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ALGARVE CUP 98

Norway Beats Denmark 4-1 to Win Algarve Cup
USA Takes Third Place

March 21, 1998
Algarve Cup Placement Games
1st: Norway 4 -- Denmark 1
3rd: USA 3 -- Sweden 1[Game Report]
5th: China 3 -- Holland 2
7th: Finland 2 -- Portugal 2 (Portugal wins 4-2 in penalty kicks).

Algarve Cup Game Schedule/Current Results

5th Algarve Cup International Women's Tournament Standings as of March 17, 1998

March 15 Olhao 14:30: Norway 0 -- China 1 16.30: Finland 0 -- USA 2 [GAME REPORT] San Antonio 14:30: Sweden 0 -- Denmark 0 16.30: Portugal 1 -- Netherlands 2	March 17 Loulä 14:30: China 1 -- USA 4 [GAME REPORT] 16.30: Norway 1 -- Finland 0 Silves 14:30: Denmark 6 -- Holland 0 16.30: Sweden 2 -- Portugal 0
March 19 Lago 14:30: Norway 4 -- USA 1 [GAME REPORT] 16.30: China 1 -- Finland 0 Monte Choro: 14:30: Denmark 2 -- Portugal 0 16.30: Sweden 1 -- Holland 0	March 21 Algarve Cup Placement Games 1st: Norway 4 -- Denmark 1 (Paderne) 3rd: USA 3 -- Sweden 1 (Quarteira) [Game Report] 5th: China 3 -- Holland 2 (Lagoa) 7th: Finland vs. Portugal (Loule)

Algarve Cup Another Top Tournament
By Thorsten Frennstedt

The fifth Algarve cup on the south coast of Portugal the 15-21 of March will be the most competitive one ever. All the teams who played in the International Women's tournament in Guangzhou, China two months earlier will see each other again there.

The tournament is staged by the soccer federations of the Nordic (Scandinavian) countries. That means Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland. Portugal and Holland will also be there as will China who sent their team last year. The U.S. first appearance in Algarve Cup was in 1994 when losing the final 0-1 to Norway. In 1995 Denmark won the group beating USA 2-0, and Norway defeated the U.S. team in the bronze game on penalties. So far Algarve Cup has presented the toughest challenges except for the World Cup.

The draw was unlucky. It created two very uneven groups. USA will again play China and Norway and poor Finland in Group A, and Group B will include Sweden, Denmark,Portugal and Holland. It could produce another USA-Sweden game!

March 15, 1998
U.S. Women'S National Team Defeats Finland, 2-0

Game Report

The U.S. National Team dominated Finland but only a Michelle Akers' goal in the 51st minute and a Brandi Chastain penalty kick in the 76th enabled their 2-0 victory. Playing attractive possession soccer they| forced Finland's entire team to drop inside their own half for long stretches. The U.S. struggled to find space among the tenacious Finish defense, and managed just 13 shots in the game.

"A solid effort by the United States," said Head Coach Tony DiCicco, who picked up his 59th career win. "It was difficult to break down the organized bunker that they created around their goal, but we played with discipline and stayed within our game plan. We avoided any defensive breakdowns and didn't allow any counter attacks."

The Americans finally broke the deadlock just after halftime when a U.S. cross was poorly punched by Finland goalkeeper Johanna Lindell. U.S. midfielder Julie Foudy ran down the ball in the right side of the penalty box and hit a short but hard cross that was knocked down by Lindell. Michelle Akers tapped in the rebound past a sprawling Lindell from five yards out.

"It's fun to be playing and back in the lineup," said Akers, who scored her 94th career international goal in her first match outside the United States in two years after battling back from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. "But obviously, we have to be better if we're going to win this tournament. As a team, we need capitalize on our scoring opportunities, have sharper focus and be more creative in the final third because we play China and Norway next, two of the best teams in the world." After the first U.S. goal the Americans continued to attack, and Hamm, MacMillan and Lilly all had near misses. Chastain added the second U.S. goal in the 76th minute after Finland defender Mustonen took down a streaking Hamm in the penalty box. Chastain drilled her shot into the left corner for her 12th international goal. Finland featured 5-foot-10 center midfielder Anne Makinen, the consensus college freshman of the year last season for the University of Notre Dame. Makinen battled in the midfield, but without support, was ineffective as Finland produced almost nothing on offense.

The U.S. registered its fourth consecutive shutout and is currently riding a streak of 430 minutes without allowing a goal. Tracy Ducar played the entire game in the U.S. net, picking up the shutout without having to make a save. "We played a pretty solid game all around, but had a little trouble finishing against their bunker," said Foudy, who moved into third place on the U.S. all-time caps list with her 118th appearance. "It's good for us to play against different styles and learn to finish effectively even if the other team packs their defense. We've been playing great coming off our last training camp and winning the tournament in China (in January). We're looking to carry that momentum through to win this tournament."

Lilly made her 143rd international appearance for the USA as she continues to close in on the all-time world record of 151, held by the now retired Heidi Stoere of Norway.

March 17, 1998
Hamm Celebrates Her 26th Birthday With Hat Trick Against China

USA Scurry, Briana Overbeck, Carla Chastain,Brandi Fawcett, Joy MacMillan, Shannon Foudy, Julie Venturini, Tisha Lilly, Kristine Akers, Michelle Milbrett, Tiffeny Hamm, Mia	Substitution Whalen, Sara for MacMillan (63mins) Fair, Lorrie for Venturini (63mins) Pearce, Christie for Fawcett (73mins) Goals Hamm (assist Akers) 15mins Hamm (assist Lilly) 45 Lilly (assist Foudy) 87 Hamm (assist Lilly) 90 Head Coach: Tony DiCicco Asst. Coach: Lauren Gregg
China Goa Hong Fan Yunjie Li Jie Xie Huilin Wang Jingxia Qiu Haiyan Liu Ailing (Zhu Jing 90) Liu Ying Zhang Ouying Zhoa Lihong Jin Yan (Bai Jie 52)	Substitution Bai, Jie for Jin (52mins) Zhu, Jing for Liu (90 mins) Goals: Qiu Haiyan for Zhang at 72 Yellow Cards Fan Yunji 17th min Zhang Ouying 60 min
Officials: Referee:Ingrid Jonsson (Denmark) Assistant Referee:Ana Paz (Portugal) Assistant Referee:Natalio Silva (Portugal) Fourth Official: Joao Pires (Portugal)

Game Report

The four goals were the most ever scored by the USA against China in 17 meetings dating back to 1986. The two teams tied 0-0 in their last meeting in Guangzhou, China, on Jan. 21, 1998.

Akers hit a left-footed shot from 30 yards out towards the upper right corner. Gaomade the save, but dropped the ball as she fell. Hamm ran in and put the ball past Gao into the net from two yards.

A long throw-in from the left sideline by Chastain was headed forward by Kristine Lilly to Hamm who beat two defenders before slipping the ball past Gao from 10 yards for her second goal just before half-time.

Qui Haiyan's shot from 19 yards out put China back in the game in the 72nd minute, and the next 12 minutes belonged to China, who attacked with renewed energy against a U.S. team suddenly without rhythm. But with China pushing players forward the game opened up for the U.S. who scored twice in the last three minutes. From a corner kick Foudy passed to Lilly whose goal put the game away for USA. Hamm completed her hat trick by beating Gao in the last seconds of the match.

"Mia Hamm was the show today," said U.S. Head Coach Tony DiCicco. "China had no answer for her. She played great defense, held the ball well in the attack and took on defenders all game. It was a game with two faces," added DiCicco. "At times, we played brilliant soccer and at times China had us under pressure, but we kept our poise and finished our chances well."

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"Anytime you beat a team of as talented as China by that score, it definitely gives you confidence," said Hamm, who upped her international goal total to 85 in 141 games. "Our midfield and defenders did a great job dealing with the tough conditions, the wind and the bumpy field, while still maintaining our composure. I'm happy with the goals because I think I only got three good opportunities, but the entire team improved from the last game in terms of their commitment to go forward and attack, which ultimately led to all four goals."

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Lilly, moved into third place on the USA's all-time scoring list with 54 goals, passing Carin Gabarra. The match was Lilly's 144th international appearance for the USA, putting her seven games short of the all-time world record of 151, held by the now retired Heidi Stoere of Norway.

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March 19, 1998

Game Report

Norway put 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 played the ball forward to Pettersen who shot from 13 yards out past U.S. goalkeeper 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. Foudy blocked the first attempt, but was given a yellow card for encroachment, and Norway was allowed to take the shot again. Risse's deflected shot rolled past a wrong-footed Scurry into the net.

USA came out in the second half pushing for its first goal, bu Lehn scored after just five minutes, bouncing her shot over the hand of a diving Scurry from 17 yards out.

Hamm continually ran at the Norway's defense as she tried to inject some life into her team and she created the lone U.S. goal in the 69th minute passing to Michelle Akers at the top of the penalty box after a dynamic dribbling run. Akers' 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 more gloom to one of the USA's darkest days, scoring right off 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.

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"We took the game too lightly," said 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 was a different team than the one we saw in China, they were quicker, more organized and more aggressive. It's a very, very disappointing result."

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Other

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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.

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.

The result was a deserving one for Norway, who pressured the Americans all over the field for the entire game.

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.

March 19, 1998

Game Report

The U.S. Team pressured Sweden fronm the start with three corner kicks in the first seven minutes but Sweden scored first,at the 29th minute When Ljungberg put a loose ball past Ducar from six yards after the defense were slow in clearing a crossed ball. Ten minutes later the U.S. drew even The U.S. drew even in the 39th minute when Foudy scored from the top of the box from a Hamm pass.

The U.S. continued to outshoot Sweden and with just five minutes left, Hamm was taken down in the penalty box, and Chastain converted the resulting penalty kick. Two minutes later Hamm picked up a short punt from Karlsson and went to goal taking with her two defenders so that as the keeper came out to challenge she was able to give the ball to an unmarked Lilly to dribble into the open goal.

"We played a good match against an improved Sweden team and finished the tournament well," said U.S. Head Coach Tony DiCicco. "Mia Hamm had another outstanding game along with Kristine Lilly. The commitment to victory was vastly improved over the Norway game (a 4-1 loss), but once again we found these teams in mid-season form due to their World Cup Qualification schedule. Overall, the tournament was an excellent event for our development as we prepare for the 1999 Women's World Cup."

OTHER

It was Lilly's 55th international goal in her 146th appearance and 44th consecutive start.

Sara Whalen played perhaps her best game for the national team, entering the match in the 59th minute and adding some spark to the attack.

Striker Tiffeny Milbrett missed her third game of the Algarve Cup due to the flu. Hamm and Chastain tied for top tournament scorers with three goals each. "Anytime the national team gets together to play and compete, it's going to help us prepare for all games coming up in the United States," added Hamm, who along with her teammates has played 11 of their last 13 internationals matches on foreign soil. "We love playing at home and the support we get is always wonderful. It's going to be nice to play some of the best teams in the world in front of the U.S fans."

The U.S. team will now prepare for a busy domestic schedule, starting with two games against Argentina in California in late April. The USA will regroup on April 18 at the ARCO Olympic Training Center in San Diego before playing Argentina April 24 at Titan Stadium in Fullerton, Calif. (Kickoff 7:30 p.m. PT) and on April 26 at Spartan Stadium in San Jose, Calif. (Kickoff 12:30 p.m. PT, Live on ESPN).

Hamm has a busy schedule before the U.S. comes together again as she prepares for her second annual benefit indoor soccer game in Milwaukee on April 5. The Garrett Game, named after her late brother, who passed away last spring due to a rare blood disorder, benefits Children's Hospital of Milwaukee and the National Marrow Donors Program (NMDP), with the focus on helping minority families and recruiting minority bone marrow donors. Hamm and her U.S. teammates will take on a team of college all-stars.