ORLANDO — Abby Wambach continues to leave the rest of the world in the dust.
The United States Women’s National Team forward and former Gator scored her 163rd career goal in an international friendly match against Brazil at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando Sunday night.
Wambach shot a penalty kick to the back of the net in the 17th minute to help the U.S. notch a 4-1 victory in front of 20,274 fans.
“We got the penalty a couple minutes after the first goal, and that’s demoralizing from the opposite team’s perspective,” Wambach said. “I’ve been taking them all week since I missed against New Zealand.
“I don’t miss very many in a row, so I’m very comfortable taking penalty kicks. Getting that goal was really important.”
The win for the U.S. against Brazil helped close out the team’s 2013 season with a 13-0-3 record — the first undefeated season for the team since 2006, when the U.S. finished with an 18-0-4 record.
Wambach has a storied history against Brazil.
She scored a goal off a header in overtime against Brazil to win the 2004 Olympic gold medal for the U.S.
In 2011, Wambach powered in another header in the final seconds of overtime of the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup quarterfinal to tie the game 2-2 and force the match into penalty kicks.
The U.S. won 5-3.
“It’s always an emotional battle against the Brazilians,” Wambach said.
“They’re so passionate and they’re so good at playing the game.
“It makes you learn more about your team and how well you can do going forward when you play one of the top five teams in the world.”
Through her 12 years on the national team — most recently earning the 2012 FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year honor — Wambach said she owed a lot of her focus in professional soccer to her experience at Florida from 1998-2001.
“Florida was one of those schools that literally tries to prepare those players to play at the next level,” Wambach said. “From the facilities to the travel, to the way that we’re fed on the road, everything is at the professional level.
“That’s really where I started to learn how to be a professional athlete. I didn’t know it at the time that I would make it to this level, but playing there really did allow me so many more opportunities post college. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for them.”
Wambach said the memory she cherishes most from Florida is being a part of the 1998 team, which won a national title.
“As a freshman, you can only dream to have a chance and to be able to come in and actually accomplish it,” Wambach said. “It was fairytale-like.”
Wambach finished her freshman season with 19 goals — the then-second highest all-time goal total by a freshman.
Current freshman forward Savannah Jordan surpassed Wambach’s mark with 22, which is one behind Andi Sellers’ all-time UF freshman record of 23 goals in a season.
Jordan’s 2013 season total is the highest goal total UF has seen since Wambach turned in 31 in her senior year.
“A player like Savannah probably comes around only once in however long it has been since I’ve been there,” Wambach said. “You really have to relish the opportunity with this player, who decided to come and play for this college.
“She’s a kid who I think is going to up stand the value systems that Becky wants to put in place. I’m really excited to watch and see how Savannah’s career unfolds. Hopefully, she can break and shatter every record I’ve ever set.”
Wambach’s memories of Florida are something she’ll always remember, but she has other goals now — most importantly winning another World Cup.
“We want to not only be a team that got so close in 2011, but we want to be a team where we can say, ‘We are world champions,’” Wambach said. “I’ve never done it. All but one player on this team right now doesn’t have the ability to say that.
“It not only eats at us, but motivates us equally as much.”
Follow Michelle Provenzano on Twitter @mmprovenzano.
U.S. forward Abby Wambach (20) tries to head the ball in the goal during the first half of an international friendly soccer match against Brazil in Orlando on Sunday.
