Women's World Cup

Brazil sidesteps U.S with injury-time goal: Nigeria leads Africa to quarters.

Germany 3, Brazil 3
First Round
Group B

The goal set off a Brazilian celebration normally associated with a major victory. Brazil was elated because by earning the last-second draw, it won Group B and avoided a quarterfinal showdown with the United States, instead facing weak Nigeria.

"We know we will have to play them eventually, but it's better that we meet down the road," said Brazil’s coach Wilson DeOliveira Rica. Germany "is the European champions and we expected a hard, close match. We are happy with the draw."

Germany (1-0-2, 4 points), which will play the U.S. Thursday, opened the scoring in the eighth minute when Brigit Prinz, nicely set up by a pass from Maren Meinert, beat Brazilian keeper Maravilha from a sharp angle.

German coach Tina Theune-Meyer would much have preferred a victory. "We knew we wanted to avoid the U.S.," she said. "I thought we had accomplished that. But it was not to be, so now we must rest and be ready."

Brazil came right back. In the 15th minute Pretinha stole the ball from German defender Steffi Jones deep in the German end. She slotted the ball to Da Silva, who scored easily to make it 1-1.

Then just five minutes later Sissi, the tournament's leading scorer with six goals, made it 2-1 with a bending free kick that floated over the German wall and settled just inside the right post, catching German keeper Silke Rottenberg flat-footed.

The second half, at least for the first 48 minutes, favored Germany with an organized defense that gained confidence in turning back every Brazil effort.

Germany tied the score at 2 when Bettina Wiegmann converted a penalty kick after Brazil's Suzana who pulled German striker Brigit Prinz down in the box in the 46th minute.

Then in the 59th minute Jones made up for her first half blunder by making a long run trough the Brazilian defense, getting a pass back, and blasted the ball by Maravilha.

It looked like the 3-2 lead would hold, and Brazil would be forced to meet the U.S. on Thursday. But a foul set up the free kick by Sissi that ended in Maicon's tying shot in the 94nd minute.

Score: Germany 3 Brazil 3

Scoring: Germany - Prina (Meinert) 8; Brazil - Da Silva (Pretinha) 15; Brazil - Sissi (unassisted) 20; Germany - Wiegmann (penalty kick) 47; Germany - Jones (Smisek) 58; Brazil - Maicon (unassisted) 90.

Lineups: Germany - Silke Rottenberg, Ariane Hingst, Steffi Jones, Doris Fitschen, Martina Voss (Sandra Smisek 29), Sandra Minnert, Bettina Wiegmann, Maren Meinert , Pia Wunderlich (Tina Wunderlich 45), Inka Grings (Monika Meyer 89), Brigit Prinz; Brazil - Maravilha, Nene, Elane, Suzana (Maicon 65), Marisa, Tania, Cidinha, Raquel, Sissi, Raquel (Formiga 60), Marisa (Fanta 33), Pretinha.

Shots: Germany 14, Brazil 14. Shots on goal: Germany 11, Brazil 7. Saves: Germany 4, Brazil 7. Corner kicks: Germany 4, Brazil 2. Fouls: Germany 16, Brazil 7. Offside: Germany 0, Brazil 3. Yellow card caution: Germany - Sandra Minnert 68, Tina Wunderlich 85; Brazil - Formiga 79, Fanta 85.

Referee: Eun Ju Im (Korea). Assistant referees: Adeola Adeyemi (Nigeria), Kari Seitz (United States). Attendance: 22,109 at Jack Kent Cooke Stadium in Landover Md. Weather: Hot, humid, overcast, 90 degrees.

Nigeria 2, Denmark 0
First Round
Group A

LANDOVER, Md. -- Nigeria outlasted an obviously tired Danish side 2-0 to set up a quarterfinal match-up with Brazil and become the first African nation to go beyond the first round in a Women's World Cup.

Nigeria advanced despite being embarrassed 7-1 by the United States on Thursday. "I would not be surprised now if we will win our way through to the semi-finals and meet the U.S. again and gain our revenge," coach Ismailo Mabo said.

The Danes could not mount much of an attack in the wilting Washington heat and humidly, and return home with an 0-3 record.

"We came here to this World Cup thinking we had improved," said Denmark’s coach Jorgen Hvidmose. "I am disappointed with our performance and our results. We were just not good enough."

The run of play was clearly with Nigeria in the first half. On several occasions the Danish defense tried to catch Nigeria in offside traps, but were too slow.

In the 25th minute Nigerian striker Mercy Akide beat charging Danish keeper Dorthe Larsen to a slow rolling pass from Patience Avre and steered the ball into the open net for the only goal of the first half.

Denmark finally mounted a challenge in extra time, but a foul by Denmark's Gitte Krough against Nigerian keeper Ann Chiejine nullified an apparent goal by Janni Johansen.

Denmark struggled through much of the second half trying to push forward. Its best opportunities came at the 75th minute mark. First, Nigerian keeper Ann Chiejine was forced to make two leaping saves within 30 seconds of one another, than less than a minute later Danish forward Merete Pedersen hit the crossbar with a header.

Nigeria put the match out of reach in the 80th minute when Nkiru Okosieme picked up a loose ball in the Danish penalty area and volleyed it into the top corner. -- Robert Wagman

Score: Nigeria 2 Denmark 0

Scoring: Nigeria - Mercy Akide (2) (Patience Avre) 25; Nigeria - Nkiru Okosieme (1) (unassisted) 80.

Lineups: Nigeria - Ann Chiejine, Yinka Kudaisa, Ebrechi Opara, Kikelomo Ajayi, Prisca Emeafu, Nkiru Okosieme, Florence Omagbemi, Ifeanyichukwu Chiejene, Nkechi Egbe (Stella Mbachu 54), Rita Nwadike, Patience Avre, Mercy Akide; Denmark - Dorthe Larsen, Hanne Christensen, Lene Terp, Jeanne Axelsen, Janne Rasmussen, Christina Petersen, Gitte Krough (Louise Hansen 66), Katrine Pedersen, Mikka Hansen Merete Pedersen 58), Hanne Norregaard (Lene Jensen 32), Janni Johansen.

Shots: Nigeria 19, Denmark 12. Shots on goal: Nigeria 11, Denmark 5. Saves: Nigeria 4, Denmark 9. Corner kicks: Nigeria 4, Denmark 3. Fouls: Nigeria 18, Denmark 13. Offside: Nigeria 11, Denmark 4. Yellow card caution: Nigeria - Stella Mbachu 87, Prisca Emeafu 90; Denmark - Gitte Krough 50.

Referee: Maria Edilene Siqueira (Brazil). Assistant referees: Hisae Yoshizawa, (Japan), Elke Guenthner (Germany. Attendance: 22,109 at Jack Kent Cooke Stadium, in Landover, Md. Weather: Hot, humid, overcast, 90 degrees.

Italy 2, Mexico 0
First Round
Group B

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Italy ended Mexico's disasterous World Cup tournament as Patricia Panico scored her second goal of the tournament in a 2-0 victory in a game between teams already eliminated from the quarterfinal round before 50,484 at Foxboro Stadium.

Panico took a pass from midfield in the 37th minute and dribbled through two defenders before beating Mexico goalkeeper Linnea Quinonez low to her left. Paola Zanni added a goal in the 51st minute.

Mexico had permitted 13 goals in its first two matches, scoring one. It even held an edge in shots 8-7 in the first half, while taking six corner kicks and conceding none.

The Mexicans managed one shot -- that in the 90th minute -- in their prior match against Germany ended the tournament with a minus-14 goal differential.

Score: Italy 2 Mexico 0

Scoring: Italy - Panico (2) (unassisted) 37; Italy - Zanni (1) 51.

Lineups: Mexico - Lenny Quinones, Susy Mora, Martha Moore (Monica Gonzalez 42), Patricia Perez, Lisa Nanez, Monica Vergara (Laurie Hill 55), Fatima Levya (Denise Ireta 66), Andrea Rodebaugh, Gina Oceguera, Maribel Dominguez, Monica Gerardo; Italy - Giorgia Brenzan, Damiana Deiana, Paolo Zanni, Luisa Marchio, Anno Duo' (Silvia Tagliacarne 46), Adele Frollani, Daniela Tavalazzi, Tatiana Zorn, Alessandra Palloti, Rita Guarino (Roberta Stefanelli 46), Patrizia Panico.

Shots: Mexico 8, Italy 23. Shots on goal: Mexico 4, Italy 14. Saves: Mexico 11, Italy 2. Corner kicks: n/a. Fouls: Mexico 15, Italy 8. Offside: Mexico 11, Italy 2. Yellow card caution: Mexico - Rodebaugh 74; Italy - none.

Referee: Bola Elizabeth Abidoye (Nigeria). Assistant referees: Jackeline Saez Blanquice (Panama), Comfort Cofie (Ghana). Attendance: 50,484 at Foxboro Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. Weather: Hot, sunny, 92 degrees.