On to the finals

CANBERRA, Australia — Tiffeny Milbrett knows she got away with one. Fortunately, on an off night for the U.S. women's soccer team, one was enough to get back to the gold medal game. Milbrett ran into the goalkeeper while chasing the ball, allowing Mia Hamm to score in the 60th minute Sunday as the United States defeated Brazil 1-0 in the semifinals of the Olympic tournament. ""The game can be a matter of inches,"" coach April Heinrichs said. ""It can be left up to just something out of your control. We kept our head, and at the end of the day we find ourselves advancing, and that feels terrific."" The Americans, who won the World Cup last year and the Olympic title four years ago, will play Norway for the gold medal Thursday in Sydney. The Norwegians, who lost 2-0 to the U.S. team in a first-round game, edged Germany 1-0 in the other semifinal. ""Dominating them in the first game gives us a lot of confidence,"" goalkeeper Siri Mullinix said. ""But I don't think in a gold medal game it's going to be a walk in the park."" Brazil will play Germany in Thursday's bronze medal game. The American attack looked lethargic against the fast and improving Brazilians. But two plays — Hamm's goal and a super save by Mullinix 10 minutes later — made the difference. The goal came when Brandi Chastain took a free kick 40 yards from the Brazil net. Lorrie Fair, only 5-foot-3, outleaped a defender in the box to head the ball and keep it alive. Milbrett gave chase and collided with goalkeeper Andreia, leaving Hamm alone beyond the far post to tuck the ball in. The Brazilians felt Swiss referee Nicole Petignat should have disallowed the goal for interference with the goalkeeper, who lay injured on the field for several minutes but stayed in the game. Milbrett, the victim of a kick to the chest by the goalkeeper in the previous game against Nigeria, pleaded guilty this time. ""She definitely could have called a foul,"" Milbrett said. ""I was just trying to go for the ball. It's a fat chance when you're going up with your head against keepers that are stretching their arms, so I just wanted to wreak a little bit of havoc in there and I did. I obstructed her, and Mia was following the play."" Petignat's officiating came under question on a night of rough play. Each team drew four yellow cards; three were for hard tackles on Hamm. Heinrichs approached Petignat at halftime to get an interpretation on the yellow card rule for tackles, but was rebuffed.