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Scurry Is World Cup Hero

July 10, 1999 / 10:21 PM EDT / AP

Briana Scurry charged left, deflected the ball with her outstretched arms and a record crowd of 90,185 fans roared.

After giving up China's first two penalty kicks, the American goalkeeper stopped Liu Ying with the score tied 2-2.

She charged out of the net, pumping her arms, encouraging long, loud cheering that enveloped the Rose Bowl in Saturday's Women's World Cup final.

"I was telling them to come on, make it as loud as you can," Scurry said.

After Kristine Lilly beat Chinese goalkeeper Gao Hong to put the Americans ahead 3-2, the pumped-up goalie stalked back to the line for her next challenge.

Scurry, who has a black panther tattooed on her left shoulder, roamed left, then right before finally taking up her spot in the center of the goal. She stared defiantly into the eyes of the next Chinese player, daring her to beat her from 12 yards out.

Two more penalty kicks got by Scurry before Brandi Chastain won the World Cup for the United States, 5-4, following a 0-0 tie. Chastain ripped her white jersey off, exposing a black sport top, and waved it wildly.

Scurry ran into the stands for an embrace with her best friend while her teammates piled on top of each other.

"Like Brandi, I lost control," she said.

Scurry got a scare in the 100th minute. She fell to her knees trying to stop a header by Fan Yunjie that would have won the game for China. But Scurry wasn't the last line of defense.

Kristine Lilly leapt at the goal line and headed the ball clear, saving the game.

"We had a little miracle today," the 27-year-old Scurry said, smiling. "I was like, `Uh-oh. The ball is behind me.' I didn't know Lilly was behind me, but I'm glad she was."

Scurry is known for her calmness, leaping ability and great hands and she needed all three when Fan approached the ball for China's third penalty kick.

"I was really focused on that one," Scurry said. "Just looking at her walking up to the ball I had a feeling it was going to be the one."

U.S. coach Tony DiCicco huddled with Scurry before the penalty kicks began.

"I told her all she could be in this shootout was a hero," he said. "Bri was the hero."

Scurry is now 1-1 in shootouts, having lost the other one a few years ago. She's been the No. 1 goalkeeper for the United States since 1994, starting three times as many matches as any other goalie.

She gave the Americans little to worry about in front of their goal during the tournament. They yielded only three scores in the World Cup, one a ball they put into their own net.

For 120 minutes Scurry saw little action, making just two saves. But she likes it that way. She said before the final that she prefers a boring game without any shots to stop.

Not so her coach.

"I wish there had been some goals so the crowd could enjoy some of the great attacking players on th field," DiCicco said.

The woman who promised to run naked through the streets of Athens, Ga., if the United States won the gold medal at the 1996 Olympics, and kept her word, is ready for some peace and quiet.

"This has been great, but I'd like to have my life back," she said.