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Olympic Football Recaps: 21 July - Day 2


Men's Football -- Match 5, Group C
GHA vs. KOR

South Korea Holds Off Ghana in Men's Football: South Korea took advantage of a penalty kick while holding off a high-powered Ghana team in a 1-0 decision in opening round Group C men's Olympic Football. YOON Jong-Hwan netted a penalty in the 41st minute for the first-round win before a crowd of 45,946 at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium in Washington, D.C. Though they were outshot by an incredible 25-8 margin, the South Koreans managed to hold off the high-octane Ghana team, the first African nation to win an Olympic football medal when it took the bronze medal four years ago. Korean goalkeeper SEO Dong-Myung made 13 saves against Ghana's offense. Korea, co-leaders in Group C with Mexico, meet the Mexican squad on Tuesday in Birmingham, Ala. Ghana's next opponent will be Italy on Tuesday in Washington, D.C. Final Score: KOR 1, GHA 0


Men's Football -- Match 6, Group C
ITA vs. MEX

Mexico Downs Italy in Men's Football: A goal by Francisco PALENCIA with seven minutes remaining gave Mexico a 1-0 victory over Italy in men's Olympic football on Sunday in Birmingham, Ala. During the game before 44,211 fans in 90-degree heat at Legion Field, Mexico pressed throughout. After multitude scoring chances, the Italians finally broke in the 83rd minute. PALENCIA took Duilio DAVINO'S left-wing center and drove the ball low past diving Italian goalkeeper Gianluca PAGLIUCA. The win made Mexico the co-leader atop Group C standings with South Korea who it will face in Birmingham on Tuesday. Final Score: MEX 1, ITA 0


Men's Football -- Match 7, Group D
BRA vs. JPN

Japan Shocks Favored Brazil in Men's Football: A second half goal by Teruyoshi ITO propelled Japan to a 1-0 upset of heavily-favored Brazil before 46,713 fans at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Fla. Japan's victory was the biggest so far in first-round men's Olympic football play. ITO's winning goal came in the 72nd minute. He ran onto a long ball at the same time a Brazilian defender ran into his own goalkeeper, knocking him to the ground as ITO put the ball into the net. Brazil outshot Japan by a 28-4 margin. Japan, the only Asian nation to win a medal in football, makes its first appearance in the Olympic tournament since taking the bronze medal at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City. Japan's next opponent is Nigeria on Tuesday in Orlando, Fla. Brazil will face Hungary in Miami. Final Score: JPN 1, BRA 0

Japan Goalkeeper Yoshikatsu KAWAGUCHI did not hold high hopes of beating Brazil, "No. Never. If we tied the game it would be good enough,"


Men's Football -- Match 8, Group D
HUN vs. NGR

Nigeria Earns First Olympic Win in Men's Football: Despite a last-minute coaching switch, Nigeria won its first Olympic Games match in men's football with a 1-0 victory over Hungary in Group D play on Sunday in Orlando, Fla. Just before the match began, the Nigerian Football Federation replaced coach Willie BAZUAYE with technical advisor Johannes BONFRERE, who will guide the Nigerian team through the rest of the tournament. Before a Florida Citrus Bowl crowd of 25,303, Nigeria, making its first Olympic football appearance since 1968, won its first ever Olympic Games match after losing seven and drawing two in previous appearances. The match's lone goal came from Nwahko KANU. Final Score: NGR 1, HUN 0


Women's Football -- Match 1, Group F
NOR vs. BRA

Brazil Ties Co-Favorite Norway in Women's Football: Defending world champion Norway was stunned on Sunday by a miraculous last-minute goal by Brazil which produced a 2-2 tie in first round women's Olympic football at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium in Washington, D.C. Norway entered the eight-team tournament as a co-favorite with the United States for the gold medal but Brazil spoiled Norway's plans. The game-tying goal came on PLETINHA'S second goal of the contest, a deflected shot which sailed just over the arms of goalkeeper Bente NORDBY in the 90th minute. Given a feed from ROSELI, PLETINHA'S shot was blocked by Nina ANDERSEN, but the ball managed to float just under the crossbar to tie the game. The Norwegians' first goal came from Linda MEDALEN who hooked a shot away from Brazilian goalkeeper MEG and banked it off the left goalpost and into the net in the 32nd minute. Brazil's first goal came on a corner kick in which PLETINHA put in ROSELI's cross from three yards. Norway regained the lead when Ann AARONES headed a shot off a free kick, diverted in front by MEDALEN'S bicycle kick. Norway's next test comes Tuesday in Washington, D.C. against Germany. Final Score: NOR 2, BRA 2


Women's Football -- Match 2, Group F
GER vs. JPN

Mohr Guides Germany to Historic Women's Football Win: Heidi MOHR scored a pair of goals, including the decisive score in the 62nd minute, as Germany held off Japan 3-2 in the first women's Olympic football contest. An estimated crowd of 30,000 was at Legion Field in Birmingham, Ala. to witness the historic game. The first women's goal was scored by Germany's Bettina WIEGMANN in the fifth minute. Japan's Asako TAKAKURA evened the match at 1-1 before MOHR scored her first of two goals. With the match tied 1-1 in the 29th minute, Mohr rushed down the right sideline and hit a sharp centering pass that bounced off Japanese defender Yumi TOMEI'S chest, ricocheted off the crossbar, back off TOMEI and into the net for a 2-1 German lead. Japan tied the score again when Akemi NODA received Futabi KIOKA'S corner kick and booted it into the net in the 33rd minute. MOHR'S decisive go-ahead goal came when she pushed the ball to the brink of the penalty area and found the upper right corner of the net past Japanese goalkeeper Junko OZAWA. Germany will next face gold medal co-favorite Norway on Tuesday in Washington, D.C. while Japan meets Brazil in Birmingham, Ala. Final Score: GER 3, JPN 2


Women's Football -- Match 3, Group E
USA vs. DEN

U.S. Women's Football Blanks Denmark: Women's Olympic Football made its Olympic debut Sunday as the favored United States shut out Denmark 3-0 in first round action in Orlando, Fla. The aggressive U.S. squad outshot Denmark 24-0 before the largest crowd ever to watch the national team on American soil. The largest crowd to watch a U.S. women's national team in this country before Sunday was 8,975. More than 20,000 in the half-filled Florida Citrus Bowl watched the U.S. control the match from the beginning and broke through for goals by Tisha VENTURINI and Mia HAMM late in the first half. HAMM also assisted on Tiffany MILBRETT'S goal that put the United States up 3-0 less than four minutes into the second half. Denmark's defense held up for 30 minutes before wilting in the sweltering Florida heat which was 94 degrees at kickoff. The U.S. team, playing the first of three preliminary-round games in five days, has been training near Orlando since January to get acclimated to the climate. The United States resumes its gold medal pursuit against Sweden on Tuesday while Denmark will face China on Tuesday in Miami. Final Score: USA 3, DEN 0


Women's Football -- Match 4, Group E
SWE vs. CHN

China Shuts Out Sweden in Women's Football: Goals by SHI Guihong and ZHAO Lihong within a two-minute span led China to a 2-0 win over Sweden in the first round of women's Olympic football in Miami, Fla. SHI beat Swedish goalkeeper Annelie NILSSON from the right side in the 30th minute for China's first score. About two minutes later, ZHAO dribbled across the center of the penalty box and volleyed from the left side, putting the ball in the upper right corner over NILSSON. For the second time in two days at the Orange Bowl, a player received a red card. Anna POHJANEN was ejected and under Olympic rules will miss the next match which is against the United States on Tuesday. China will play Denmark on Tuesday in Miami. Final Score: CHN 2, SWE 0


This is an official publication of the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games Sports Publications Department.


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Olympic Factoid
Closing Ceremony of the 1996 Games involved a crew of 2,100 who worked with more than 3,500 performers as well as thousands of athletes who celebrated on the field of Olympic Stadium.