US women make move
QINHUANGDAO, China - The soccer game against Japan yesterday was 90 minutes long, but all it took was one minute for the US women's team to win it.
One minute and three exceptional moves.
The first came when defender Stephanie Cox sprinted down the left wing, running onto a perfectly measured pass from midfielder Lindsay Tarpley.
The second came when Cox, starting in the place of the injured Lori Chalupny, cut the ball back sharply into the center, wrong-footing the Japanese defense.
The third came when Carli Lloyd received the pass and struck a ferocious shot that was still rising when it slammed into the back of the Japanese net in the 27th minute. Goalkeeper Miho Fukumoto had no chance at making a save.
It was an excellent goal, and even though the US team was not able to add to it, it was enough to earn the defending gold medalists a 1-0 victory and 3 vital points.
Beaten, 2-0, by 2000 Olympic champion Norway in their opening game Wednesday, the Americans were last in Group G and could afford no slip-ups.
The result, combined with Norway's 1-0 victory over New Zealand, lifted the Americans to second place in the group and left them needing only to defeat New Zealand Tuesday in Shenyang to secure a place in the quarterfinals.
Afterward, Lloyd was still fired up by her 18th international goal and her first in Olympic competition.
"Scoring in a game like this was unbelievable," she said.
"It happened so quickly. It kind of came off a cross. Amy Rodriguez tried to go for it and it came over her head and my eyes lit up. I was at the top of the box and just made sure I hit a nice smooth stroke."
With the victory, the US women improved to 18-0-3 all time against Japan.
"The bottom line is that the team won today," US coach Pia Sundhage said.
"I think the more minutes we get together in the Olympics, the better it is. We have 180 minutes now and get 90 more against New Zealand. So we will improve our game from one game to another."
In the other Group G game, Melissa Wiik's eighth-minute goal was enough for Norway to beat New Zealand and put her team into the quarterfinals with 6 points from two victories.
In Group F play in Shenyang, World Cup champion Germany beat Nigeria, 1-0, as defender Kerstin Stegemann turned home a cross from Anja Mittag in the 64th minute to score
Cynthia Uwak had wasted a great chance to shock the Germans just before halftime when she dribbled past two defenders but lost control before she could shoot, allowing goalkeeper Nadine Angerer to race off the line and save at her feet.
Angerer also pushed away a shot from Perpetua Nkwocha.
After a 0-0 draw with World Cup runner-up Brazil, the Germans have 4 points with no goals conceded and Nigeria is virtually eliminated with no points from two games.
In the other Group F match, two-time FIFA Player of the Year Marta and Daniela scored in the first 22 minutes for Brazil in a 2-1 victory over North Korea.
Brazil also has 4 points and the Koreans have 3 after beating Nigeria, 1-0, Wednesday.
China and Canada stayed neck and neck at the top of Group E after a 1-1 draw in Tianjin. Christine Sinclair put the Canadians ahead in the 34th minute, but Yu Yuan equalized two minutes later for her second goal of the competition. Both teams now have 4 points.
"Normally with 4 points, we would hope to get out of the group," said China coach Shang Ruihua, whose team plays Argentina Tuesday in Qinhuangdao.
Nilla Fischer's 57th-minute goal gave Sweden a 1-0 victory over Argentina to keep her team's hopes alive and all but knock out the South Americans. The Swedes, who had lost, 2-1, to China Wednesday, have 3 points. (AP) 