It is difficult to imagine a more complete collapse than the one the United States suffered in a defeat to Brazil in the Women’s World Cup semifinal Thursday.

As a young kid, after an injury, you’re kind of reluctant to go in on tackles again, but I guess that’s just part of the process.

The current members of the American women’s soccer team seem preoccupied with receiving the same attention their hallowed ancestors did eight years ago.

Leo Krupnik, a Jewish immigrant from Ukraine to California, is now a professional soccer player for an Israeli-Arab team one can find using Google.

The day before their match with China, Denmark team officials found two men with video cameras sitting behind a two-way mirror in the room where the team was about to hold a strategy meeting.

More on Women’s World Cup: Two-Way Mirror, Cameras and Accusations of Spying

Abby Wambach’s two goals moved the Americans into position to qualify for the quarterfinals at the FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Ian Porterfield scored the winning goal in one of the greatest upsets in England’s F.A. Cup and coached several national teams around the world.

Germany and England have claimed the first quarterfinal places in the women’s World Cup and one of the two teams may face the United States.

The two division leaders in Major League Soccer — D.C. United in the East and Houston in the West — and New England have clinched playoff berths.

Playing in a steady rain from an approaching typhoon, the U.S. Women’s World Cup team defeated Nigeria, 1-0, and will play England in the quarterfinal on Saturday.