Suwon, South Korea (My Sportsbook) - The U.S. Women's National Team defeated Australia in its opening match of the 2008 Peace Queen Cup, winning 2-1 as Natasha Kai scored in the first half and forward Abby Wambach added the winner 13 minutes from the end of the game.
Kai's opener was canceled out by Australia's Heather Garriock in the 57th minute, but Wambach's 96th international goal proved to be the difference as the United States joined Brazil at the top of Group B. The Americans will play Brazil, which beat Italy 2-1 on Sunday, on Tuesday in their second match.
Australia played compact defense to limit the USA's chances while the American back line did a great job of keeping Matilda speedster Lisa De Vanna in front of them.
Neither team put on a dynamic attacking performance, combining for just seven shots on goal, but the Americans had the better of the match, firing 11 shots to Australia's five and produced the greater number of dangerous chances.
Heather O'Reilly created the first goal after collecting a ball on the right wing, beating an Australian defender, and crossing into the box for Kai, who was making a cutting run and slipped in front of a defender before beating Australian goalkeeper Melissa Barbieri to the ball. Kai poked it by the keeper from six yards out into the lower left corner with the ball kissing the post as it rolled over the line.
The equalizer came in the 57th as Amy Chapman chipped in a cross from the right wing that landed amongst a group of U.S. defenders, but took an awkward spinning bounce to the foot of Garriock. The Australia midfielder got only a small piece of the ball, but it was enough to send the ball trickling past U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo and into the lower right corner of the net.
The Americans then made the most of a corner kick opportunity 20 minutes later to grab all three points.
Halftime substitute Aly Wagner, who was seeing her first action of 2008 after a long recovery from a double-hernia operation, sent a service to the back post just outside the six-yard box. Wambach rose up over two defenders and with her back to the goal, sent a shot on goal off the back of her head. The ball then snuck past the diving Barbieri and an Australian defender, who was standing on the goal line, and found the back of the net.
It was the third time this year that the United States has beaten Australia in a one-goal game, but Tuesday's match will be one that the Americans have been looking forward to ever since they were embarrassed by Brazil in the World Cup semifinals, 4-0.
