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| Event type

Football, Women

Date6 – 21 August 2008
StatusOlympic
LocationQinghuangdao Shi Ao Ti Zhongxin Tiyuchang, Qinhuangdao / Shanghai Tiyuchang, Shanghai / Shenyang Aolinpike Tiyu Zhongxin Tiyuchang, Shenyang / Tianjin Aolinpike Zhongxin Tiyuchang, Tianjin / Gongren Tiyuchang, Beijing
Participants195 from 12 countries
FormatRound-robin pools advance teams to single-elimination tournament of four teams.

The women’s tournament was well attended, with seven of the quarter-finalists of the 2007 World Cup competing. (The only missing team was England, because Great Britain does not enter Olympic football tournaments.). Remarkably though, the last team to qualify was losing finalist Brazil, which had did not qualify directly from the continental qualifier. Other title contenders were Germany, the World Champion, and the United States, two-time Olympic Champion.

The favourites had a tough preliminary round, with Germany and Brazil opening against each other in a goal-less draw, while the US lost their first match to Norway. But the trio made it through to the semi-finals, supplemented by Japan, which upset the host nation in the quarter-finals. Led by star players Cristiane and Marta, the Brazilians took revenge for the lost World Cup final, beating Germany 4-1. Their opponent in the final was the same as in Athens. The United States overcame an earlier goal by Japan to win 4-2, and reached their fourth Olympic final in the fourth Olympic football tournament for women.

Like the previous women’s finals, the last match was a close affair. After the full 90 minutes, neither of the teams had scored. For the third time in succession, the Olympic final went into overtime. After six minutes, midfielder Carli Lloyd opened the score with a shot from just outside the box. Both teams then had good goal scoring changes in the remainder, but failed to convert them, and the United States won their third Olympic gold medal. With Germany winning the bronze medal match, the three podium nations were the same as they had been in 2004.

Though the US women had won Olympic gold medals in 1996 and 2004, World Cups in 1991 and 1999, and never failed to be on the podium at either event, the past year had been tumultuous for the American team. At the 2007 World Cup, the US faced Brazil in the semi-finals. The US goal keeper throughout the tournament had been Hope Solo, but US coach Greg Ryan benched her for the match against Brazil, replacing her with Brianna Scurry, formerly the top US keeper, but now in the twilight of her career. With Scurry in goal, Brazil crushed the Americans 4-0. Solo did not go quietly, telling the press quite firmly that her benching should not have happened, and that she would not have allowed those goals. After those remarks, Ryan threw Solo off the team for the bronze medal match and the US players refused to allow her to return to the team. Ryan was fired as national coach shortly after the World Cup. It was not until Sweden’s Pia Sundhage (a 1996 Olympian) was chosen to replace Ryan as coach that Solo was invited back to the national team.

Then shortly before the Beijing Olympics, further problems arose for the US in a friendly against Brazil. In that match, their final warm-up for the Olympics, American star striker Abby Wambach broke her tibia in a collision with Andreía Rosa. Wambach had surgery and could not play at the Olympics. With her scoring prowess missing, and the uncertainty of Solo in goal, the United States was considered somewhat of a mystery team in Beijing.

PosNumberTeamNOC
1United StatesUSAGold
7Shannon Boxx
4Rachel Buehler
17Lori Chalupny
12Lauren Cheney
14Stephanie Cox
13Tobin Heath
16Angela Hucles
6Tasha Kai
11Carli Lloyd
15Kate Sobrero-Markgraf
2Heather Mitts
9Heather O'Reilly
3Christie Pearce-Rampone
8Amy Rodriguez
1Hope Solo
5Lindsay Tarpley
10Aly Wagner
18Nicole Barnhart DNS
CoachPia Sundhage
2BrazilBRASilver
1 Andréia
3Andréia Rosa
12 Bárbara
11 Cristiane
7 Daniela
16 Érika
9 Estér
15 Fabiana Baiana
8 Formiga
13 Fran
10 Marta
17 Maurine
6 Maycon
14 Pretinha
5 Kóki
18 Rosana
2Simone Jatobá
4 Tânia Maranhão
CoachJorge Barcellos
3GermanyGERBronze
1Nadine Angerer
15Lira Bajramaj
7Melanie Behringer
6Linda Bresonik
18Kerstin Garefrekes
17Ariane Hingst
5Annike Krahn
14Simone Laudehr
10Renate Lingor
11Anja Mittag
13Célia Okoyino da Mbabi
4Babett Peter
16Conny Pohlers
9Birgit Prinz
8Sandra Smisek
2Kerstin Stegemann
3Saskia Bartusiak DNS
12Ursula Holl DNS
CoachSilvia Neid
4JapanJPN
7Kozue Ando
9Eriko Arakawa
1Miho Fukumoto
13Ayumi Hara
3Hiromi Isozaki-Ikeda
4Azusa Iwashimizu
6Tomoe Kato
2Yukari Kinga
12Karina Maruyama
8Aya Miyama
17Yuki Nagasato-Ogimi
11Shinobu Ohno
15Mizuho Sakaguchi
10Homare Sawa
16Rumi Utsugi
5Miyuki Yanagita
14Kyoko Yano
18Ayumi Kaihori DNS
CoachNorio Sasaki
5People's Republic of ChinaCHN
7Bi Yan
17Gu Yasha
9Han Duan
18Han Wenxia
3Li Jie
14Liu Huana
10Liu Sa
12Lou Jiahui
11Pu Wei
16Wang Dandan
5Weng Xinzhi
8Xu Yuan
6Zhang Na
4Zhang Ying
1Zhang Yanru
15Zhou Gaoping
13Jiang Shuai DNS
2Yuan Fan DNS
CoachShang Ruihua
6SwedenSWE
10Johanna Almgren
19Maria Aronsson
18Nilla Fischer
16Linda Forsberg
9Jessica Landström
7Sara Larsson
1Hedvig Lindahl
14Josefine Öqvist
13Frida Östberg
4Anna Paulson
17Charlotte Rohlin
8Lotta Schelin
5Caroline Seger
3Stina Segerström
15Therese Sjögran
11Victoria Svensson
6Sara Thunebro
2Karolina Westberg DNS
12Caroline Jönsson DNS
CoachThomas Dennerby
7NorwayNOR
12Marit Fiane Christensen
3Gunhild Følstad
8Solveig Gulbrandsen
9Isabell Herlovsen
14Guro Knutsen
6Marie Knutsen
11Leni Larsen Kaurin
17Lene Mykjåland
5Siri Nordby
7Trine Rønning
15Marita Skammelsrud Lund
1Erika Skarbø
2Ane Stangeland Horpestad
4Ingvild Stensland
13Lene Storløkken
16Elise Thorsnes
10Melissa Wiik
18Christine Colombo Nilsen DNS
CoachBjarne Berntsen
8CanadaCAN
9Candace Chapman
16Jonelle Filigno
10Martina Franko
5Robyn Gayle
11Randee Hermus
15Kara Lang
1Karina LeBlanc
8Diana Matheson
18Erin McLeod
2Jodi-Ann Robinson
4Clare Rustad
6Sophie Schmidt
12Christine Sinclair
14Melissa Tancredi
17Brittany Timko
13Amy Walsh
7Rhian Wilkinson
3Emily Zurrer
CoachEven Pellerud
9Democratic People's Republic of KoreaPRK
7Ho Sun-Hui
1Jon Myong-Hui
8Kil Son-Hui
17Kim Yong-Ae
2Kim Kyong-Hwa
6Kim Ok-Sim
16Kong Hye-Ok
3Om Jong-Ran
10Ri Kum-Suk
11Ri Un-Gyong
9Ri Un-Suk
5Song Jong-Sun
15Sonu Kyong-Sun
18Han Hye-Yong DNS
14Jang Il-Ok DNS
4Jang Yong-Ok DNS
12Ri Un-Hyang DNS
13Yu Jong-Hui DNS
CoachKim Kwang-Min
10New ZealandNZL
1Jenny Bindon
5Abby Erceg
3Anna Green
9Amber Hearn
14Kristy Hill
4Katie Hoyle-Duncan
15Emma Kete
16Renee Leota
10Emily McColl
8Hayley Moorwood
17Marlies Oostdam
2Ria Percival
7Ali Riley
6Rebecca Smith
13Rebecca Tegg
11Kirsty Yallop
18Rachel Howard DNS
12Merissa Smith DNS
CoachJohn Herdman
=11ArgentinaARG
3Yésica Arrién
16María Blanco
6Gabriela Chávez
10Mariela Coronel
18Vanina Correa
5Marisa Gerez
2Eva González
4Florencia Mandrile
7Ludmila Manicler
8Emilia Mendieta
14Andrea Ojeda
15Mercedes Pereyra
9María Potassa
13Florencia Quiñones
11Fabiana Vallejos
17Analía Almeida DNS
1Guadalupe Calello DNS
12Daiana Cardone DNS
CoachJosé Carlos Borrello
=11NigeriaNGR
8Ifeanyi Chiejene
10Rita Chikwelu
11Lilian Cole
1Precious Dede
5Onome Ebi
17Edith Eduviere
2Efioanwan Ekpo
13Christie George
14Faith Ikidi
15Tawa Ishola
16Ulunma Jerome
7Stella Mbachu
9Sarah Michael
4Perpetua Nkwocha
12Cynthia Uwak
6Kikelomo Ajayi DNS
18Tochukwu Oluehi DNS
3Ayisat Yusuf DNS
CoachJoseph Ladipo

Preliminary Round

Date6 – 12 August 2008

Group E

PosTeamNOCWinsTiesLossesPointsGoals
1People's Republic of ChinaCHN21075-2Q
2SwedenSWE20164-3Q
3CanadaCAN11144-4q
4ArgentinaARG00301-5
MatchDate/TimeTeamNOCResultTeamNOC
Match #106 Aug 17:00CanadaCAN2 – 1ArgentinaARG
Match #206 Aug 19:45People's Republic of ChinaCHN2 – 1SwedenSWE
Match #309 Aug 17:00SwedenSWE1 – 0ArgentinaARG
Match #409 Aug 19:45CanadaCAN1 – 1People's Republic of ChinaCHN
Match #512 Aug 19:45People's Republic of ChinaCHN2 – 0ArgentinaARG
Match #612 Aug 19:45SwedenSWE2 – 1CanadaCAN

Group F

PosTeamNOCWinsTiesLossesPointsGoals
1BrazilBRA21075-2Q
2GermanyGER21072-0Q
3Democratic People's Republic of KoreaPRK10232-3
4NigeriaNGR00301-5
MatchDate/TimeTeamNOCResultTeamNOC
Match #106 Aug 17:00BrazilBRA0 – 0GermanyGER
Match #206 Aug 19:45Democratic People's Republic of KoreaPRK1 – 0NigeriaNGR
Match #309 Aug 17:00GermanyGER1 – 0NigeriaNGR
Match #409 Aug 19:45BrazilBRA2 – 1Democratic People's Republic of KoreaPRK
Match #512 Aug 17:00GermanyGER1 – 0Democratic People's Republic of KoreaPRK
Match #612 Aug 17:00BrazilBRA3 – 1NigeriaNGR

Group G

PosTeamNOCWinsTiesLossesPointsGoals
1United StatesUSA20165-2Q
2NorwayNOR20164-5Q
3JapanJPN11147-4q
4New ZealandNZL01212-7
MatchDate/TimeTeamNOCResultTeamNOC
Match #106 Aug 17:00JapanJPN2 – 2New ZealandNZL
Match #206 Aug 19:45NorwayNOR2 – 0United StatesUSA
Match #309 Aug 17:00United StatesUSA1 – 0JapanJPN
Match #409 Aug 19:45NorwayNOR1 – 0New ZealandNZL
Match #512 Aug 19:45JapanJPN5 – 1NorwayNOR
Match #612 Aug 19:45United StatesUSA4 – 0New ZealandNZL

Quarter-Finals

Date15 August 2008
FormatWinners of each match advanced to semi-finals.
MatchDate/TimeCompetitorsNOCResultCompetitorsNOC
Match #115 Aug 18:00United StatesUSA2 – 1CanadaCANAET
Match #215 Aug 18:00BrazilBRA2 – 1NorwayNOR
Match #315 Aug 21:00GermanyGER2 – 0SwedenSWEAET
Match #415 Aug 21:00JapanJPN2 – 0People's Republic of ChinaCHN

Semi-Finals

Date18 August 2008
FormatWinners of each match advanced to final round.
MatchDate/TimeCompetitorsNOCResultCompetitorsNOC
Match #118 Aug 18:00BrazilBRA4 – 1GermanyGER
Match #218 Aug 21:00United StatesUSA4 – 2JapanJPN

Final Round

Date21 August 2008
FormatMedal round.
MatchDate/TimeCompetitorsNOCResultCompetitorsNOC
Match 1/221 Aug 21:00United StatesUSA1 – 0BrazilBRAAET
Match 3/421 Aug 18:00GermanyGER2 – 0JapanJPN