Germany prove scourge of Sweden
Saturday, March 11, 2006
Article summary
European champions Germany swept aside Sweden 3-0 in a repeat of the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup final at the Algarve Cup in Portugal.
Article body
Germans impress
Germany, who beat Finland 5-0 in their opening Group A game, made it two impressive wins in two as Melanie Behringer, Petra Wimbersky and FIFA World Player of the Year Birgit Prinz got the goals in Loulé as the Swedes were unable to avenge their 2-1 extra-time defeat three years ago. In the other Group A match in Alvor, Scandinavian rivals Finland and Norway shared the spoils with a goalless draw, the second in a row for Norway.
US record
In Group B, the United States put five unanswered goals past Denmark, with Heather O'Reilly twice finding the net in Quarteira. Captain Kristine Lilly, Abby Wambach and Natasha Kai also scored for the US, as they recorded their largest margin of victory in the tournament's 13-year history.
French victory
France remain in contention in the section after beating China 1-0 in Loulé, after drawing their opening match against Denmark 2-2. The Algarve Cup features eight nations in the main competition, with a further three – Portugal, Mexico and the Republic of Ireland – battling for minor positions outside the main event.