Cup title. That was exciting, but nothing that preceded the penalty-kicks phase that night in Seattle was in a class with Wambach's heroic goal. The pass from Rapinoe was perfect, and so was Wambach's timing.

The play saved the game, kept the team's World Cup hopes alive and created a lasting memory. That's about all we're ever asking from sports, I'd say.