Brazil takes third

Norway beaten 5-4 on penalties after 0-0 draw

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Posted: Saturday July 10, 1999 05:32 PM

Brazilian goalkeeper Maravilha (left) hugs teammate Formiga, who scored the game-winning penalty kick. AP

PASADENA, California (AP) -- Brazil will have to make room in its crowded soccer trophy case for another honor -- this one from the women.

Formiga created a little space for the females in Brazil's illustrious history, beating defending champion Norway 5-4 on penalty kicks after a 0-0 draw Saturday to claim third place at the Women's World Cup.

"It's extremely important for us to take third place," Brazilian coach Wilson de Oliveira. "This is a tremendous accomplishment for Brazilian women's soccer."

The match before a near full Rose Bowl, site of the 1994 World Cup final, preceded the women's championship match between China and Norway.

The victory came despite Brazil being outplayed by the Norwegians, which controlled for all but the last 20 minutes.

"We could have scored three goals," Norwegian coach Per Mathias Hogmo said. "I'm a little disappointed because we had so many chances and some were good.

"I'm very pleased. We have a young team building up. This was good for us. We are one of the four best teams in the world and the best in Europe. We'll take a lot of confidence into he Olympics."

Formiga stuck her ball low and inside the left post for the clinching goal, then streaked to the sideline with arms outstretched to celebrate as her teammates raced across the field to mob her and goalkeeper Maravilha.

The Brazilians, who generated little offense during the regulation 90 minutes. Unlike regular FIFA World Cup matches, the game went immediately to penalties without a golden goal extra time.

With the game tied 4-4 on penalties, second-half substitute Ann Kristin Jorgensen opened the door for Brazil by missing on Norway's sixth attempt.

Pretinha missed on Brazil's first chance, but Cidinha, Katia da Silva, Maicon, Nene and Formiga all converted after that to give the South Americans the bronze medal.

"Penalty kicks are like a lottery," Wilson said. "Our philosophy is never to play defensively. We attack. But the back four and midfield settled into a defensive mode."

Norway controlled for all but the last 20 minutes, when Brazil finally showed some consistent life.

Until the 71st minute, Brazil rarely possessed the ball inside Norway's 18 and what shots it did produce were harmless and came from well outside the penalty area.

Almost all of Brazil's offense came off the foot of Pretinha, who came into the game with three goals in the tournament.

Katia gave Brazil its first clear chance in the 61st, breaking in on Bente Nordby and beating the Norwegian 'keeper to the ball. But her flick from just inside the area went high.

Nordby blocked Pretinha on another breakaway in the 71st, and the Brazilian forward put a volley just wide of the near post on an ensuing corner.

Until that, it was all Norway. Hege Riise's one-bounce free kick in the 66th had to be punched away at the near post by Maravilha, and Aarones had a back heel touch that went wide from inside the six in the 70th.

Marianne Pettersen and Rangnhild Gulbrandsen both had chances in the first half that went wide within a minute of each other after only 10 minutes.

Pettersen put a header over the bar from inside the six off a cross from Solveig Gulbrandsen, and Rangnhild Gulbrandsen left-footed a volley over the bar from inside the six with an open goal off a cross from Petersen.

Rangnhild Gulbrandsen put another header wide in the 23rd, but the best chance for Norway came off a Brazilian defensive mix-up in the 30th. A retreating Nene miskicked a backpass, forcing goalkeeper Maravilha into a lunging kick to just knock it over the bar.

Lineups

BRAZIL: Maravilha; Juliana, Elane, Tania; Nene, Formiga, Suzana (Maicon, 72nd minute), Cidinha; Katia da Silva, Sissi, Pretinha.

NORWAY: Bente Nordby; Brit Sandaune, Linda Medalen, Goril Kringen, Henriette Viker; Silje Jorgensen, Monica Knudsen, Hege Risse, Solveig Gulbrandsen; Mariannne Pettersen (Dagny Mellgren, 58th), Ragnhild Gulbrandsen (Ann Kristin Aarones, 62nd).

Referee: Im Eun-ju, South Korea.

 

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