Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
Voice of America is funded by the US Federal Government and content it
exclusively produces is in the public domain.
September 15, 2007

US Poised to Advance in Women's World Cup Football Championship
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1983E62:A6F02AD83191E16008E142133F0F08449574F7DCC14957C0 Team USA defeats
Sweden in crucial first-round match, advances to Group-B quarterfinals
The United States' women's football team has defeated Sweden, 2-0, in
a crucial first round Women's World Cup game in China.  VOA's Jim
Stevenson watched the game in Chengdu, where the Americans put
themselves in position to advance to the quarterfinals from Group-B.







USA's Abby Wambach, right, fights for the ball with Sweden's Anna
Paulson, left, during their Group B match of the 2007 FIFA Women's
World Cup, 14 Sept.  2007Prolific scoring forward Abby Wambach found
the net twice for Team USA on Friday.  Wambach converted a penalty
kick in the first half.  She added her third goal of the tournament,
and the 80th of her career, in the second half.

Lori Chalupny was taken down on a sliding tackle from behind as she
tried to turn toward the Swedish goal for a shot.  That resulted in a
penalty kick that Wambach easily converted in the 34th minute.

U.S. veteran Kristine Lilly, who has appeared in every Women's World
Cup since 1991, had several chances to score.  But it was her pass in
the 58th minute that split two defenders to set up Wambach's second
goal.

"You know, it is one of those goals that, as a forward, you say 'yeah,
I meant to put it exactly where it went.'  But, in this type of
situation, I just hit it as hard as I could.  And it went in," she
said.

U.S. head coach Greg Ryan was not surprised to get a great performance
from his top players in a critical game.

"We knew this was a potentially elimination match with Sweden," he
said.  "Big players win championships.  And we saw what Abby did
tonight, played great.  Lilly, great.  And then I thought a very good
performance from all of our players."

The win puts the United States at the top of Group-B with four points
along with North Korea, which defeated Nigeria, 2-0.  Sweden, the 2003
World Cup runner-up, has just one point after two matches, and is in
danger of failing to advance to the quarterfinals for the first time. 
Nigeria also has one point.

The United States finishes the first round on Tuesday against Nigeria,
while Sweden plays North Korea.

Also Friday, in Shanghai, Japan defeated Argentina, 1-0.  England held
defending champion Germany to a scoreless (0-0) draw.  The results
mean Germany and Japan top Group-A with four points each.


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