Point Boro Alum Rampone and U.S. Women's Soccer Beat France 3 to 1 in World Cup

The U.S. womens' soccer team beat France 3 to 1 in the World Cup on Wednesday afternoon, with the last two goals scored within minutes of each other.

The U.S. now advances to the finals, playing again on Sunday. If they beat Japan in Frankfurt, Germany on Sunday, they win the World Cup.

U.S. kicker Lauren Cheney got a goal early in the game in Germany, with France coming back shortly after halftime with a goal of their own.

The US team, led by Point Borough High School alumnus , team captain and defender, ended the halftime 1-0, but gave up a goal at 1:10 EST.

About 10 minutes later, Rampone stopped a ball headed for the U.S. net.

"Rampone to the rescue," quipped one of the ESPN pundits.

Rampone was born in Florida, grew up in Point Borough and graduated from Point Borough High School and from Monmouth University. She lives in Manasquan and also plays for Magic Jack, based in Florida.

A sign on Beaver Dam Road and Panther Path, at the entrance for the school district administration building and high school, and a sign at Bridge Avenue's Community Park, where the field is named after Rampone, wish good luck to her and the team.

Abby Wambach, who scored a dramatic header in the last few minutes of Sunday's game, got a header against France on Wednesday.

Only minutes later, Alex Morgan, the team's youngest player, got her first World Cup goal to bring the score up to 3.

The U.S. beat North Korea in its first of the World Cup games this tournament, then beat Colombia, lost to Sweden and then beat Brazil on Sunday.

The Brazil game had so many twists and turns in the last few minutes that many soccer pundits are saying it was the most riveting game in the history of men's or women's soccer.

ESPN will broadcast the final at 2:45 p.m. Sunday.

According to the Associated Press, although the Americans are two-time World Cup champions, they haven't made the final since Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy and Brandi Chastain won it all in 1999.