Norway capatalized on a pair of US errors with two goals in the first five minutes and held on for a 2-0 victory in the opening game for each team at the 2008 Olympics at Qinhuangdao Olympic Sports Center Stadium. Norway’s dream start came in the second minute. After Christie Rampone cleared a long throw in, Norway captain Ane Stangeland Horpestad swung in a long cross from the left wing. Lori Chalupny was in place to challenge for the header, but Hope Solo charged off her line and collided with Chalupny as Leni Larsen Kaurin popped the header over the US players and into the empty net.
Two minutes later Norway scored again. Kate Markgraf played a back pass from right in front of the benches into the middle of the field that was intercepted in stride by Melissa Wiik who dribbled into the area and curved a fantastic shot around Solo just inside the far post. After a few early build ups and corner kicks, the best chance for the US women in the first half came in the 26th minute and was created by Heather O’Reilly. With the Americans pressing, O’Reilly dribbled to the end line and cut back a pass that deflected to Carli Lloyd. Lloyd touched the ball forward to Angela Hucles who hit a curling shot over the crossbar.
In the second half neither team was able to get much going. Norway primarily sat back to counter attack and created their best chance of the half in the 49th minute on a freekick that Marit Christensen flicked just wide of Solo’s right post. The US continually attack through the second half, but couldn’t solve Norway’s defense with the final pass. In the 61st minute Natasha Kai put one over the bar from a tight angle and in the 78th Carli Lloyd had a pair of chances denied after her first shot came back to her off a defender.
The two best chances for the US came in stoppage time, when Hucles hit a blast from outside of the area that would have dipped into the net if not for a great leaping save from Erika Skarbøe. A minute later, Lloyd’s strike from nearly the same spot went just wide of the post.