Rivalry and Revenge

It is the match that most neutrals would want to see as the final game for the gold medal in the women's soccer tournament. But on Monday, Germany and the United States come together to contest who will grab that chance to play off for the Olympic title.

Whatever the stage, this is the one game from the Athens tournament that has everything: rivalry, revenge and the last hurrah. Because these two teams have a history that makes this match more compelling than just any semi-final.

In 2003, the United States and Germany met in the semi-finals of the 2003 World Cup, a game the Germans won, defeating the reigning World Champions at the time in their own backyard and going on to claim the ultimate prize for themselves.

Sweet revenge and bitter rivalry

If ever there was a chance of sweet revenge, this match is just that with the German team gaining pace in their challenge to add Olympic gold to their world title. A US win would scupper that and set up a chance for the former Olympic and World champions to get at least one title back at the expense of their greatest rivals.

For a number of the US team, this is the last chance to grab more glory. For highly decorated players such as the so-called "Fab Five" -- Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy, Joy Fawcett, Kristine Lilly and Brandi Chastain -- this is the last throw of the dice. Another loss at the feet of the Germans would bring their international careers top a close on a painful low rather than a joyful high.

Respect and resolve

This is the game the American players wanted. That 3-0 World Cup loss to Germany, in a match that was close until the latter minutes, still smarts with the U.S. team and spectators will be primed for one of the potentially great matches of these and possibly any Games.

"They are an incredible team with an incredible amount of talent, but we want revenge," US goalkeeper Briana Scurry told reporters. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't want them to feel the same way we felt after they beat us last summer."

The match could well turn out to be the tale of two strikers. The US are spearheaded by Abby Wambach who has led her team in the scoring stakes with three goals so far and has 18 in her 19 international matches this year. Wambach will be going all out to bring some joy to the seething Americans.

On the other side will be Birgit Prinz, who will aim to bring the pain to the Americans once again. Prinz is now slouch in the scoring stakes either with an overall Olympic tally of six goals, including four in one game.

A tale of two strikers

Both are world class strikers in their prime, although Prinz, who turns 27 later this year, has much more international experience, having made her debut for the Germany team as a 16-year-old. Prinz is a veteran of three Women's World Cups and three Olympics. She has scored 78 goals in only 121 matches, five off the German record of 83, set by the now-retired Heidi Mohr.

Wambach, 24, debuted with the US as a 21-year-old in a 4-1 win over Germany in Chicago in 2001. Gaining international tournament experience at the 2003 World Cup and these Summer Games, Wambach has scored 30 goals in 42 international games. Wambach has been on target in each of the three Olympics matches she has played and has become the most imposing American force up front.

With so much riding on this game -- the end result, the chance to go for Olympic gold, the resolution of old grudges and the healing of tender wounds, Monday's semi-final is much more than a soccer match.