USA Women's Postgame Quotes From Gold Medal Game

"We are just elated," said U.S. Women's National Coach, speaking on the emotion of her team's 2-1 overtime win over Brazil for the Olympic gold medal. "We had a belief and a unity within this team that made the difference. A belief not only in those players on the field, but in every player on the team, both on and off the bench, that we had the ability to do whatever it would take to win this competition."

"Brazil was a phenomenal team and Marta is certainly not only one of the best players in the world, but one of the best player's the women's game has ever seen. For us to beat them a second time in this tournament, and score four goals on them when no one else in the tournament could score one, and to have beaten them three times overall this year, is a tremendous accomplishment."

On the overall team fortitude and resiliency in overtime, late leads:
"The thing we talked about all year long was that we have found ourselves behind in some games and it was important for us to find it within ourselves the ability to come from behind. We showed we could come from behind this year, and in the semifinals against Germany when we gave up the late goal and some people might have thought the pressure would intensify, we never hesitated or doubted our ability to bounce back. We had the same feeling tonight against Brazil. When they scored to tie the game and were applying some pressure, we were OK and knew we were going to get another one back. That is the belief this team had in themselves."

On her feelings after winning her first world championship as a coach:
"Personally, I'm thrilled. I couldn't be happier. I couldn't be happier for the veterans and for them to go out on top, which is the way it should be. It is just so appropriate. I'm happy about the contribution of the young players, and they have said all along that 'We are ready,' and they showed that the future is very bright for our next generation of players."

"I don't want to say 'I can't believe it,' because it is not that 'I can't believe it,' but we have come so close a couple of times. So it is just very wonderful to be able to celebrate this knowing we accomplished what we set out to do."

KRISTINE LILLY, MIDFIELDER
"It is just amazing, we push every single game and we've done it in the semis and the finals. And it just shows what we are made of: big hearts."

JULIE FOUDY, MIDFIELDER
On how she played through her ankle injury:
"I just hear everyone on the sidelines cheering. We are such a team and that is what I love about these guys. There was never a doubt in our minds that we could pull this off. Even as dead tired as we were, we pulled it out. It's unbelievable, this group."

JOY FAWCETT, DEFENDER
On the emotional win:
"This is a great family and I'm so proud of everyone. We couldn't have done it without every single person. Everyone gave everything and that is what we needed."

On whether trying to win in the final go around was a burden:
"Heck, yeah. It was a burden. But we all carried well and we all carried it together and that is how we won."

MIA HAMM, FORWARD
On her teammates and their legacy:
"This team never gave up and every single player made a difference. These guys deserve it. They always put the game first. They always thought about leaving a legacy and leaving a better place for all the young girls that are in the stands. These girls deserve it and I am so proud to be on this team. I'm just one person. America should be proud of this team. We are going to enjoy it."

ABBY WAMBACH, FORWARD
Trying to describe the emotions of her winning goal:
"No words. This is for them. It is for these players going through their last world championship: Brandi Chastain, Kristine Lilly, Joy Fawcett, Julie Foudy, Briana Scurry, Mia Hamm ... all these players that have done so much for this team. This is for them."

BRANDI CHASTAIN, DEFENDER
On her emotions and the realization of their expectations:
"What we talked about was the confidence we have in each other. The supreme belief that we will win no matter what. It gets rough out there but this team is not about quitting. It is about moving forward and being progressive and loving each other and doing anything to make our team successful. This is a team people should be proud of."

On what it means to her personally:
"For me personally, both of my parents died recently, and I think it is about family, like Joy said. And when you can share it with all these people here waving flags, that is the family. We are not an exclusive group, we are an inclusive group and we want everyone to enjoy this and we are so happy we can bring this home to America."

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Another Golden Moment In The Olympics

HERAKLIO, Greece (August 26, 2004) – Kristine Lilly sent a left-footed inswinging corner kick to the back post and Abby Wambach headed back to the near post and into the net off the head of a Brazilian defender on the goal line as the U.S. topped Brazil to win the gold medal today.

The U.S. used Wambach's goal to edge Brazil 2-1 in the second 15-minute overtime period in the gold medal game.

To open the scoring Lindsay Tarpley cracked a 27-yard shot inside the left post after Brandi Chastain won the ball in midfield and played it to give the U.S. a 1-0 lead before halftime, but Brazil came back in the second half with a goal by Prentina.

Brazil also hit Briana Scurry's right post twice during the half. U.S. outlasts Brazil 2-1 in overtime Associated Press ATHENS, Greece -- When the final whistle blew, an exhausted Mia Hamm was quickly swarmed by 17 thrilled teammates.

It was the final competitive international game for Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy and Joy Fawcett, who combine with Brandi Chastain and Kristine Lilly as the Fab Five veterans.

Hamm and the rest of the Fab Five had just enough left in their thirtysomething legs for one more title, and it was the first major championship for the U.S. women since the 1999 World Cup final in Los Angeles In fact, it was the first major international title, Olympics or World Cup, the U.S. women had won away from home soil since winning the first FIFA world title in 1991 in China.
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Abby Wambach, the player who might just break Hamm's records one day, scored in the 112th minute with a powerful 10-yard header off a corner kick from Kristine Lilly. It was Wambach's fourth goal of the Olympics and 18th in her last 20 games.

The game marked the final competitive appearance together for the last remaining players from the first World Cup championship team in 1991. The five helped bring their sport to national prominence and captured the country's imagination by winning the World Cup in 1999, and together they have played in 1,230 international matches.

Hamm, Foudy and Fawcett are retiring from the national team -- although they might play in some farewell exhibitions this fall -- leaving Lilly and Chastain as the last of the old guard.
They'll leave happy with the final result, but they might never want to watch a replay of a game that showed they should perhaps hang it up.

Maybe they were trying too hard, but the Americans were slower, less organized, less creative and lost the chase to most of the loose balls against the young Brazilians, who also weren't afraid to shove the U.S. stars around.

Hamm especially was a nonfactor, unable to find space to make the kind of runs that made her famous. She had no legs left in the overtime periods of the 266th game of a 17-year career that included 153 goals.
The U.S. team was rescued by Wambach, some great saves from goalkeeper Briana Scurry and a goal from Tarpley, one of two college players on the team, in the 39th minute

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Quotes From USA vs. Germany Semifinal

U.S. head coach April Heinrichs on that match:
"What a pleasure it was to coach in that game ," said U.S. head coach April Heinrichs . " What a great game it was. I said after the World Cup loss (to Germany in the semifinal in 2003) that it was the greatest game ever played in women's soccer and I think this one may have surpassed that, and I am not big on making grandiose statements."

Heinrichs on the match:
"Both teams played hard, they played aggressive and attacking soccer. There was a flair, a team orientation to the way both teams played, so my compliments to the German team. I really thought we had them knocked out of the game in regulation, but a credit to their mental toughness and belief in themselves to tie it up."

Heinrichs on the tactics of the game:
"We talked about systems and we felt we could confidently play a 4-4-2 or a 4-3-3. That's always a confidence booster knowing that you could go into a game playing any system, but the key is for us to play our style of soccer…Starting in a 4-4-2 helped us get a rhythm and a confidence about ourselves. It was very important for us to start well today."

Heinrichs on the last four teams, the USA, Germany, Brazil and Sweden:
"I truly believe the Final Four is representative of the best four teams in the world today. All four of these teams have taken it to another level."

Forward Mia Hamm on Kristine Lilly, who scored her third goal in as many games:
"She was unbelievable today. She was all over the place, fighting and winning balls, getting into the attack and she scored a classic."

Hamm on the team and O'Reilly:
"I am so proud of this team right now. We never gave up. At the end, they made a great run and got a deflection, which is hard for Bri (Scurry) to save…We knew we had 30 more minutes to try to get one back and Heather O'Reilly put it away. She had a chance early and hit it off the post, but she didn't get down on herself."

Hamm on the USA's defense:
"Our defense was awesome tonight. (Shannon) Boxx was winning balls and Abby (Wambach) just painted the field with her heart. I'm just so proud, you can't say enough about this team."

Hamm on the leadership on the team:
"I think the leadership was tremendous. Julie Foudy, as soon as we came off (at the end of regulation), she's on crutches, but she is looking everyone in the eye and saying we are not losing this thing, and that we had to believe that. She said we had 30 more minutes to prove that we deserve to be in the Final. And it inspired everyone."

Hamm on if the emotional game gives the USA a boost for the gold medal game:
"Anytime you compete against the best in the world, you have to find confidence in it, but at the same time, this team has always respected whoever we play and we know when we step on the field that we will get our opponent's best and we expect nothing less. Now, we have to concentrate on getting our bodies back, because we expended a lot of not only physical energy, but also emotional energy. We need to enjoy this with our families, but we have a stern test in three days for what we are all dreaming about."

Hamm on the contribution of the bench:
"The players that were on the bench made just as much of an impact (as the players on the field). (Germany) ties the game and we came off the field and not one of their faces looked like we were beaten. They just were positive and telling us that we had to believe that in the next 30 minutes that we were going to play that we could get this done. And that's a huge lift, when you are emotionally exhausted, and a bit deflated after you have just played so hard to have that goal come when it did, they were tremendously positive. We always talk about it being a team victory and it certainly was tonight."

Hamm on O'Reilly:
"Heather just wants to help us win. She just wants to make a difference. She's had experiences with the youth national team in big events. She played in the U-19 World Cup and scored goals for them. She had an unbelievable freshman campaign at UNC and having that leadership role with those teams has hardened her. It's not easy when you have an opportunity to win the game for your team and you work so hard and you get in and hit the post. But she came right back and that's not an easy ball to finish. There were a lot of people in the middle that six yard box and she put it in a great spot."

Forward Heather O'Reilly on hitting the post in overtime:
"I was at an angle where I thought I needed to use my left foot, and it just nicked the post. Once that happened, I was pretty upset about it. But I know I had to forget about things like that and keep playing, so that's what I did."

O'Reilly on if it took one or two minutes to forget her shot off the post:
"Less than that. In this kind of game, 30 seconds can be a matter of a win or a loss. You take a breath and let it go and that's it."

O'Reilly on the winning goal:
"It was just really hard work from Mia. It's amazing that these women played 120 minutes. My respect for them just went up another notch. She worked hard to get to the end line and I just had to make that near post run for her to slide it in and I just had to get something on it and slip it home."

O'Reilly on her emotions after the game:
"I am really feeling good right now, but I am just one piece to the puzzle. I did my role today, coming off the bench and providing fresh legs and a spark, which is what I tried to do the whole tournament, and lucky for me it worked out today."

Forward Abby Wambach on the game and looking forward:
"I am a bit overwhelmed at how it was won. I believed that we could win this game, the whole team did. When we get into a situation when you are in overtime, I think most things get thrown out the window…it's just about heart. It's about pushing through those last few minutes. It's a gut check and I think our team showed really well today. It gives us a sense of confidence going into the gold medal game. We have one more game in line and that's our goal, we're not at all finished with this tournament."

U.S. captain Julie Foudy about having to watch the second half of the game from the bench after injuring her ankle:
"I was a wreck. I wanted to vomit. When you are off the field, you don't have the control, so I just kept screaming. I knew we were going to get tested in this tournament, that there would be moments when things didn't go your way, but you never stop believing."

Midfielder Kristine Lilly on the match:
"We didn't look at this game at all as redemption (for the Women's World Cup loss in 2003). We looked at it as a semifinal game. To play a team like Germany, who is obviously the defending world champions, it's a great opportunity. For people that watched this game, it was a great soccer game. Neither team gave up, they scored three minutes left in extra time, then Heather hits the post and then scores for us, and the whole time, our team believed to the very end, even when our legs were dying, that we would win the game."

Lilly on what she said to O'Reilly, a UNC sophomore:
"I told Heather she would be the big girl on campus when she gets back to college."

Defender Brandi Chastain on the match:
"Germany gave us a great game from the first whistle to the final whistle. It wasn't about proving that we were good enough, it was about showing the world what kind of soccer we can play and I think we did that tonight. We played well, but we can definitely get better for the final."

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O'Reilly's Goal Pushes U.S. To Gold Medal Game

The U.S. Women's National Team is on to the gold medal match after a 2-1 overtime victory over Germany in the Olympic semifinal match this evening in Heraklio, Greece.

In this Olympic Games much has been made of the veterans, especially the five who have taken part in all four FIFA Women's World Cup championships - Mia Hamm, Kristine Lilly, Joy Fawcett, Brandi Chastain, and Julie Foudy.

Each of those started against Germany and each played key roles, but it was the youngest player on the roster who came up with the game-winner.

The U.S. got the winning goal in the first overtime period when Heather O'Reilly, a rising sophomore at UNC Chapel Hill, knocked in a pass from Hamm and the U.S. defense was able to hold off the powerful German attack to preserve the victory.

The U.S. took the lead in the 32nd minute on a goal by Lilly, but Germany came back in stoppage time of the second half, scoring off a deflection to push the game into overtime.

The U.S. had advanced with a 2-1 win over Japan in the quarterfinals, and had won their group with a 2-0-1 record. Meanwhile Germany rolled through two group games and advanced with a win over Nigeria. The current World Cup champions, Germany defeated China 8-0 in a pool game.

The U.S. dominated most of the game, and going into the closing minutes of regulation held a 1-0 lead and an 11-3 shots on goal advantage. Lilly had scored off an assist by Abby Wambach, and cracked a volley past veteran goalkeeper Silke Rottenberg.

The U.S. was more aggressive this time against Germany, and were whistled for four yellow cards, including a caution against U.S. goalkeeper Briana Scurry for delay in the game late in the second half while the U.S. held a 1-0 lead.

With only their fourth shot on goal, midway through five minutes of extra time, Isabell Bacher struck a shot that deflected off of Fawcett and into the U.S. goal.

The two 15 minute overtime periods were up and down the field, with both teams threatening. After tying the game the powerful Germans outshot the U.S. 8-3.

The win pushed the U.S. to 13-4-2 all-time against the European champions.

The U.S. will face Brazil after they beat Sweden 1-0 on Thursday afternoon at 2:00 ET. The U.S. defeated Brazil earlier in this competition in group play. Sweden lost last fall's FIFA Women's World Cup championship to Germany in overtime. The game will be televised live by NBC and Telemundo.

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US Women Beat Japan 2-1, Advance to Semi-Finals

THESSALONIKI, Greece (August 20, 2004) – The U.S. Women’s National Team put together its best overall match of the 2004 Olympics so far, earning a 2-1 quarterfinal win over Japan behind goals from Kristine Lilly and Abby Wambach.

With the win, the U.S. advances to meet 2003 FIFA Women’s World Cup champion Germany in the semifinal on Monday, August 23, in match that will be televised live on MSNBC and Telemundo at 6 p.m. (local) / 11 a.m. ET.

In their quarterfinal match, Germany came back from a 1-0 deficit to score twice in the final 20 minutes, including the game-winner in the 81st minute, and beat Nigeria 2-1. In the other quarterfinal matches, Brazil hammered Mexico, 5-0, while Sweden downed Australia, 2-1. Sweden will meet Brazil in the other semifinal on Aug. 23 in Patra at 9 p.m. (local) / 2 p.m. ET in a rematch of the 2003 Women’s World Cup quarterfinal won by Sweden.

U.S. head coach April Heinrichs made four changes from the lineup that faced Australia in the USA’s final group match, inserting Brandi Chastain (who saw her first action of the tournament) at left back and moving Kate Markgraf into the middle of the defense with Joy Fawcett. Christie Rampone returned to her right back spot, while 20-year-old midfielder Lindsay Tarpley got her first start of the tournament. Wambach returned from suspension to start alongside Hamm and Lilly up top in an attacking-minded 4-3-3 formation and the trio put pressure on the Japanese back line for the entire match.

The USA played with a sharpness and rhythm seen only in spurts during the first three matches and were dominant on air balls, as well as pressuring the skillful Japanese in the midfield, limiting their time and space to create. The match was played in front of a crowd of only 1,418, but the vocal, drum-beating fans from both countries created some exciting atmosphere in the large stadium.

The U.S. played with confidence and crispness over the first half hour, but neither team could produce any dangerous chances in the early going. Japan began to find their rhythm as the half wore on, but only registered one shot in the first half, a long attempt from midfielder Homare Sawa that U.S. goalkeeper Briana Scurry easily saved in the 17th minute.

The U.S. didn’t have its first shot on goal until the 39th minute, when a Tarpley cross from the left found Wambach in the middle of the box with a defender on her back. The 5-11 forward was able to snap a header on goal, but Japanese goalkeeper Nozomi Yamago dove to save the ball at the left post.

The USA got a huge goal just two minutes before halftime thanks to a never-say-die dribbling run from Lilly. She won the ball outside the penalty area on the left side and sprinted into the box, where she pushed through a tackle from a Japanese defender. The ball popped up in the air and Japan’s Homare Sawa came flying back toward her own goal trying to clear the ball, but kicked it straight up in the air. Tarpley kept the ball alive by challenging in the air with Yamago about 10 yards from the goal, and when the ball hit the ground, Lilly struck a half volley with her right foot just inside the left post. It was Lilly’s second goal in as many games and the 97th of her career.

Japan wasted no time getting an equalizer, answering back just three minutes after the break. On a bit of a fluke goal, Emi Yamamoto sent in a free kick from the right side that flew past the diving Sawa and a lunging Rampone and skipped into the left side of the net to make it 1-1.

In the 52nd minute, the U.S. almost went ahead when Yamago gave up a rebound off a long, driven shot from Wambach and the ball squirted out in front of the Japanese ‘keeper. Hamm quickly pounced on the loose ball and tried to dribble around Yamago, but could only muster a cross that tantalizingly rolled through the penalty area before being cleared.

The U.S. grabbed the lead back in the 58th minute on one of the most unusual goals of the tournament as the USA beat a Japan offside trap from a free kick by Hamm. As the ball was sent into the Japanese penalty area, the defensive line rushed forward, but the Americans had players coming from behind and four U.S. attackers raced in all alone on Yamago. The ball fell to midfielder Shannon Boxx, who collected the ball smoothly and had almost too much time as she dribbled toward Yamago, who cut off her angle. Boxx unselfishly laid the ball back to Wambach, who took a touch and practically walked the ball over the goal line. It was Wambach’s team-leading third goal of the tournament and 31st of her career.

In the 65th minute, Hamm broke free for a moment in the right side of the penalty area after a great U.S. build-up, but with a player hanging all over her, she couldn’t get enough pace on her shot and it went right into the hands of Yamago.

Hamm got Lilly and Wambach into dangerous positions with her passing in the latter part of the match, but both were shutdown by Japanese defenders before they could unleash shots.

The U.S. survived a scare in the 69th minute when they couldn’t clear a loose ball in a crowded penalty area after several attempts. The ball was played back to the top of the box to second-half sub Miyuki Yanagita, who fired a low shot wide left of the goal.

Tarpley had a good chance in the 76th minute, but her soft shot was right at Yamago. U.S. captain Julie Foudy almost delivered a huge insurance goal in the 78th minute, but her header back across the goal from a corner kick was cleared off the line by Yanagita.

The U.S. escaped one final flurry in the penalty area in the 90th minute, as a corner kick eluded Scurry and bounced around in the box, with a pair of shots being blocked before the ball was cleared.

Heinrichs made no subs in the match, going with the same 11 for the entire 90 minutes. Tarpley played an inspired match in the midfield for the USA, while all the American midfielders put in a hard night of running. The U.S. back line of Rampone, Joy Fawcett, Markgraf and Chastain also did extremely well to keep the crafty Japanese in front of them for the entire game. Japan took just seven shots during the match, with just three on goal, and one started as a cross off the free kick that found its way into the net.

The USA-Germany semifinal sets up a dramatic rematch of the 2003 Women’s World Cup semifinal when Germany downed the USA, 3-0, at PGE Park in Portland, Ore., scoring twice in stoppage time of the second half to make the final margin. The U.S. team will travel tomorrow to Heraklio on the island of Crete, site of their opening match against Greece back on Aug. 11.

U.S. WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM GAME REPORT
Match-up: USA vs. Japan
Competition: 2004 Olympics – Quarterfinal
Venue: Kaftanzolglio Stadium; Thessaloniki, Greece
Date: August 20, 2004; Kickoff – 6 p.m. local / 11 a.m. ET
Attendance: 1,418
Weather: Sunny, blazing hot 93 degrees

Scoring Summary:
1 2 F
USA 1 1 2
JPN 0 1 1

USA – Kristine Lilly (unassisted) 43rd minute.
JAP – Emi Yamamoto (unassisted) 48th
USA – Abby Wambach (Shannon Boxx) 58th

Lineups:
USA: 1-Briana Scurry; 3-Christie Rampone, 15-Kate Markgraf, 14-Joy Fawcett, 6-Brandi Chastain; 7-Shannon Boxx, 5-Lindsay Tarpley, 11-Julie Foudy (Capt.); 13-Kristine Lilly, 20-Abby Wambach, 9-Mia Hamm.
Subs Not Used: 2-Heather Mitts, 4-Cat Reddick, 8-Angela Hucles, 10-Aly Wagner, 12-Cindy Parlow, 17-Heather O’Reilly, 18-Kristin Luckenbill.
Head Coach: April Heinrichs.

JPN: 1-Nozomi Yamago; 2-Yano Kyoko (12-Yasuyo Yamagishi, 46), 3-Hiromi Isozaki (Capt.), 5-Naoko Kawakami (14-Karina Maruyama, 77), 13-Aya Shimokozuru; 6-Tomoe Sakai, 8-Tomomi Miyamoto, 7-Emi Yamamoto (15-Miyuki Yangita, 68); 9-Eriko Arakawa, 10-Homare Sawa, 11-Mio Otani.
Subs Not Used: 4-Yumi Obe, 16-Yayoi Kobayashi, 17-Kozue Ando, 18-Shiho Onodera.
Head Coach: Eiji Ueda.

Statistical Summary:
USA JPN
Shots: 12 7
Shots on Goal: 7 3
Saves: 1 5
Corner Kicks: 4 6
Fouls: 19 4
Offside: 0 1

Misconduct Summary:
USA – Kristine Lilly (caution) 46th minute +.
USA – Mia Hamm (caution) 86th

Officials:
Referee: Silvia de Oliveira (Brazil)
Asst. Referee #1: Ana da Silva Oliveira (Brazil)
Asst. Referee #2: Aracely Castro (Bolivia)
4th Official: Diana Krystyna Szokolai (Australia)

Quarterfinals
Aug. 20
Germany 2, Nigeria 1
USA 2, Japan 1
Brazil 5, Mexico 0
Sweden 2, Australia 1

Semifinals
Aug. 23 Venue
USA vs. Germany Heraklio
Sweden vs. Brazil Patra

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Australia Rallies To Tie USA

Midfielder Kristine Lilly scored a spectacular first-half goal, but the U.S. Women’s National Team allowed a late equalizer with just eight minutes left to tie Australia, 1-1, at Kaftanzolglio Stadium in the USA’s final opening round match of the 2004 Olympics.

The draw gives the U.S. seven points and first place in Group G, meaning they will face Group E third place finisher Japan in the quarterfinals on Friday, August 20 at 6 p.m. (local) / 11 a.m. (ET) live on MSNBC and Telemundo. The USA finished group play with a 2-0-1 record, the same opening round record as in the 1996 and 2000 Olympics. In Japan, the USA faces perhaps the most underrated team in the tournament and a dangerous quarterfinal opponent. The USA and Japan have tied the last three times the teams have played.

The first 15 minutes of the match saw little in the way of scoring chances for either team as Australia came out in a 4-5-1 formation with speedy forward Sarah Walsh up top. Central defenders Joy Fawcett and Cat Reddick played fine games for the Americans, diffusing almost everything Australia threw at the USA in the first half. The USA played in a 4-4-2, but were without two regular starters as forward Cindy Parlow filled in for the suspended Abby Wambach and defender Heather Mitts replaced Christie Rampone at right back.

The game’s first shot didn’t come until the 16th minute, when U.S. midfielder Shannon Boxx smacked a low shot wide right from 25 yards out after a clever touch back from Parlow.

The U.S. broke through in the 19th minute and U.S. captain Julie Foudy was right in the middle of the action. She got possession on right flank before beating a defender on an inside cut and tried to cross. Her service was blocked, but Mia Hamm ran the ball down on the right side of the penalty and hit a quick cross that Parlow got a foot on, but her close-range spinning shot was well-saved be Australia goalkeeper Cassandra Kell. Australia failed to clear the ball though and it dropped to Foudy at right elbow of box. She then lofted a perfect far post chip to the streaking Lilly, who held off a defender and hit a sliding left-footed volley off Kell’s left hand and into the roof of the net from three yards out. The goal broke a 17-game scoreless streak for Lilly, but it was her ninth score in world championship competition and the 96th goal of her career.

The U.S. had a great chance to make it 2-0 when Lilly won back a ball after being dispossessed on the left flank, took a touch forward and sent in a perfect cross to the middle of the box, where Foudy snapped a header just inches wide of the left post.

Walsh, who gave the USA trouble all night with her running on counter-attacks, put a scare into the U.S. defense in the 58th minute, running after a ball that Joy Fawcett had head backed to Briana Scurry, but the U.S. goalkeeper scoop up the ball before Walsh crashed into her.

Australia had more of the game in the last 30 minutes as the U.S. team lost some of the rhythm it had early on, and the Matlidas fired four shots on the goal in the latter part of the match. Australia midfielder Joanne Peters had a good look at goal in the 62nd minute as she tried to lob Scurry with a 20-yard shot, but the U.S. goalkeeper back-tracked to make an easy save.

Australia finally got the equalizer when Peters cut in front of Foudy on a cross from Heather Garriock to head a looping shot over Scurry and under the crossbar in the 82nd minute.

The tie again exposed an inability of the U.S. team to score off the run of play. For much of this year, the U.S. has relied on goals off set pieces and restarts in many of its close results. It is a weakness that could make the U.S. vulnerable in the knockout phase of the tournament, which begins in the quarterfinals against Japan.

In other Group G action, Brazil thrashed Greece 7-0 to finish second in Group G. In its quarterfinal match, Brazil will play Mexico, who fell 2-0 to Germany. Germany easily won Group F and will play Group E runner-up Nigeria. Sweden rebounded from a surprise 1-0 loss to Japan and came back from a goal down to defeat Nigeria 2-1 and win Group E on the head-to-head tiebreaker after each had the same points, goal difference and number of goals scored.

If Sweden had lost they would have been out of the tournament, but instead they used goals in the 68th and 73rd minutes to defeat the Super Falcons, meaning that in a span of five minutes, the USA’s quarterfinal opponent went from China (who would have qualified had Sweden lost), to Sweden (who would have played the USA had they tied) to Japan (who was forced into the bottom of the group as they scored just one goal to Sweden and Nigeria’s two each). Sweden will face Australia in the other quarterfinal.

China, which was upset by Canada in the quarterfinals of the 2003 Women’s World Cup, was eliminated after its 8-0 loss to Germany and 1-1 tie with Mexico, and will have three years to re-build before they host the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Greece bowed out of the tournament with three losses and without scoring a goal while allowing 11.

U.S. WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM GAME REPORT

Scoring Summary:
1 2 F
USA 1 0 1
AUS 0 1 1
USA – Kristine Lilly (Julie Foudy) 19th minute.
AUS – Joanne Peters (Heather Garriock) 82nd

Lineups:
USA: 1-Briana Scurry; 2-Heather Mitts, 4-Cat Reddick, 14-Joy Fawcett, 15-Kate Markgraf; 7-Shannon Boxx (5-Lindsay Tarpley, 67), 10-Aly Wagner (8-Angela Hucles, 74), 11-Julie Foudy (Capt.), 13-Kristine Lilly; 12-Cindy Parlow, 9-Mia Hamm (17-Heather O’Reilly, 67).
Subs Not Used: 3-Christie Rampone, 6-Brandi Chastain, 18-Kristin Luckenbill. Suspended: 20-Abby Wambach
Head Coach: April Heinrichs.

AUS: 1-Cassandra Kell; 2-Rhian Davies, 3-Sacha Wainwright, 4-Dianne Alagich (11-Lisa De Vanna, 62), 5-Cheryl Salisbury (Capt.); 13-Thea Slatyer (12-Karla Reuter, 43), 6-Sally Shipard, 8-Heather Garriock, 10-Joanne Peters, 17-Danielle Small (14-Gillian Foster, 67); 7-Sarah Walsh.
Subs Not Used: 18-Melissa Barbieri, 9-Kylie Ledbrook, 15-Tal Karp, 16-Selin Kuralay.
Head Coach: Adrian Santrac.

Statistical Summary:
USA AUS
Shots: 14 8
Shots on Goal: 3 4
Saves: 3 2
Corner Kicks: 3 4
Fouls: 11 13
Offside: 3 2

Misconduct Summary:
USA – Cindy Parlow (caution) 72nd minute.

Officials:
Referee: Christina Ionescu (Romania)
Asst. Referee #1: Katarzyna Nadolska (Poland)
Asst. Referee #2: Nelly Viennot (France)
4th Official: Diana Ferreira-James (Guyana)

2004 Olympic Women’s Soccer First Round Results
Aug. 11
USA 3, Greece 0
Germany 8, China 0
Brazil 1, Australia 0
Japan 1, Sweden 0

Aug. 14
Nigeria 1, Japan 0
Australia 1, Greece 0
China 1, Mexico 1
USA 2, Brazil 0

Aug. 17
Germany 2, Mexico 0
Brazil 7, Greece 0
USA 1, Australia 1
Sweden 2, Nigeria 1

Quarterfinals
Aug. 20
Germany vs. Nigeria Patra 6 p.m. local / 11 a.m. ET
USA vs. Japan Thessaloniki 6 p.m. local / 11 a.m. ET
Mexico vs. Brazil Heraklio 9 p.m. local / 2 p.m. ET
Sweden vs. Australia Volos 9 p.m. local / 2 p.m. ET

2004 Olympic Women’s Soccer Group Standings
(* qualified for Quarterfinals)
GROUP

GROUP F

GROUP G

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USA Player Quotes After Win Over Brazil

"Brazil played some spectacular soccer, and we put a lot of pressure on our goalkeeper to make some huge saves for us. I think we settled down in the second half and Bri (Scurry) and some of our players doubling back on defense helped us get into the second half (still at 0-0) when we were able to posses the ball better and create more chances," said Mia Hamm. "We have so much respect for Brazil. They are unbelievable on the ball, and they are some of the most exciting players in the world to watch and some of the most frustrating to play against, because they can make you look like you've never played soccer before."

U.S. head coach April Henrichs on the mentality Abby Wambach, who received her second yellow card in as many games, earning a one-game suspension, had going into the match:
"The plan going forward was that Abby would play hard, and play with her physicality and mentality and not hold back and be concerned about getting a yellow card. As soon as you do that, you don't play like yourself and maybe you don't play with the personality that she brings. She brings such a great warrior mentality. Can you imagine asking someone with her physical presence to tone it down a notch and be delicate and tip-toe on eggshells for 90 minutes to survive for the third game?"

Heinrichs on if she was worried about Brazil's attack heading into halftime:
"I wasn't overly concerned about it because I have a lot of confidence in our back line and Bri Scurry. We have played 100 games in which we have done exactly what Brazil did to us and we've hit posts, had a bunch of shots in the first half and haven't come away with a reward. I said to the team at halftime, 'we are in position now that we have weathered the storm, can we bring the game up a notch in the second half?' If we can, I don't think Brazil can sustain it, because it's very hard to play as attacking oriented as they did without exposing yourself."

Heinrichs on the match:
"I think it was a tale of two halves. Brazil had the run of play in the first half, we had it in the second half. I think our players kept their calm and the best part about it was that our players responded to the first half and did some self-evaluating. They said to themselves that we have to bring more mentality, more decisiveness and a little more bite to our tackles and ball winning so we don't spend so much time chasing. And give credit to all the players who stepped on the field for us in the second half, not only did they raise their personal level, but raised our team level and then we started to find space and when you can find space you could see we pushed the ball around more confidently in the second half."

Heinrichs on Wambach:
"She epitomizes the American spirit. She knows her good qualities and works on her areas of weakness. And she wants to improve desperately. Abby had a lot of success in 2003, but she has been one of our hungriest players in 2004, aspiring to improve her game at every level technically and tactically. What you saw (in this game) was Abby dealing with the pressure and physical game and then showing some sophistication under great pressure (on her goal)."

Heinrichs on what she can take from the first half:
"We'll look at it as a lesson and we'll take whatever we can, the first one is probably that Brazil came with a gusto that we didn't have and then we responded collectively and individually. Every player was eager to get the ball at her feet and take the responsibility to help this team win."

Wambach on the physical play of the Brazilians:
"They are forearming you and grabbing your head on every corner. They are doing the gamesmanships things that men playing in the Premiership do. They have been watching this game their whole lives, they know the little things that can get to a team, the little things that can get someone off their game or make someone miss-touch the ball. Brazil brings it as much as they think we do."

Heinrichs responding to Brazilian head coach Rene Simoes allegations that the U.S. team played too physical:
"It's not the case, and it's never been the case. I think we've been one of the cleanest teams in the world. If you look at our history of yellow card accumulations in world events, we are always one of the lowest teams. If you look at the foul distribution today, it was 2-1 on their part. If you look at which team was catching which team before the ball was arriving, there were a lot of occasions where just before the ball was arriving we were getting bumped heavily. It was a pretty violent game at times. There were a couple times when a player goes hard, and they are just a little late, and that happens. That is within the spirit of the rules."

Hamm on Brazil's first-half performance:
"They came out and played extremely well, and they excited this crowd for sure with their flair on the ball and the opportunities they created. They gave us a lot of trouble. Bri stepped up and made some huge saves for us, and kept us into the game going into the second half. In the second half, we changed our shape a little bit and we are able to possess the ball, which we didn't do the first half. I think our mentality was better the second half, but that first half, there are things we can change, but you have to give credit to Brazil, they put on a clinic."

Hamm on Wambach missing the Australia match:
"Abby is a tremendous player for us, and she's shown that in the World Cup and in this tournament. But this team is about being a team, whoever they decide to start up there will come in and give us everything they have."

Hamm on 20-year-old Lindsay Tarpley, who sparked the USA off the bench:
"Lindsay Tarpley did a great job for us. The thing about Tarp is that she has great pace and instincts…Tarp can penetrate off the dribble as she has played a lot up front."

Hamm on Wambach's performance after getting the yellow card:
"She could have been rattled after that yellow card knowing that she would have to sit that third game, but what she decided was that she would give us everything she had out on the field. She had an opportunity to take the back that was marking her, beat her, their sweeper stepped up and she cut it inside. She could have hit near post or far post, but the 'keeper was looking far post and she just hit a low one near post and that's was a huge goal for us."

Hamm on the USA's mindset going into the second half:
"We all knew that based on the way we played in the first half, how fortunate we were in the second half (to still be tied 0-0). I think what were excited about was our renewed commitment. Regardless of our performance in the first half, we didn't give up. We were showed what the Brazilians can do and the passion with which they play, but this team came out of that locker room in the second half knowing we had to changes things and we did."

Foudy on setting up the play where Wambach was taken down for the penalty kick:
"There was a ton of space, the sea parted. It remind me of the goal against Norway in the '96 Olympics (that Foudy set up with a pass to Shannon MacMillan) where you are just dribbling and instead of anyone stepping to you they are all going with runners. Then Abby was making that great run across. We had a lot space in the middle seam because once you broke their front pressure there was a big gap. We had a difficult time even getting the ball in the first half. It's good thing games are 90 minutes."

Foudy on goalkeeper Briana Scurry's performance in the first half:
"She was awesome. I gave her a big hug and thanked her for giving us a chance to redeem ourselves in the second half."

Wambach on getting the second yellow and the suspension:
"Getting that second yellow is a little heartbreaking and that's when I had to kick in my professionalism and say to myself that this is the last time I can play in the first round so I tried to play my heart out and help the team as much as I could without getting a red card and having us play a man down. I want to be able to help my team and wear that jersey every game. That's why I'm here, to help my team, and if I can't do that, I feel like I am letting my team and my country down. But I am confident in the players that will replace me and whatever Australia will throw at us we'll be able to deal with. I'll be in street clothes watching from the bench and cheering the team on, that's my personality. It's for seeding now -- we're through -- so it might even be the best. If I don't get the yellow card today, some freak thing could happen and I get the yellow in this next came and I'm out for the quarterfinals, so this may be the best thing for our team, but whose to say that? Who knows?"

Wambach on Hamm stepping up to take the PK:
"Having her on your side is one of the best things I've been a part of. She's always a person to take responsibility. She's the boss in my opinion. You want to give her the ball in the penalty kick situation like that. She's going to put it in the back of the net for you and I'm happy for her."

Wambach on Tarpley setting up her goal:
"First and foremost you have to give it up for Lindsay Tarpley, she made the whole play happen. She put her body on the line and stuck her head out…she got her head on the ball and made the play that got me in. I did the rest, made a great cut back and opened myself to a wide-open goal. I saw (the 'keeper) inching towards the far post, so I shot it near post and I think I had my hands up in celebration before it went in."

Wambach on the play in which she was fouled for the penalty kick:
"(The Brazilian defender) did shove me. I'm not one those players that will flop. Maybe a few other coaches would disagree with me, but I did get hit on the play and the referee saw it."

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U.S. Women Beat Brazil With Second-Half Goals

After a lackluster first half in which Brazil owned the majority of possession and created several great scoring chances, the U.S. Women’s National Team recovered with a gutsy effort to defeat a talented Brazilian side 2-0 in its second match of Group G today at Kaftanzolglio Stadium.

The striking combo of Mia Hamm and Abby Wambach once again provided the offense for the U.S., with Hamm converting a penalty kick in the 58th minute, after Wambach was fouled in the penalty box, and Wambach adding another herself in the 78th minute off a great individual dribbling effort.

With the win, the U.S. remains atop the four-team Group G with six points and qualifies for the quarterfinals as they can finish no lower than third in the group, which earns a berth through to the next round. In today’s other Group G match, Australia defeated Greece 1-0 on a goal from Heather Garriock. The U.S. meets Australia on Tuesday in Thessaloniki at 6 p.m. (local) / 11 a.m. ET live on MSNBC in its final group match with a tie or a win clinching first place and match-up in the quarterfinals with the best third place team from Group E or F.

The crowd of 17,123 was definitely not on the USA’s side during the match, raucously cheering the Brazilian possession and attack while booing the U.S. team. The match started at a brisk pace, at least for Brazil, which did not seem bothered by the 94-degree temperature at kickoff, putting together some world-class possession soccer as the Americans chased the ball for most of the 45 minutes. With its attacking-minded 4-3-3 formation that featured dangerous trio of Marta, Christiane and Pretinha up top, Brazil was the dominate team, winning the majority of air balls over the taller Americans and out-shooting the USA 6-2 before the break, with five of Brazil’s shots on goal.

That meant the U.S. goalkeeper Briana Scurry had to step up, and she did, making several solid saves in the first half to keep the game scoreless. The only solace for the USA in the first half was that they earned eight corner kicks, but the Brazilian defense, at times draped all over the U.S. attackers, cleared every one. Brazil had its first look on goal in the 14th minute when Formiga ran onto a short corner and swung in a ball that kissed the crossbar and dropped in the middle of the box where U.S. defender Joy Fawcett was quick to clear it out.

Brazil poured it on with 15 minutes remaining in the half, producing three excellent scoring chances in a stretch of four minutes. After a U.S. foul on the edge of the box to the right of the penalty arc, Marta sent a swerving free kick over the U.S. wall, but Scurry was able to gather it at the near post with little problem. Just a minute later, Brazil missed a golden opportunity to stun the U.S. with the opening goal, as Christiane slipped her mark at the back post and slid to get a foot on a cross from Marta, but it ricocheted off the right post and was cleared by U.S. defender Kate Markgraf.

In the 33rd minute, Marta beat the offside trap and gathered a through ball all alone in the right side of the box, but Markgraf closed in quickly and the Brazilian forward’s rushed shot was right at Scurry, who made the save.

Marta caused trouble for the USA for most of the match with her slick dribbling, but the U.S. defense kept a tight rein on the young superstar, who still managed to wriggle free for several dangerous shots and crosses.

The U.S. finally had a chance of its own in the final minute of the first half, with Wambach slipping behind the Brazil back line and bringing down a high ball that was sent in from the left flank, but her shot was blocked right off her foot by a retreating Brazilian defender.

Having barely survived the first half, the second half was a different story for the U.S. team, which showed some tremendous character to turn the match around. The USA switched to a 4-3-3 formation with Kristine Lilly joining Wambach and Hamm on the forward line and then found some more rhythm and possession, putting Brazil on the defensive.

The USA fired six shots to Brazils five after the break, but two of Brazil’s shots came in the closing seconds after the game was decided. Neither team had staked their claim on the second half until the 57th minute, when Wambach was taken down in the box by Brazil defender Monica while trying to run onto a through ball from Julie Foudy, who had split the defense on a 30-yard dribbling run before playing the ball in the penalty area.

Hamm converted the clutch kick for the USA, sending her shot low and inside the right post as Brazilian goalkeeper Andreia flung her body in the opposite direction, a goal that seemed to crush the Brazilian’s spirit.

Buoyed by the one-goal lead, and sparked by the insertion of 20-year-old Lindsay Tarpley into the midfield (replacing Aly Wagner in the 57th minute, before the penalty kick), the U.S. attack picked up over the remainder of the match.

Tarpley helped the U.S. break through for a second goal in the 78th minute, throwing her body in harm’s way to head the ball perfectly down the right flank to Wambach. The play started on a throw-in from Christie Rampone and substitute Heather O’Reilly flicked the ball to Tarpley, whose bullet header skipped through on the ground, and Wambach tracked it down on the right side. She then cut sharply to her left and split Monica and Juliana to the inside with a move square across the goal before cracking a left-footed shot to the near post. Andreia, who was leaning to her right to cover the far post, could do nothing as the low, driven shot skipped by her left and into the net.

Brazil had a pair of shots late in the match, but they were sent wide right by Formiga in the 86th minute and Pretinha in the 90th. Brazil will face Greece on Tuesday in their final group game.

Wambach will miss Australia game through a suspension earned after receiving her second yellow card caution in as many games, this one in the 49th minute after a hard collision with a Brazilian defender. Rampone also picked up a yellow card.

In other Olympic women’s soccer action from the other groups, Nigeria sent Group E into a tizzy, defeating Japan 1-0, while Mexico pulled off a tremendous result in its first-ever Olympic match, tying China, 1-1, on a goal from star forward Maribel Dominguez.

U.S. WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM GAME REPORT
Match-up: USA vs. Brazil
Competition: 2004 Olympics – Group G
Venue: Kaftanzolglio Stadium; Thessaloniki, Greece
Date: August 14, 2004; Kickoff – 6 p.m. local / 11 a.m. ET
Attendance: 17,123
Weather: 86 degrees; sunny

Scoring Summary:
1 2 F
USA 0 2 2
BRA 0 0 0

USA – Mia Hamm (penalty kick) 58th minute.
USA – Abby Wambach (Lindsay Tarpley) 78.

Lineups:
USA: 1-Briana Scurry; 3-Christie Rampone, 4-Cat Reddick (2-Heather Mitts, 80), 14-Joy Fawcett, 15-Kate Markgraf; 7-Shannon Boxx, 10-Aly Wagner, 11-Julie Foudy (Capt.; 5-Lindsay Tarpley, 57), 13-Kristine Lilly (17-Heather O’Reilly, 69); 9-Mia Hamm, 20-Abby Wambach.
Subs Not Used: 6-Brandi Chastain, 8-Angela Hucles, 12-Cindy Parlow, 18-Kristin Luckenbill.
Head Coach: April Heinrichs.

BRA: 18-Andreia; 3-Monica, 4-Tania, 5-Juliana, 8-Daniela; 11-Rosana (16-Kelly, 72; 2-Grazielle, 85), 7-Formiga, 14-Elaine; 9-Pretinha, 10-Marta; 12-Cristiane (15-Maycon, 65).
Subs Not Used: 1-Maravilha, 6-Renata Costa, 13-Aline, 17-Roseli.
Head Coach: Rene Simoes.

Statistical Summary:
USA / BRA
Shots: 8 / 11
Shots on Goal: 5 / 5
Saves: 3 / 3
Corner Kicks: 13 / 3
Fouls: 9 / 17
Offside: 1 / 4

Misconduct Summary:
USA – Abby Wambach (caution) 49th minute.
BRA – Monica (caution) 57.
USA – Christie Rampone (caution) 89.

Officials:
Referee: Dagmar Damkova (Czech Republic)
Asst. Referee: Emilia Parviainen (Finland)
Asst. Referee: Nelly Viennot (France)
4th Official: Christine Frai (Germany)

2004 Olympic Women’s Soccer First Round Results
Aug. 11
USA 3, Greece 0
Germany 8, China 0
Brazil 1, Australia 0
Japan 1, Sweden 0

Aug. 14
Nigeria 1, Japan 0
Australia 1, Greece 0
China 1, Mexico 1
USA 2, Brazil 0

Aug. 17
Germany vs. Mexico
Greece vs. Brazil
USA vs. Australia
Sweden vs. Nigeria

2004 Olympic Women’s Soccer Group Standings
GROUP E

GROUP F

GROUP G

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U.S. Women Open Olympics With 3-0 Win

HERAKLION, Greece (Aug. 11, 2004) - The U.S. Olympic Women's Soccer Team defeated Greece 3-0 in the opening match of the Athens Olympics in Pankritio Stadium in Heraklion, Greece. With the win, the U.S. sits atop the four-team Group G with three points, ahead of Brazil on goal differential.

The U.S. got on the scoreboard in the 14th minute as Mia Hamm sent in a low cross that Abby Wambach dummied, leaving it for Shannon Boxx, who buried it into the back of the net. Wambach doubled the USA's lead in the 30th minute finishing a header off a Kate Markgraf cross from the left fland.

The U.S. continued to pressure Greece's backline in the second half, but was only able to break through one more time when Hamm collected a bad touch by a Greece defender, dribbled in on goal and curled in a left-footed shot that the 'keeper got her fingertips to, but still hit the left post and trickled into the goal.

The U.S. held a 28-1 shots advantage, including 11-0 in shots on goal, against the Greece team, which included eight Greek-Americans on the roster.

The U.S. will take on Brazil, who beat Australia 1-0, next on Saturday, Aug. 14 live on CNBC at 11 a.m. ET. Fans will also be able to follow the match on MatchTracker.

- U.S. Women's National Team Match Report -

Scoring Summary:
1 2 F
USA 2 1 3
GRE 0 0 0

USA - Shannon Boxx (Mia Hamm) 14th minute.
USA - Abby Wambach (Kate Markgraf) 30.
USA - Mia Hamm (unassisted) 81.

Lineups:
USA: 1-Briana Scurry; 3-Christie Rampone, 4-Cat Reddick, 14-Joy Fawcett, 15-Kate Markgraf; 7-Shannon Boxx, 10-Aly Wagner (5-Lindsay Tarpley, 60), 11-Julie Foudy-C (8-Angela Hucles, 71) 13-Kristine Lilly; 9-Mia Hamm, 20-Abby Wambach (12-Cindy Parlow, 79).
Subs not used: 2-Heather Mitts, 6-Brandi Chastain, 17-Heather O'Reilly, 18-Kristin Luckenbill.
Head Coach: April Heinrichs.

GRE: 1-Maria GIATRAKIS; 4-Kalliopi STRATAKIS, 8-Konstantina KATSAITI, 13-Alexandra KAVVADA (14-Anastasia PAPADOPOULOU, 59), 16- Eleni BENSON; 2-Angeliki LAGOUMTZI, 3-Sophia SMITH, 6-Eftichia MICHAILIDOU - C, 12-Amalia LOSENO, 15-Tanya KALYVAS (10-Natalia CHATZIGIANNIDOU, 46); 11-Dimitra PANTELEIADOU (7-Vasiliki SOUPIADOU, 76).
Subs Not Used: 18-Ileana MOSCHOS, 5-Athanasia POURIDOU, 17-Maria LAZAROU, 9-Angeliki TEFANI.
Head Coach: Xanthi Konstandinidou

Statistical Summary:
USA GRE
Shots: 28 1
Shots on Goal: 11 0
Saves: 0 6
Corner Kicks: 10 3
Fouls: 8 8
Offside: 1 1

Misconduct Summary:
USA - Abby Wambach (caution) 49th minute

2004 Athens Olympics

Group G

Team GP W L T GF GA +/- Pts.
USA 1 1 0 0 3 0 3 3
Brazil 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 3
Australia 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0
Greece 1 0 1 0 0 3 0 0

Wednesday, Aug. 11
USA 3, Greece 0
Brazil 1, Australia 0

Saturday, Aug. 14
USA vs. Brazil
Greece vs. Australia

Tuesday, Aug. 17
USA vs. Australia
Brazil vs. Greece

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U.S. Women's Olympic Notes #2

The U.S. Women’s Olympic Soccer Team held its final training before the start of the 2004 Olympics on Tuesday night at 7 p.m. at the match venue of Pankritio Stadium, hustling through the team’s 45 minutes of allotted time on the stadium pitch. The USA vs. Greece match, which kicks off at the same time as three other women’s soccer matches across Greece, will be the first events of the Olympics and the eyes of the Olympic world will be on the game. The Opening Ceremonies take place in Athens on Friday (August 13), but the USA-Greece match will be preceded by an Opening Gala followed by the kickoff at 6 p.m. local / 11 a.m. ET live on MSNBC. Play-by-play announcer JP Dellacamera will call the action while Lori Walker will provide color commentary. The U.S. team started their Olympic preparations on January 12 of this year and tomorrow culminates seven months of hard work toward the Olympics.

SEVEN MONTHS TO GREECE: The U.S. team started Olympic Residency Camp on April 5 and trained for almost 60 total days (with numerous “double-day” training session mixed in) in that time at The Home Depot Center, in Carson, Calif., ending on July 18 when the team broke camp. That training period followed a highly successful first three months of the year in which the USA won three major tournaments while spending 58 out of 68 days on the road from January 12 through March 20. The USA won the Four Nations Tournament in China in January, won the CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Tournament in February/March in Costa Rica, and rolled over Norway in the title game of the Algarve Cup on March 20, winning 4-1 behind three goals from Abby Wambach. The USA is 15-1-2 in 2004 heading into the Olympics, with that lone loss coming to Sweden (3-1) at the Algarve Cup, but the USA still won the group and advanced to the title game. Following are the groups and the entire opening round schedule for Olympic women’s soccer. All the matches kick off at 6 p.m. local time / 11 a.m. ET.

Opening Round Schedule

“LET’S GET THIS PARTY STARTED!”: Proclaimed U.S. captain Julie Foudy in the team huddle to end the USA’s second to last training on Monday before facing Greece tomorrow, echoing the sentiments of the U.S. team, which is chomping at the bit to hit the field after months of anticipation. The U.S. Women’s National Team enters its third Olympics with a record of seven wins, one loss and two ties all-time in Olympic competition. If the USA can advance to the gold medal game in Athens, Greece, it will be closing a circle of sorts, as the USA won the first-ever gold medal for women’s soccer in another Athens, this one in Georgia, in 1996. Following is a look at all 10 matches played in the Olympics by the U.S. women:

U.S. Women’s National Team Olympic History
Date Opponent Result City The Skinny
July 21, 1996 Denmark 3-0 W Orlando, Fla. Venturini, Hamm and Milbrett Score at Citrus Bowl
July 23, 1996 Sweden 2-1 W Orlando, Fla. MacMillan, Venturini lead U.S. to big win
July 25, 1996 China 0-0 T Miami, Fla. Preview of gold medal game goes goalless
July 28, 1996 Norway 2-1 W (OT) Athens, Ga. Akers ties game, MacMillan scores golden goal
Aug. 1, 1996 China 2-1 W Athens, Ga. MacMillan and Milbrett Score in front of 76,489
Sept. 14, 2000 Norway 2-0 W Melbourne, Aus. USA opens “Group of Death” with big win
Sept. 17, 2000 China 1-1 T Melbourne, Aus. Late Sun Wen goal negates Julie Foudy Header
Sept. 20, 2000 Nigeria 3-1 W Melbourne, Aus. Chastain, MacMillan, Lilly score to win group
Sept. 24, 2000 Brazil 1-0 W Canberra, Aus. Hamm scores big goal in super tight match
Sept. 28, 2000 Norway 2-3 L (OT) Sydney, Aus. Norway wins on controversial “golden goal”

GREEK RECIPE FOR SUCCESS FEATURES A LITTLE AMERICAN FLAVOR: The USA vs. Greece match is the first meeting between the two countries in women’s soccer, but it also carries a little bit more intrigue as eight players on the 18-player roster are Greek-Americans who grew up in the U.S. system and played college soccer in the USA. Two other players are Dutch-born and play for clubs in Holland. Most of the U.S.-bred players have been traveling between the United States and Greece for more than two years to prepare for the Olympics, but all have been based in Athens since May training in preparation for Greece’s first showing on the world’s stage in women’s soccer. The USA and Greek players have been housed in the same hotel, which serves as the “Olympic Village” in Heraklion, along with the men’s soccer teams of Australia, Costa Rica, Tunisia and Morocco. There has been little banter between the two teams, although several U.S. players know some of the Greek players in passing. The Greek players are excited, some are a bit nervous, but most consider it a great challenge and honor to face the United States in the first match of the Olympics, and the U.S. team knows it will be up against an inspired squad playing in front of home fans. The Greeks do have several veterans who, like several of the USA’s players, have been with the team since it’s inception. Maria Lazarou has played 110 times for Greece, while midfielder Efitchia Michailidou has played 80 times and midfielder Natalia Chatzigiannidou (fitting her name on the back of a jersey may be one of the great accomplishments of the Greek organizers) has played 77 times for her country.

“PLAY WITH YOUR AMERICAN HEADS, AND GREEK HEARTS”: That is what Greece head coach Xanthi Konstandinidou has told her American-born players, asking them to use their training in America, but the passion of their Greek heritage, to find success in the Olympics. Both Greek goalkeepers are Americans in Maria Giatrakis, who played for Greek coach Lenny Tsantiris at the University of Connecticut and Ileana Moschos, who played at Wofford College, with the Sacramento Storm women’s club in the WPSL. Moschos will return to the USA following the Olympics to be an assistant coach at Iowa State this fall. Sofia Smith, out of Houston, Texas, is in her third year of law school. She put that on hold and will return to finish after the Olympics. Midfielder Amalia Loseno currently attends Gonzaga in Washington state where she is a rising senior, while defender Eleni Benson is a rising junior at Yale. Tanya Kalyvas played at Princeton. While the focus of the Greek team is to try to advance to the quarterfinals, there is a feeling amongst the team that they are pioneers of sorts, and perhaps could accomplish in their country, on a much smaller level, what the current group of U.S. players started 15 years ago in the USA as they work to popularize the women’s game in a country where women’s soccer has much room for growth, both in the number of female players and social acceptance.

SAME PLAYERS, DIFFERENT NUMBERS: Because Olympic rosters must be numbered 1-18, six U.S. players had to change the jersey numbers they have worn consistently in 2004. So that U.S. fans can immediately spot some of their favorite players on MSNBC, here is a quick rundown of the switches. Defender Heather Mits will wear #2, midfielder Lindsay Tarpley will wear #5, midfielder Angela Hucles will wear #8, forward Abby Wambach will wear #16, forward Heather O’reilly moves to #17 and goalkeeper Kristin Luckenbill will wear #18. Following are the U.S. and Greek rosters for the match:
USA
Goalkeepers (2): 18-Kristin LUCKENBILL, 1-Briana SCURRY; Defenders (6): 6-Brandi CHASTAIN, 14-Joy FAWCETT, 15-Kate MARKGRAF, 2-Heather MITTS, 3-Christie RAMPONE, 4-Cat REDDICK; Midfielders (6): 7-Shannon BOXX, 11-Julie FOUDY, 8-Angela HUCLES, 13-Kristine LILLY, 5-Lindsay TARPLEY, 10-Aly WAGNER; Forwards (4): 9-Mia HAMM, 17-Heather O’REILLY, 12-Cindy PARLOW, 16-Abby WAMBACH.
Greece
Goalkeepers (2): 1-Maria GIATRAKIS, 18-Ileana MOSCHOS; Defenders (5): 4- Kalliopi STRATAKIS, 5- Athanasia POURIDOU, 8- Konstantina KATSAITI, 13- Alexandra KAVVADA, 16- Eleni BENSON; Midfielders (7): 2- Angeliki LAGOUMTZI, 3- Sophia SMITH, 6-Eftichia MICHAILIDOU, 10-Natalia CHATZIGIANNIDOU, 12-Amalia LOSENO, 15-Tanya KALYVAS, 17-Maria LAZAROU; Forwards (4): 7- Vasiliki SOUPIADOU, 9-Angeliki TEFANI, 11-Dimitra PANTELEIADOU, 14-Anastasia PAPADOPOULOU.

U.S. QUOTE SHEET:
Midfielder Kristine Lilly, on the eve of her third Olympics, about her world record in caps (276 games):
“I never thought when I started that I would play this long or play so many games. Two-hundred-seventy-something games later, I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. That’s when I start to appreciate it. But I love doing what I do, so why change?”

U.S. captain Julie Foudy, on the USA’s match being among the first events of the Olympics:
“We are focused on the game, but it is a good thing (that a lot of people might be watching). If we can get as much exposure as we can, it’s good for both Greece and the USA. We’ve been together for seven months and we’ve been working hard, so we feel like we have been watching the countdown to Athens for a long time. We’re at one day away now so it’s exciting.”

Foudy on the nerves of the first game:
“We have to try to stay steady more than anything else. The first game (of a world championship) is very exciting and you are playing against Greece in Greece. It’s an incredible opportunity and experience for both teams.”

Foudy on feeling the Olympic spirit:
“For our team, there are some of us at our third Olympics and some of us at our first, but I think it is the same feeling for everyone. The opportunity to play in the birthplace of the Olympics and democracy is awesome. There is so much history and tradition here that you feel like you are a part of something bigger. Of course, we don’t have the opportunity to do a lot of sight-seeing, but we have been doing a lot of reading to learn about the history of this country, because it’s fascinating.”

Foudy on if this being her last Olympics adds motivation:
“I get no motivation from this being my last go around. Anytime you are going to an Olympics, you are going to be motivated, whether it’s your first or last. The motivation is intrinsic. Every time we go into a tournament we set a high standards for this team. What it does remind the older players is, let’s just enjoy the heck out of this, have fun and really take a moment to look around at this last month and enjoy the Olympic atmosphere.”

Foudy on if there is pressure on the USA:
“It’s exciting to be playing Greece. We say pressure is a privilege and it’s a good opportunity to showcase our sport. We’ve played in a lot of big events and this team handles pressure pretty well. We know Greece is going to come in with high energy. This is their first Olympics and to play at home in front of their own fans, they have a lot on their side and nothing to lose. But we come in with tremendous respect for them and hopefully, there will be a good crowd and we plan to enjoy the atmosphere.”

U.S. forward Abby Wambach on facing the host country:
“Whenever you play an opponent on their home soil in a world championship, you know they are going to bring their best stuff. That’s kind of what we are expecting and we would expect nothing less. We don’t think that they would come here and in any way not put forth their best effort on the field. We will have to battle that and the crowd for the first 10 minutes before the game settles down.”

Wambach on the opening game:
“We are going to be playing as hard as we can like it’s our last game. Even though we know that we have two other games in the first round, these are some of the last games that a lot of us will have a chance to play with the veterans. I won’t forget that and I will be taking in as much as I can so I can remember it for the rest of my life.”

Wambach on playing before the Opening Ceremonies:
“We don’t know how many people know there are even games going on before the Opening Ceremonies. We don’t know who is going to be watching, all we can do is go out and play and put a good product on the field, which I think we can.”

U.S. goalkeeper Briana Scurry on the games starting and not having to face U.S. forwards Abby Wambach and Mia Hamm in training as much:
”I’m so glad it’s the other team now.”

U.S. midfielder Shannon Boxx on the heat:
“We trained really well back in California for the heat. We tried to train during the hottest part of the day. We played all our friendly matches in the Midwest and on the East Coast, which was very hot and humid--even worse than it is here. But it is hot, and I think we’ve all gotten used it to a little more every day we’ve been here.”

U.S. head coach April Heinrichs on Greece:
“We haven’t seen them play in five months, so we don’t really know what they are going to do. They could play five in the back, they could play three in the back, but we do know that they are very organized, they play with a lot of numbers, they play a counter-attacking style and they really have good team chemistry offensively and defensively. They have a great combination-play quality to them despite their lack of international games as a country. “

U.S. forward Mia Hamm on preparing for the first match in Crete:
“We got to spend some time in the Olympic Village, and got a taste of the entire experience, but once we got here, we have concentrated on what we need to do and the organizers have really made in comfortable for all us to be able to do that. We are enjoying our stay here, but that the same time our focus is what we are doing tomorrow, and I know that is on all the player’s minds right now.’

Hamm on the Greece match:
“This team has always taken great pride in not only the result, but how we get there. We want to play attractively and we want to set higher standards for the game, and we’re going to try to do that. Every single game we are going in respecting our opponent, and in the first game, it’s Greece. They will be playing with a lot of emotion. They have been together as a team for close to two years now training for this moment, just like us, and we expect nothing but the best from the Greek team.”

STAT OF NOTE: While the U.S. team, with eight players that have played far more than 100, or even 200 games, is far more experienced that Greece, the Greeks are far more experienced than some might think, as they have eight players on their roster who have played 50 or more times for their country and another seven players with 30 or more caps.

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U.S. Women's Olympic Notes #1

The U.S. Women's Olympic Soccer Team is a little more than 48 hours from its first match of the 2004 Olympics against Greece on Wednesday, Aug. 11, at Pankrito Stadium (6 p.m. local / 11 a.m. ET Live on MSNBC) and the U.S. team is primed and anxious to play. This will mark the first-ever match between the USA and Greece in women's soccer, and it will be a historic meeting, not only as it opens the Olympic soccer competition, but also the Olympics themselves, with four women's soccer matches starting at the same time to open the 2004 Summer Games. With just 10 teams in the tournament, the opening games will feature several great matches, led by the Germany vs. China clash of two potential gold medallists, as well as 2003 Women's World Cup runner-up Sweden vs. Japan, which recently tied the USA, 1-1. Following are the four women's matches in four different cities that literally "kick-off" the Olympics:

Date Match No. Group Teams Venue Kickoff Time
Aug. 11 1 G Greece vs. USA Heraklio 6 p.m. local / 11 a.m. ET
Aug. 11 2 F Germany v China Patra 6 p.m. local / 11 a.m. ET
Aug. 11 3 G Brazil v Australia Thessaloniki 6 p.m. local / 11 a.m. ET
Aug. 11 4 E Sweden v Japan Volos 6 p.m. local / 11 a.m. ET

NO COMPLAINTS IN CRETE: The U.S. team got the day off from training on Sunday (Aug. 8) after 11 consecutive days of training or travel. The U.S. team used the day to relax and enjoy the beautiful surroundings of Herakalion at their beach resort hotel which is on the water’s edge overlooking the sparkling Sea of Crete, with a picturesque rocky coast butting up against translucent blue water. But despite the gorgeous surroundings and weather, the U.S. team has been disciplined in staying out of the sun, allowing themselves just an hour per day by the pool or the beach (with several players floating peacefully out into the bay on small rafts). They've spent the rest of their down time going on short walks into the local village, watching movies on their DVD players, listing to music, reading, or the ever-popular napping. The U.S. team has also been diligent about hydrating in the blistering heat - with highs reaching into the high 80s each day - by gulping down gallons of water and sports drinks. The U.S. team could not have asked for a better environment to relax and focus for the tournament.

ONE MORE TRAINING 'TILL GREECE: The U.S. team trained on Saturday morning at VAK Field and once again it was crisp, but intense, as the jet lag begins to leave the players legs and the first match of the Olympics looms. The U.S. team trained on Monday morning at OFI Stadium, an odd facility that is squeezed among apartment buildings and shops in the Kamina neighborhood, with the top of a beautiful church visible behind the stands on one end. The small stadium is situated as such that residents with third floor apartments would get free season tickets included in their rent, as their views of the field are even better than those in left field at Wrigley in Chicago. The USA will train once more on Tuesday evening, getting in their stadium training at Pankrito, before the much-anticipated opening game on Wednesday at the 27,000-seat stadium. The U.S. match will be followed by a men's game features Tunisia and Australia.

"WHAT ARE THE OLYMPICS?": U.S. players Lindsay Tarpley and Heather O'Reilly have been working hard all year to try to keep up in school after taking a semester off from college at North Carolina to train during the Olympic Residency Camp in Los Angeles. The pair have taken several Internet classes to earn credits. Tarpley will be a junior and O'Reilly will be a sophomore in the fall, and both will jump right back into school and their college seasons following the Olympics, missing only a few days of classes, but the mild-mannered Midwesterner Tarpley reached the end of her rope this week in regards to one class on her schedule. Both Tarpley and O'Reilly have had some extremely cooperative professors as they have chased their Olympic dreams, but this week Tarpley received an email from a professor for one of her fall classes that said, in part: "What exactly are the Olympics? Why is it more important than attending my class?" Tarpley quickly emailed her academic advisor asking them "to please get me out of that class."

"IT'S CHINESE TO US": While U.S. forward Cindy Parlow was shipping some items home from the Athletes' Village in Athens, one of the workers at the Village post office gave her some instructions to read…in Greek. "This is all Greek to me," said Parlow. The woman bust out laughing and said, "Do you really say that? We have that saying, but we say, 'That's all Chinese to us!'"

U.S. GETS HOPE: The USA's alternate goalkeeper, former Philadelphia Charge player Hope Solo, arrived in camp in Heraklion on Saturday and will train with the U.S. team up until the first match. Solo will be in Athens for the entire tournament on call if the U.S. team should need her. Solo is playing professionally in Sweden with the Kopparbergs/Goteborg club in Gothenburg and the 23-year-old University of Washington All-American has received sparking reviews for her play, with the media tabbing her as one of the top goalkeepers in the Swedish First Division. Solo, whose father is of Italian heritage, came straight to Crete from a short vacation in Italy (after finishing the first half of the Swedish season which is breaking for the Olympics), and should get a chance attend some Olympic events in Athens.

EASY RIDERS: U.S. head coach April Heinrichs and assistant coach Greg Ryan went on an afternoon excursion on their Sunday off, renting motorized dirt bikes and cruising around the mountain trails of Heraklion, down to the coast where they parked, and, yes, jumped off a cliff into the ocean. Asked how high the cliff was, Heinrichs replied, "High enough that you didn't just jump right off. You had to think about it." Both took the plunge several times.

U.S. QUOTE SHEET:

U.S. midfielder Lindsay Tarpley on the USA's preparation so far:
"It has been an unbelievable experience, especially for a young player who is new to all of this. I feel very fortunate that I have the chance to be here. We've been training so long and hard for this, and now that it is finally here, we feel prepared for it and I think the team is very focused. But along the way, we are definitely going to make sure to enjoy the experience."

U.S. midfielder Kristine Lilly on the team's preparation for Greece and how the host team will be big underdogs:
"I know the coaches have been scouting them and watching game tapes, so we'll have time to go over that, but as players you go into every game respecting the opponent and worry about what we need to do to be successful. We'll know some key points about their team, but we will focus on what we need to do and we always respect every team we play as that's part of why we have been successful."

Lilly on being in Crete:
"There is not a whole lot going on around you except for the beautiful water. You can focus now, do things as a team and concentrate on what you need to do to win."

Lilly on the unique Olympic tournament format of 10 teams:
"For the last Olympics it was eight teams, so now we moved up to 10 and you have to look at it as women's soccer growing and that's a positive thing. And I think in the next Olympics, they will go to 12 teams and three groups of four. I think the goal of FIFA is to keep increasing the competing teams like on the men's side and that's great for the women's game. As far as our team, whether we play two or three games in the first round, we just look at it as another goal we have to accomplish. We play Greece first and that is our focus."

U.S. head coach April Heinrichs on being encamped in Crete:
"Our athletes really enjoyed being in the Olympic village and took in every aspect they could in 48 hours. But at the same time, they appreciate soccer being an outlying venue sport, as it was in 1996 and 2000. You get out of the hustle bustle of the village and get to focus a little bit."

Heinrichs on the impending clash with Greece:
"I've seen them play maybe four times now, so I feel I have a good sense of what they are about. We will meet as a team for a scouting report as we always do. We'll approach the game as we always do, with a tremendous focus that starts the night before the game. We'll talk a little bit about their system, their style and their personalities, and the players we need to be mindful of. That will last about 45 minutes, and from that point on, the focus is really on the Untied States and what do we need to do to beat Greece and start of this tournament with three points and momentum."

Heinrichs on the day off:
"We have been traveling or training for 11 straight days. We knew we needed to train hard in the first part of our training here, but we are tapering into the game. I can tell in the way the players are striking the ball in training that they are feeling good."

STATS OF NOTE:
U.S. team leaders in 2004:
Goals: Abby Wambach - 14
Assists: Mia Hamm - 12
Games Played: Abby Wambach, Lindsay Tarpley - 18
Games Started: Kate Markgraf - 17
Minutes: Kate Markgraf -- 1447
Hat Tricks: Shannon Boxx, Abby Wambach, Cindy Parlow (one each)
Two Goal Games: Mia Hamm, Lindsay Tarpley, Angela Hucles, Abby Wambach (one each).

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Mia Leads USA Over China In Final Olympic Tuneup

EAST HARTFORD, Conn. (Sunday, August 1, 2004) -- If Mia Hamm does retire, as promised, by the end of the year, the United States striker will go out at the top of her game. Displaying a perfect blend of talent and determination, Hamm scored one goal and assisted on two others, leading the U.S. women to a 3-1 triumph over China before 15,093 wildly supportive fans at Rentschler Field this afternoon.

Both teams used the match as a final tuneup before departing for the Summer Olympics in Greece.

"I am really pleased, it could not have gone better," U.S. coach April Heinrichs said. "Everybody played well. I liked the way we attacked and went at China with courage and confidence. Obviously, we have great respect for them, so when you can play aggressively and with that kind of confidence against a team that is as strong as China, it's a really good sign moving forward."

Midfielder Aly Wagner and forward Abby Wambach each recorded a goal for the U.S.

There were only 15 fouls called in the game, nine on China, but nine yellow cards were issued, four to the Americans.

"I think it was just two technical teams out there," said Hamm who now has 151 career international goals, by far a world record. "One of the things we respect so much about China is how clean they are technically and how athletic they are. You have to commit to tackle sometimes, and when they're as skilled as they are, they slip your tackles and that leads to contact. But at the same time, I don't think it was anything dirty. There was no malicious intent involved, just two teams playing hard."

Five minutes after Hamm missed wide left from inside the right top of the penalty area, the U.S. took a 1-0 lead. Defender Christie Rampone threw deep into the right corner where Wambach touched it back to midfielder Julie Foudy. Foudy passed to the top right of the six-yard box where Hamm cleverly used the back of her left heel to set up Wagner just above the penalty spot.

Wagner's right-footed drive from 16 yards out scraped the bottom of the left side of the crossbar, the ball going directly down and just over the goal line for her 15th career goal and a 1-0 lead in the 14th minute. China goalkeeper Xiao Zhen,