Amy Rodriguez’s scrappy goal five minutes before halftime was enough to clinch a 1-0 victory over Italy in the second leg of the UEFA/CONCACAF Women’s World Cup Qualifying Playoff. It also sees the United States through to the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Rodriguez’s cascading effort stemmed from a goalkeeping fumble by Italian goalkeeper Anna Picarelli. It was one of Picarelli’s few errors in the two-legged series and it turned the momentum of the match for good. It wasn’t a textbook finish and it meant that the solid 40 minute shift the Italians had put in prior was ultimately meaningless. The USWNT somehow, some way came up with the goal and never looked back.

The strike took the wind out of Italy’s sails thereafter. It also injected a heavy dose of confidence into a USWNT team that had been taken for a ride by an adventurous Italian attack in the first half. Nicole Barnhart was looking more like an inexperienced liability and less like a dependable #2. The lack of communication between the back four was also worrying, as Italy could have taken an early lead if it its strikers had been more clinical.

There was a total role reversal by the second interval, however. The United States’ flank players Heather O’Reilly and Megan Rapinoe began sending in sweet crosses into Abby Wambach who had apparently broken free of the shackles that stymied her in the first leg. The team’s defenders were taking liberties and bombing forward more, creating a more fluid and dangerous attack. The addition of Lauren Cheney at the hour mark added another edge to the USWNT’s attack as the formation transitioned from a 4-4-2 to a 4-3-3- depending on where the Boston Breakers striker popped up.

Italy’s fatigue began to show. After a particularly tidy outing in the first leg in Padova, Italy’s back four faded quickly at the end. Holding midfielder Alessia Tuttino was pushed to center defense, thereby creating a five-woman back line. Italy’s front four did not share the defense’s exhaustion, however, as they put forth one last attempt to save face towards the end of the match. Patrizia Panico and Giulia Domenichetti desperately tried to find an open look or a half-chance but with little luck. Christie Rampone was exceptional, and did not allow the USWNT back four to be stretched apart like it had been against Mexico in the CONCACAF WWCQ semifinal. (Her probing runs down the right flank may be a weapon in the USWNT’s arsenal that’s best kept secret ahead of Germany.)

Italy could offer little and the USWNT played with swagger not seen for months. It’s a swagger a team gets when it knows it has qualified for the World Cup. It also means the team’s humiliation in Cancun has been partially absolved and the scrutiny that came with it was perhaps for naught.

The team got it done today before a healthy crowd (9,508 is one estimate which makes it the second -best attended USWNT domestic game of the year). The conditions in Bridgeview, Illinois were frigid. Match-goers apparently had to avoid chunks of ice whilst finding their seats.

Make no mistake, there’s still work to be done ahead of Germany. The center midfield still looked thoroughly uncreative and this unbalance caused the USWNT outside backs to be hesitant in coming forward. It was somewhat sorted out in the second half (Boxx looked to be playing a deeper role) and thus invited more overlapping runs from the fullbacks.

This being said, the United States will be represented in Monday’s 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup draw. Much of the credit for that has to be paid to Alex Morgan whose stoppage time goal in the first leg gave the USWNT some much-needed breathing room today. Morgan has proven to be an invaluable spark off the bench. Her meteoric rise to heroine status has been matched by her prolific goal-scoring ability. She’s recorded four goals in eight games. Of the players in the USWNT’s player pool currently, that ratio is only bettered by Abby Wambach.

Perhaps finally earning a berth in the World Cup will inspire a few USWNT players to play with the same confidence and fearlessness that Morgan has exhibited in recent months. Like Morgan, this USWNT still has to prove itself, despite the #1 FIFA world ranking. After all, of the 16 qualified nations in next summer’s World Cup, the United States arrived last.

Addendums: Thanks to everyone who participated in the live blog today. You can revisit it in the post below. Also, Kate Markgraf was terrific in the booth today. Someone sign her up please!

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