Washington, D.C. (My Sportsbook) - In one of the most anticipated match-ups of the first round, the Samba Queens of Brazil imposed their beautiful brand of the game on former champions Norway, triumphing 4-1 in Group B action Wednesday night at RFK Stadium.
The victory puts Brazil in command of the group as they earn a place in the quarterfinals with six points following their 3-0 blasting of South Korea at the weekend. The Norwegians' fate, meanwhile, hinges on a later result Wednesday between the Koreans and Cup debutante France.
Despite Norway coming out like gangbusters following the break, it was all Brazil as Marta granted the South Americans a two-goal lead after the Scandinavians pulled one back just before the half.
It was Maicon who skillfully made her way through the Norwegian defense, shooting on 'keeper Bente Nordby before Marta finished off the move in the 59th minute.
Less than 10 minutes later, Katia netted her third goal of the tournament when a rampant Formiga picked her out on a cross from the left. Katia mis-hit her header, but it wrong-footed Nordby for Brazil's fourth strike of the match.
The goal served to hammer the final nail in Norway's coffin as Brazil dazzled from the start.
Norway gave it one last go in the 82nd minute when Marianne Pettersen looked to catch Andreia off guard, but Brazil's netminder got her fingertips to the long- range effort and parried the ball over the bar.
Daniela fired the South Americans into the lead in the 18th minute with perhaps the goal of the tournament to date when she slalomed 40 yards down the middle of the field before unleashing a shot into the bottom-left corner of that net past Nordby from beyond the area.
Rosana, who had been tearing up Norway's formation with her glancing runs forward, notched Brazil's second goal of the first stanza when she perfectly timed a free kick from the right, heading home past Nordby at the far post.
Five minutes before the intermission, Dagny Mellgren hoped to pull one back for Norway, but failed to put the ball on target on a cross from Pettersen.
Pettersen finally gave Norway something to celebrate when she sent in a smashing header past Andreia in stoppage time moments before the break -- breathing some energy into the Scandinavian squad.
Brazil also had the first opportunity of the match inside five minutes when Katia sprung Maicon in the left side of the area, but the spry striker struck the ball into the side netting.
Two minutes later, Mellgren struck a shot on the Brazilian net after she ran onto a through pass and flicked the ball on goal. But Andreia was there to save the Brazilians.
On 10 minutes, Formiga's first touch failed her from 15 yards on a look that would have been a sure goal, but she nailed it over the woodwork on a service from Tania.
The South Americans looked the brighter in the opening moments with their skilled brand of the beautiful game.
Katia, a handful for South Korea Saturday, also did well to wreak havoc on the Norwegians in the first half -- firing on net in the 20th minute for Nordby to save. Katia then forced the Norway 'keeper into a diving save in the 24th minute.
Norway was forced to play it close to the chest in the early going as they were charged with five fouls in first eight minutes.
In their final matches of the first round, Brazil takes on France, while Norway collides with South Korea. Both will be contested Saturday.
MATCH NOTES: Norway is the only side to beat the U.S. in Women's World Cup play. Brazil and Norway bet at both the 1996 Olympics and the 1999 World Cup -- both in the third-place match. Norway took the bronze in '96 at the Atlanta Games, but Brazil avenged the loss with a third-place finish at the USA '99. Ahead of the 2003 World Cup, Norway was ranked second, and Brazil was listed sixth in the world by FIFA. Norway's Dagny Mellgren won the 2000 Olympics with a 'golden goal' over the U.S.
