ROAD TO THE 1999 WOMEN'S WORLD CUP!

LAGOS, Portugal (Thursday, March 19, 1998) - The U.S. Women's National Team suffered the worst loss in its 13-year history, falling 4-1 to reigning World Cup champion Norway in its final Group A game at the Algarve Cup in Southern Portugal, relegating the USA to the third place match.

A win, a draw or a loss by less than three goals would have put the USA in the championship game against Denmark on Saturday. Instead the Americans, who have yet to win the Algarve Cup in four attempts, will play for third place against Sweden in Quarteira on Sat., March 21 (Kickoff 11 a.m. Local/6 a.m. ET). The result was a shocking one for the USA, which before today was playing some of its best soccer since the 1996 Olympics and entered the match on the heels a 4-1 victory over China last Tuesday. The result, however, was a deserving one for Norway, who pressured the Americans all over the field for the entire game.

On a day when little seemed to go right for the U.S., the Americans allowed two goals in the first 12 minutes, one just after halftime and a fourth just seconds after they had pulled a goal back.

Norway's win avenges a 3-0 loss to the U.S. last Jan. 24 in Guangzhou, China, a victory that clinched that tournament for the USA. A U.S. win would have equaled the all-time series between the two teams, instead Norway remains the only team in the world with a winning record against the American women at 11-9-1.

"Norway was a different team than the one we saw in China," said U.S. Head Coach Tony DiCicco. "They were much quicker, much more organized and more aggressive. It's a very, very disappointing result."

An energetic Norway side came at the USA from the opening whistle, putting immediate pressure on the U.S. defense and earned a goal in just the 7th minute. Norway stole a U.S. pass in midfield and immediately played the ball forward to Marianne Pettersen. The Norwegian forward fought off Joy Fawcett's challenge and slotted the ball on the ground from 13 yards out into the left corner past U.S. goalkeeper Briana Scurry, who struggled on the day despite making nine saves.

Norway got its second goal in the 12th minute after Scurry inexplicably picked up a back-pass from Fawcett, giving the Scandinavians an indirect free kick just 16 yards from the goal. Julie Foudy blocked the first attempt, but was given a yellow card for encroachment, and Norway was allowed to take the shot again. Hege Risse's deflected shot rolled past a wrong-footed Scurry into the net.

"We took the game too lightly," added DiCicco. "At this level against this kind of competition, it's a game of mentality, and we did not have it today. We had some bad mistakes in the back and it cost us a place in the final." Norway's style of long balls and quick counter-attacks was effective the entire match as their disruptive, high pressure defense never allowed the U.S. to get a real rhythm.

It was just the second time in the 168-game history of the U.S. Women's National Team that the USA has allowed four goals in a match, the other time being May 28, 1991, in a 4-3 loss to Holland. It was the first time the U.S. women have ever lost a game by three goals.

After establishing a better attacking rhythm at the end of the first half, the USA came out in the second half pushing for its first goal, but Norway's Unni Lehn scored after just five minutes, bouncing her shot over the hand of a diving Scurry from 17 yards out.

Forward Mia Hamm never stopped working and continually ran at the Norway's defense as she tried to inject some life into her team. It was Hamm who created the lone U.S. goal in the 69th minute, dropping a pass to Michelle Akers at the top of the penalty box after a dynamic dribbling run. Akers' bullet shot was brilliantly saved by Norwegian goalkeeper Bente Nordby, but Hamm was fouled in the penalty box chasing the rebound, and Brandi Chastain nailed the penalty kick to cut the lead to two goals.

Pettersen however, added some more gloom to one of the USA's darkest days, scoring right of the kickoff, running past the U.S. defense on the left wing, turning the corner toward Scurry and slipping the ball past her into the far post from three yard out.

While both the USA and Norway finished group play even on points with six, Pettersen's goal gave Norway the edge in the first tie-breaker, goal difference, and the right to play Denmark for the championship on Saturday. Had the USA not allowed Pettersen's final goal, the teams would have been tied on goal difference and the USA would have won the group on the second tie- breaker, total goals scored.

Hamm had the USA's best two chances of the first half. In the 28th minute, she ran onto a pass behind the Norway defense, and dribbled past Nordby, but touched the ball too wide to her left and lost her angle to shoot. In the 40th minute, Nordby pushed Hamm's 22-yard free-kick off the cross bar and the rebound was cleared away.

Tiffany Roberts got her first start in over a year, playing right midfield as Shannon MacMillan moved to forward in place of flu-stricken Tiffeny Milbrett, who did not accompany the U.S. team to the game. The match was Kristine Lilly's 145th international appearance for the USA, putting her six games short of the all-time world record of 151, held by the now retired Heidi Stoere of Norway.