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San Diego Spirit Star MacMillan Scores in U.S. Win over Norway

March 16, 2003 - Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA)
San Diego Spirit News Release


FERREIRAS, Portugal (Sunday, March 16, 2003) - The U.S. Women's National Team put forth a gritty and professional performance under incredibly difficult conditions to defeat Norway, 1-0, at the 2003 Algarve Cup. San Diego Spirit forward Shannon MacMillan celebrated her 150th cap for the USA, scoring in just the 4th minute of the match that was played in high winds and on a bumpy field, making every ball in the air an adventure and the game extremely combative.

The Americans attacked into the teeth of it in the first half and got an opportunistic goal from MacMillan, who raced at Norway goalkeeper Ingrid Hjelmseth as she collected a back pass at the top of the penalty area, and blocked her clearance. MacMillan ran down the spinning ball on the left end line, turned to face the goal, and seeing Hjelmseth cheating off her line for the cross, pulled off a crafty piece of inventiveness, bending her 12-yard shot from a near impossible angle between the Norway goalkeeper and the near post.

"We knew that with the wind, if we went high pressure (defense), the ball was going to be unpredictable out there," said MacMillan. "I think the 'keeper took a longer touch than she wanted to and I was able to get a foot on it. When I looked up, I saw some space between the goalkeeper and the post."

For MacMillan, who scored seven of the USA's eight goals at last year's Algarve Cup, it was her 10th career goal in this tournament and 53rd of her career. Norway had its first shot in the 77th minute and it was a dangerous one, as a free kick from the left sideline found the head of Anita Rapp, but Scurry dove to her left to make a solid save. Norway had one last opportunity for an equalizer in the 86th minute as Rapp pushed past Fawcett on the left flank and sent a tantalizing cross scooting through the U.S. goal mouth, but a sliding Trine Ronning couldn't reach the ball.

With the win, the USA takes control of Group A with four points from two games thus far. Sweden and Canada tied, 1-1, in the first Group A match of the afternoon, meaning a U.S. win over Sweden on Tuesday in the final group game will put them in the Algarve Cup championship for just the fourth time in eight trips to this tournament on the southern coast of Portugal. The U.S. could advance with a tie against Sweden if Norway wins or ties against Canada.

The USA faces Sweden in its final Group A match on Tuesday, March 18, in Vila Real de San Antonio, which is the most distant of the Algarve Cup venues, sitting an hour away from the U.S. hotel on the Portugal-Spain border. Kickoff is at 4:30 p.m. local / 11:30 p.m. ET. Fans can follow the game online at www.ussoccer.com's MatchTracker presented by Philips Electronics.



Women's United Soccer Association Stories from March 16, 2003


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