Women Drop Olympic Opener

Norway Stuns Americans With Quick Strikes

August 6, 2008

QINHUANGDAO, China – The U.S. women’s soccer team didn’t know what hit them.

The American national team was stunned Wednesday, surrendering two goals in the first five minutes en route to a 2-0 loss to Norway in the first match for both teams at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The loss was just the second-ever for the U.S. women in the Olympics, with the only other loss also coming to Norway in the 2000 Olympic Final in Sydney, Australia.

"My glass is always half full. For us, it is a new experience to lose a game and the fact we tried to turn around and create some chances in the second half is positive,” said U.S. head coach Pia Sundhage, who suffers her first loss as the U.S. head coach. “I'm happy that this is the first game and not the last. We still have two more games to go. We will take the good part of the second half going forward to play against Japan and New Zealand.”

Norway sits atop Group G with three points. Japan came back from a two-goal deficit to tie New Zealand, 2-2, creating a tie for second place with one point each. The USA will face Japan next in a critical match on Saturday, Aug. 9, at 5 a.m. ET live on USA Network and the NBC Olympic Soccer Channel.

Norway’s dream start came in the second minute. After Christie Rampone cleared away a long throw in, Norway captain Ane Stangeland Horpestad swung in a looping cross from the left wing. Lori Chalupny was good position to try to win the header, but U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo charged off her line and collided with Chalupny as Leni Larsen Kaurin got her head to the ball, popping it over both U.S. players and into the empty net.

Two minutes later Norway scored again. The goal came after Kate Markgraf played a back pass from the right sideline into the middle of the field, but hit it too softly, and it was picked off in stride by Melissa Wiik who dribbled into the penalty area and curved a fantastic shot inside the left post around Solo.

In the 15th minute, Sundhage was forced to make her first substitution as Chalupny departed the match due to a blow to the side of her head in the collision with Solo on the first goal. She was replaced by Stephanie Cox.

In the second half, Norway was content to sit back and counter-attack while the U.S. picked up the pressure, eventually firing 20 shots during the game. Norway’s best chance of the second half came in the 49th minute off a free-kick that Marit Christensen flicked just wide of Solo’s right post.

In the 61st minute, forward Natasha Kai put a shot over the bar from a tight angle and in the 78th Lloyd had a pair of chances denied after her first shot came back to her off a defender. The U.S. also had two good chances in stoppage time, but couldn’t net a goal.

U.S. WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM GAME REPORT

Scoring Summary:
NOR – Leni Larsen Kaurin (Ane Stangeland Horpestad) 2nd minute
NOR – Melissa Wiik 4th

Lineups:
USA: 18-Hope Solo; 2-Heather Mitts, 15-Kate Markgraf, 3-Christie Rampone – Capt., 17-Lori Chalupny (14-Stephanie Cox, 15, 13-Tobin Heath, 78); 9-Heather O’Reilly, 7-Shannon Boxx, 11-Carli Lloyd, 5-Lindsay Tarpley (8-Amy Rodriguez); 16-Angela Hucles, 6-Natasha Kai

NOR: 1-Erika Skarbøe; 2-Ane Stangeland Horpestad – Capt., 3-Gunhild Følstad, 7-Trine Rønning, 12-Marit Christensen; 4-Ingvild Stensland, 6-Marie Knutsen (5-Siri Nordby, 88), 13-Lene Storløkken; 10-Melissa Wiik (17-Lene Mykjåland, 69), 8-Solveig Gulbrandsen, 11-Leni Larsen Kaurin (14-Guro Knutsen, 67)

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