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March 15, 2000 SportsLine.com wire reports |
FARO, Portugal -- The United States was getting desperate. Shot after
shot and attack after attack did not yield a winning goal.
Then Shannon MacMillan, a second-half substitute, made a spectacular move
and sent in a scorching shot with four minutes left, giving the U.S. women a
2-1 victory over Denmark in the Algarve Cup.
Related Links:
First round: U.S. routs Portugal T O P N E W S
MacMillan took a pass just beyond midfield, beat a defender and struck a blistering shot that flew over startled goalkeeper Lone Larsen and just under the crossbar.
The goal came at the end of a second half in which the Americans outshot Denmark 14-0.
"I picked up the ball around midfield, cut back on a defender, then took a little peak at the goalkeeper," said MacMillan, who entered the game in the 67th minute for Sara Whalen. "I didn't see a forward checking, so I just ripped it. I knew it was in as soon as I saw the flight of the ball."
The Americans, who beat the Danes 3-0 in the opener of last year's World Cup that the United States won, must beat or tie Sweden on Thursday for a spot in the final. The United States has never won the prestigious Algarve Cup.
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| The United States' Danielle Slaton and Denmark's Merete Jokumsen battle for the ball.(AP) |
Lorrie Fair scored just seconds before MacMillan entered the game. Mia Hamm made a heady play and found Tiffeny Milbrett open at the top of the penalty box on a corner kick. Hamm played the ball on the ground to Milbrett, whose shot was deflected, falling near Fair in the middle of the box. While falling, she volleyed the ball home from 10 yards for her second international goal.
"I was very pleased with the urgency and composure in the second half," coach April Heinrichs said. "We created some great chances and scored two great goals."
Gitte Krogh opened the scoring for the Danes in the 10th minute. She ran onto a long pass, sidestepped a defender and sent a looping shot from 18 yards over U.S. goalkeeper Jen Branam, who was caught slightly off her line.
Cindy Parlow, who had a hat trick in an opening 7-0 victory against Portugal, saved the Americans in the 35th minute when she headed a shot off the line after a corner kick. It would be Denmark's last real scoring chance.
The 19-year-old Branam played well in her U.S. debut. She gave up a goal on the first shot she faced in her international career.
In the other Group A game, Sweden routed Portugal 5-1.
In Group B, China, which opened by beating Canada 4-0, downed Finland 4-1 on Tuesday. Norway, winner over the United States in two games in January, also moved to 2-0 with a 2-1 victory against Canada.
AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service
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