By Sportswriter Pan Yi

HANGZHOU, China, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's world-class striker Marta showed her amazing dribbling skills, incredible quick pace and innate scoring instinct here on Thursday, helping Brazil whitewash the two-time champions United States 4-0 in the FIFA Women's World Cup semi-final.

Marta, the FIFA best player of 2006, scored the second and the last goal for Brazil to increase her total tally to seven goals at this World Cup, topping the scorer sheet.

Few doubts that she is the top candidate for the Golden Shoe and Golden Ball awards.

In the breath-taking duel tonight, Marta broke the US defense from the right wing and sent home a flash low shot in the 27th minute.

She also sealed the 4-0 win in the 79th minute when she thrusted into the box from the left wing, danced past two defenders and fired another flash low shot home.

"Any game against US was tough, so it was a fantastic win and we make history," said Marta said after the match.

It was the first time for Brazil, who had not won any FIFA Women's World Cup or Olympic soccer tournament title, to advance to a World Cup final. Brazil also ended the United States' 51-game unbeaten run.

"The whole team was full of passion. So it was a victory of the team, not myself," Marta said.

She also expressed gratitude to her partner up front Cristiane and midfielder Daniela who gave her full support on the pitch.

"I always dream of becoming world No. 1," She noted.

US coach Greg Ryan said, "I got two players to mark Marta. But she was fantastic."

Before coming to China, Marta told reporters, "I just can't wait for it to start. I don't know if we'll win it, but we'll certainly be going there with the firm belief that anything is possible."

Football may be a religion in her native country, but back in the days when the young Marta discovered her passion for the sport, girls were largely discouraged from playing, a standpoint shared by her family.

Undeterred, Marta packed her bags for Sweden in 2004. Aged just 18 and far away from her loved ones in a land where the language was alien to her and the weather even more so, the determined teenager sought to overcome the many obstacles she faced by showing just what she could do with a ball at her feet.

Three years on, the free-scoring striker becomes a world star. As well as the glittering award she picked up in Zurich last December, the youngster has also pocketed two Pan-American Games gold medals and a silver medal at the Athens 2004 Women's Olympic Football Tournament.

She received recognition from her compatriots at the Estadio Maracana. It was there at the temple of Brazilian football that the No.10 left her footprints in the Hall of Fame, becoming, in the process, the very first woman to line up alongside national legends such as Pele, Zico, Garrincha, Ronaldo and Romario, to name but a few.

Marta' only weakness is perhaps in the air, standing as she does a mere 1.60 meters tall.

Marta caught people's eyes when she took part in the FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship Canada 2002 at the age of 16. And a year later she was back in the global spotlight at the FIFA Women's World Cup USA 2003.

Seen as a promising rookie on those occasions, by the time Athens 2004 came around she was the undisputed star of the team and the foundation of their gold medal hopes.

It was a role she occupied once more at the FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship Thailand 2004, and although Brazil returned home in fourth place, Marta's stunning individual performances earned her the adidas Golden Ball award.

A brilliant 12 months was capped by her third place at the 2004 FIFA World Player Gala. A year later she had climbed into second place, duly completing her rise to the top in 2006.