Wambach helps USA draw Germany

Published Oct. 20, 2012 1:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

Abby Wambach and Germany's Anja Mittag scored in the first half Saturday night, and the US women had to settle for a 1-1 tie in their first game without former coach Pia Sundhage.

The draw in the matchup between the world's top two teams snapped a 14-game winning streak for the United States. Six of those victories came at the London Olympics, where the Americans beat Japan 2-1 to win their third straight gold medal.

The Americans are 17-4-5 against the Germans, the only other team to win two World Cups or be ranked No. 1. The Americans are 6-0-3 in matches involving the world's top two teams.

This was the Americans' first game without Sundhage, who stepped down in September after five years as the US coach. Sundhage, who is now coaching her native Sweden's national team, led the US to back-to-back Olympic titles, as well as their first World Cup final in 12 years.

It looked like little had changed early, as Wambach delighted the sell-out crowd of 19,522 with her goal in the second minute. With defenders blocking her on the left side, Alex Morgan crossed to Wambach, who was wide open in front of the goal. She poked the ball past Angerer, giving the Americans the lead. But Germany answered back in the 14th minute, when Simone Laudehr chipped the ball over the defense to Mittag.

Mittag beat two defenders and drew Solo out on the breakaway, leaving her an easy shot over Solo's raised hands for the goal.

The Americans had several chances to score the go-ahead goal in the second half, including a short volley by Heather O'Reilly in the 75th minute that went over the crossbar. Alex Morgan played a ball in to an onrushing Abby Wambach in front of the goal in the 80th, but defender Saskia Bartusiak stepped in front and headed it clear.

The teams play again Tuesday in East Hartford, Conn.