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HERAKLIO, Greece (August 11, 2004) - The U.S. Women's National Team rolled over Greece in the first match of Group G at the 2004 Olympics, winning 3-0 as Shannon Boxx and Abby Wambach scored in the first half and Mia Hamm added a clincher late in the game.
On a beautiful evening at Pankritio Stadium, set smack on the coast of the island of Crete, the Greeks put some early defensive pressure on the USA but then dropped back into their own half in a 4-5-1 formation, often having at least seven or eight players at the top of their penalty area. The USA played in a 4-4-2, with Hamm and Wambach up top, and had trouble finding space through the middle of the Greek bunker defense, and thus the two first-half goals came from the flanks.
The first goal came in the 14th minute when Hamm twisted Angeliki Lagoumtzi to the ground on the left flank with a razor-sharp cut-back move, then drilled a skipping left-footed cross into the middle. Wambach let the ball roll through her legs to the onrushing Boxx, who hammered her first-time left-footed shot into the left corner from 12 yards out. It was Boxx's 11th international goal and came in her first-ever Olympic appearance.
The second goal came 16 minutes later off some nifty work from defender Kate Markgraf down the left flank. She settled a blocked Hamm shot, then dribbled past a defender and bent a cross that dropped right between two defenders to an unmarked Wambach, who lofted a perfectly-placed header over diving Greek goalkeeper Maria Giatrakis, dropping the ball into the left side netting. The score gave the 5-foot-11 striker 15 goals in last 16 games, and was the 29th of her career. It was her first goal in Olympic competition.
The USA could have added a few more goals in the first half as they peppered the Greek net with 15 shots before the break, two of which caught woodwork, as Aly Wagner hammered a shot off the top of the cross bar in the fifth minute and Boxx hit the right post with a shot off a flicked-on corner kick in the seventh. Right before that chance, midfielder Kristine Lilly hammered a shot from a sharp angle that Giatrakis had to palm over the goal.
The Greeks defended gamely, but didn't see much of the ball during the match, as lone forward Dimitra Panteleiadou ran her heart out chasing the U.S. backs and eventually was replaced to a round of applause in the 76th minute. When Greece did string together possession several times, the home crowd of about 16,000 roared in appreciation.
Giatrakis played a fine match for Greece in goal, making just five saves as many U.S. shots flew over the net, but she was rock solid on high balls, many of which bent toward her and away from crashing U.S. attackers.
Wambach had a fine game for the U.S. playing with her back to the goal, holding the ball on the front line and often dropping into midfield to play-make, but it was her strike-partner Hamm who grabbed the final score.
In the 81st minute, Hamm collected an errant touch in the Greek defensive third then dribbled into the penalty area, cut inside on a defender and bent her left-footed shot around Giatrakis, who got her right glove on the ball, but couldn't stop it from hitting the left post and rolling into the net. The USA fired 11 shots after the break, but could only find the net through Hamm.
Greece had perhaps its best chance in the 48th minute on a free kick from 28 yards out, but the shot hit the American wall before being cleared. Greece did have two late corner kicks that excited the crowd, but neither troubled U.S. goalkeeper Briana Scurry, who picked up the 70th shutout of her career.
In the other Olympic women's matches played at the same time, Germany pulled off one of the most impressive results in Olympic history, crushing China 8-0. Japan also pulled off an upset of sorts, defeating 2003 Women's World Cup runner-up Sweden, 1-0. In the other Group G game, Brazil beat Australia, 1-0.
The U.S. team will travel north to Thessaloniki tomorrow in preparation for its next match on Saturday, Aug. 14, against Brazil at Kaftanzoglio Stadium. That match kicks off at 6 p.m. local / 11 a.m. ET and will be broadcast live on CNBC.
Author: Aaron Heifetz
Organization: U.S. Soccer Federation
Phone: Greece: 210-003-0801; U.S.: 619-482-6176
