U.S. Goalkeeper

Appearing in just her fifth international match, Mullinix was outstanding in the nets and her superior reading of the game was a major factor in the USA's victory, as she came out to snag about a dozen long services and crosses to defuse Norway's direct attacks.

The win capped a grueling four games in seven days schedule, but the U.S. team looked fresh for the championship game as Heinrichs doled out quality minutes to every player during the tournament.

Mia Hamm
"1 was a little late on my run," added Hamm. "I saw that Mac was trying to get around her player, so I stayed wide and didn't go near post. The next thing I knew, I saw the ball coming across the goal. It was such a nice pass that it was harder to miss than make."

March 18 schedule

Match of 7th-8th place at Montechoro Portugal v Finland
Match of 5th -6th place at Olhao Denmark v Canada
Match of 3rd-4th place at Quarteira Sweden v China
Final at Loulé USA v Norway

U.S. 2 Denmark 1 as MacMillan's 40 yard goal in last 5 minutes of match assures the win

Game Report

The Americans struggled in the first half against Denmark's 4-5-1 formation that put nine players behind the ball, setting up a tough bunker to penetrate. Denmark's tactics were bolstered by an 8th minute goal from Krogh, who scored on her team's first shot of the game. Larsen sent a long clearance into the U.S. defense and the ball was headed into the USA's defensive third. Krogh ran onto the bouncing ball, side-stepped a defenderand hit a looping volley from 18-yards out that flew over U.S. goalkeeper Jen Branam, who was slightly off her line. Cindy Parlow saved the USA in the 35th minute when she headed a Danish shot off the line after a corner kick. It would be Denmark's last quality chance. The half ended with the USA down 1-0 and holding just a 5-4 shot advantage. Heinrichs did not start Lilly, Milbrett or Chastain, but subbed them in along with Welsh after half time, and switched from a 4-4-2 formation to a 3-4-3.

The USA ran relentlessly in search of the an equalizer, but fell victim to Denmark's offside trap six times. Each of the three forwards had chances in the first part of the second half, but Larsen was up to the challenge on Welsh, making a fine kick-save while Hamm and Milbrett shot just wide.

The goal finally came in the 67th minute when Hamm played the ball on the ground to Milbrett, whose shot was deflected into in the air before falling to Lorrie Fair in the middle of the goal. Fair's volley from 10 yards found the right corner for her second international goal. With the score at one all and the USA pressing hard for a winning goal, MacMillan came to the rescue. She received a pass just inside the Denmark half on the left side of the field, penetrated to beat a player and struck a shot that flew over startled the goalkeeper and just under the crossbar. The goal came at the end of a second half in which the USA dominated and out-shot Denmark 14-0.

Post game quotes

Head Coach Heinrichs
"In the first half, we were too content to play backwards and square, and that allowed them to get settled behind the ball," said Heinrichs. "At halftime, we talked about our transition and getting forward much quicker. We came out and were spraying the ball all over the field and it was tough for Denmark to keep up with us. I was very pleased with urgency and composure in the second half," added Heinrichs, whose team played Denmark for the first time since the opening game of the 1999 Women's World Cup. "We created some great chances and scored two great goals."

MacMillan
"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. April almost put me in at halftime, but told me to keep warming up," added MacMillan. "Just watching I could tell it was a physical game, but I saw that they had weakness on the outside. So I wanted to get in, take some players on and use the fresh legs to create some chances. I didn't realize how far out I was when I hit. Michelle Akers scores goals like that, not Shannon MacMillan."

Other

USA needs a tie or a win in the match against Sweden to advance to the Cup Final game.

19-year-old Branam made her debut in the nets for the USA, and played a solid match after giving up a goal on the first shot she faced in her international career. She was not forced to make a save, but was sharp coming off her line to cut off through balls, made several catches off crosses in traffic and displayed a most impressive kicking game, consistently sending services deep into the Danish half. N

ineteen-year-old defender Danielle Slaton contributed greatly at left back and earned her seventh cap. Julie Foudy was the engine in the midfield for the USA while Fair and Sobrero won numerous air balls in the middle.

Algarve first day results including USA's 7-0 win over Portugal as Parlow scores her first international hat-trick

Game Report

The match was delayed, then moved because of heavy rains which turned the field at Francisco Viera Stadium in Silves into a quagmire, with as much as three inches of standing water. Referee crew deemed the field unplayable, and after discussions between the referees, tournament officials and both teams, it was agreed to move the game to the USA's training field in Albufeira. The margin of victory was the largest ever for the USA in the Algarve Cup, and they face Denmark on Tuesday.i

Portugal that had the first scoring opportunity of the game, putting a free-kick past the USA's left post just two minutes into the match, but it would be their last real chance and Siri Mullinix picked up the first shutout.

In the 5th minute, Kristine Lilly went past a defender on the left wing, dribbled to the end line and found the cutting Parlow who touched the ball home.. Less than 60 seconds later, Shannon MacMillan picked off a pass on the right side of the Portugal defense, beat a player and put the ball into the upper right corner from 20 yards. Five minutes later Parlow collected a pass with her back to the goal from Tiffeny Milbrett then spun around her defender and put it in the lower corner from 18 yards.

Joy Fawcett finished the first-half by running onto a pass from Venturini and blasting a 30-yard bending ball into the upper left corner.

The first two goals in the second half came off headers; by Parlow in the 63rd minute, and Venturini in the 67th. Foudy finished the scoring two minutes from time after receiving a flick on from Welsh.

Post Game comments

U.S.Head Coach April Heinrichs
"Games offer a different kind of pressure than training, especially in some of the tackling," said Heinrichs. "Every now and then it's good to have a game like this to establish some possession and get our legs under us."

Julie Foudy
"A lot of players got to play at least a half today and that's a great way to start a tournament," said Foudy. "When your whole roster has success it builds confidence for the whole team heading into the next three games."

Cindy Parlow
"It's great to start off such a high-quality tournament with a game like this, especially coming back from my injury," said Parlow, who upped her career international goal total to 29 in her first game of 2000 after recovering from a hamstring pull. "With a new formation and some players in different positions, it builds confidence for the whole team."

Other

Lorrie Fair played the entire match for the USA at defensive midfield. Heinrichs gave Hamm the day off.

Cup Schedule

Pre-Algarve Cup Quotes

Brandi Chastain: "The team is very excited about this tournament because it's a new start for all of us as team with a new coach, a new philosophy and a new attitude. Ultimately our goal is to win the tournament which will give us a strong opening to a challenging year."

Tiffeny Milbrett: "For the most part, we've come together. We have most of our Women's World Cup players here and during the last camp we were adjusting to new people, new faces and new things. Now we are a bit more comfortable and I think that will show in our play."

Mia Hamm: "The team is excited to play and motivated to do better than we did in the last two games. We're getting more and more comfortable with the transition of new coaches and excited about what this is going to add to this team."

Julie Foudy: "Obviously, for some of us, this is our sixth Algarve Cup tournament without winning the cup even once. We want to change that record and at the same time gauge where we are in our Olympic preparations. This has always been a great tournament for us to determine our fitness, our strength and our weaknesses because of the high caliber of teams we face. It gives us great information to move forward to Sydney."

 Algarve Cup 2000 Schedule, venues
  Algarge Cup 1999
  Algarge Cup 1998

U.S National Team Pool Roster announced for Pre-Algarve Cup Training Camp, Orlando, Florida

New Head Coach April Heinrichs leads the team to Portugal for the USA's sixth attempt at winning the eight-team international tournament. Heinrichs has invited 29 players to a training camp in Orlando, Fla., from March 2-6, from which she will choose her 18-player Algarve Cup roster. The USA will depart for Europe on March 7, 2000

The 2000 Algarve Cup will run from March 12-18 and features four countries that will be participating in the 2000 Olympic Women's Soccer competition this fall. For this year's Algarve Cup, 1999 Women's World Cup participants Canada, China, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and the USA join Finland and host Portugal in one of the most competitive international women's soccer events outside of the Women's World Cup and the Olympics. The tournament is played in the Algarve region of Portugal.

The U.S. team has arrived home empty-handed from all five previous tournaments played.

 Algarve Cup 2000 Schedule, venues
  Algarge Cup 1999
  Algarge Cup 1998

Norway Roster