Sundhage Triumphant in Return Home

US Wins First in Sweden

July 6, 2008

SWEDEN – The U.S. Women’s National Team defeated Sweden, 1-0, on a 39th minute goal from midfielder Carli Lloyd to complete a sweep of two matches in Scandinavia.

The match was the first-ever meeting between the two teams in Sweden and also marked the first time U.S. head coach Pia Sundhage has coached against her home country.

“I thought it was a pretty interesting tactical battle and a physical game, especially in the midfield," said Sundhage. "It was really good to play against Sweden as they are a great team and that is important when you go into the Olympics.”

In a fairly even first half that featured one or two good chances for each team, Lloyd scored what would be the winning goal just six minutes before halftime.

The goal originated off a corner kick from the right side. Lloyd took it short to Lindsay Tarpley, who touched it back to her as Lloyd overlapped to the inside. The U.S. midfielder dribbled square into the penalty area, beating at least three Swedish defenders with stop-and-go moves, before gliding into the middle of the box and hitting a left-footed shot from 15 yards that skimmed off the leg of a Swedish defender and into the left corner. Wrong-footed Swedish goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl could only watch the ball spin into the net.

It was Lloyd’s seventh goal of the year and second in as many games after also scoring against Norway on July 2 in Fredrikstad during the USA’s 4-0 victory.

The shutout was the USA’s 13th in 20 games this year and fifth in a row.

The win moves the USA’s record in 2008 to 19-0-1 with two matches left before the Olympics. The U.S. team returns home tomorrow and will re-group in Denver, Colo., on July 11 to prepare for the first of two send-off matches against Brazil leading into the Olympics Games. The U.S. team faces the Brazilians on July 13 and July 16.

U.S. forward Abby Wambach will head into the match against Brazil with 99 career goals. One more will put her in an elite club of 100-goal scorers that features eight international players, four of them Americans: Mia Hamm, Kristine Lilly, Michelle Akers and Tiffeny Milbrett.

U.S. WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM GAME REPORT

Scoring Summary:
USA – Carli Lloyd (Lindsay Tarpley) 39th minute.

Lineups:
USA: 18-Hope Solo (24-Nicole Barnhart, 46); 2-Heather Mitts (26-Rachel Buehler, 46), 15-Kate Markgraf, 3-Christie Rampone – Capt., 17-Lori Chalupny; 9-Heather O’Reilly (10-Aly Wagner, 81), 7-Shannon Boxx, 11-Carli Lloyd, 5-Lindsay Tarpley (16-Angela Hucles, 63); 6-Natasha Kai (19-Amy Rodriguez, 81), 20-Abby Wambach.

SWE: 1-Hedvig Lindahl; 6-Sara Thunebro, 7-Sara Larsson (3-Stina Segerström, 18), 19-Charlotte Rholin (2-Karolina Westberg, 53), 13-Frida Östberg (4-Anna Paulson, 69); 15-Therese Sjögran, 18-Nilla Fischer, 20-Jessica Landström (17-Johanna Almgren, 75), 5-Caroline Seger (21-Lisa Dahlkvist, 69), 8-Lotta Schelin (10-Hanna Ljungberg, 60), 11-Victoria Svensson – Capt.

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