Thursday, July 3, 2008

Midfielder Lindsay Tarpley scored an early goal, and the United States beat host Norway, 4- 0, yesterday in a tuneup for the Olympic women's soccer tournament.

Carli Lloyd, Angela Hucles and Abby Wambach added goals for the Americans, an Olympic favorite along with Norway, Brazil and Germany. The United States improved to 19-0 this year, including a penalty-kick victory over Canada.

"It's hard to play against us," U.S. Coach Pia Sundhage said. "You can keep up for 45 minutes, but after a while, because you have to run so much and stay so focused in defending, at the end of the day, so many times we look stronger at the end of the game."

The Americans will head to Sweden for another exhibition Saturday in Skelleftea. The United States then plays Brazil on July 13 in Commerce City, Colo., and July 16 in San Diego.

Tarpley scored just four minutes in, capitalizing on Norway's sleepy defense. Lloyd made it 2-0 in the 52nd minute, Hucles scored from 40 meters in the 84th, and Wambach added another goal three minutes later -- her 99th goal in 124 international appearances.

The United Sates has outscored Norway 12-1 in the teams' past three matchups.

-- From News Services