The Baltimore Sun du lieu suivant : Baltimore, Maryland • Page D3

The Sun Friday, Sept. 26, 2003: Page 3d Soccer WOMEN'S WORLD CUP Standings Svensson's goal sends Sweden over N. Korea Hamm sets up 5-0 win for U.S. GrOUP A GF GA Pts United States 2 0 0 8 1 6 North Korea 110 3 13 Sweden 1 10 2 3 3 Nigeria 0 2 0 0 8 0 GrOUP GF GA Pts Brazil 2 0 0 7 1 6 Norway 1 10 3 4 3 France 110 12 3 South Korea 0 2 0 0 4 0 GrOUP GF GA Pts Germany 2 0 0 7 1 6 Japan 1 10 6 3 3 Canada 1 10 4 4 3 Argentina 0 2 0 0 9 0 GrOUP GF GA Pts Russia 2 0 0 5 1 6 China 10 0 10 3 Australia 0 10 12 0 Ghana 0 2 0 0 4 0 Asian champions put on late run; Russia shuts out Ghana, improves to 2-0 U.S., from Page Id North Korean goalie got a hand on Josefine Oeqvist's point blank shot in the closing minutes. Swedish goalie Caroline Joensson was hit twice in a scramble when she came out of her net in the 80th.

She stayed on the ground for two minutes, but remained in the game. The Koreans angrily complained about the officiating. "The referees were very, very poor," said North Korea team leader Pak Chang Nam. "If the referees are poor, it can greatly affect the players' performance." Pak said there was too much holding and physical play, although the only obvious injury was to Joensson, who banged her head in the scramble. Russia 3, Ghana 0: Marina Saenko got one goal and started another scoring play in Carson, Calif.

The Russians improved to 2-0 in Group D. They opened with a 2-1 victory over Australia and next face China. Saenko scored on a free kick in the 36th minute, Natalia Barbachina made it 2-0 in the 54th and Olga Letyushova capped the scoring with a close-range volley in the 80th minute. Russia goalkeeper Alia Vol-kova, was particularly effective when Ghana had breakaways. Results, schedule Yesterday At Philadelphia Group Sweden 1 North Korea 0 Group United States 5, Nigeria 0 At Carson, Calif.

Group Russia 3, Ghana 0 Group China vs. Australia Tomorrow At Foxboro, Mass. Group South Korea vs. Norway, 12:45 p.m. Group Argentina vs.

Germany, 3:30 p.m. At Washington Group France vs. Brazil, 12:45 p.m. Group Canada vs. Japan, 3:30 p.m.

Sunday At Columbus, Ohio Group Sweden vs. Nigeria, 1 p.m. Group North Korea vs. United States, 3:45 p.m. At Portland, Ore.

Group Ghana vs. Australia, 8:15 p.m. Group Russia vs. China, 11 p.m. Bringing Sports to Life Mike Km FROM WIRE REPORTS Sweden used an early goal by Victoria Svensson to beat North Korea, 1-0, yesterday at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia in Group A of the Women's World Cup.

The Swedes, who lost to the United States in their opener, withstood a late surge by the Asian champions. "The match was a surviving match for us, and we survived this one," said Sweden coach Marika Domanski Lyfors. Sweden scored on a clever chip pass from Malin Andersson to Svensson. Deep in the penalty area, Svensson volleyed home a shot with her right foot in the seventh minute. "We play the best when we have the pressure on us," Svensson said.

"We did that today." The Swedes carried nearly all the early play, but North Korea came on late in the first half. Ri Kum Suk missed a header wide with an open chance, then the Swedish defense blocked several dangerous opportunities. North Korea, which beat Nigeria, 3-0, in the first round, out-scored opponents 60-3 in qualifying. But Sweden was a huge step up in competition, and the North Koreans had only one shot in the first half. The North Koreans had their best opportunity to tie in the 58th minute.

A superb cross from Kum Ran was sent off the crossbar from 10 yards by Ri. Goalie Ri Jong Hui kept her team close with two big saves midway through the second half. Seconds after Svensson shot just wide from 22 yards, Ri Jong Hui made a nice hand save on Svensson. Moments after that, the keeper sprawled to stop Swedish star Hanna Ljungberg. Ljungberg hit the left goal post with a slow left-footed shot in the 76th minute, and the REUTERS to play-make, she knew when to attack, she knew how to take the wind out of their sails.

We all knew Nigeria's toughness and their ability to close on the ball." Which may be putting it mildly. Nigeria's defenders jostled and pushed, flailing with elbows and feet, and never hesitated to charge any U.S. player near a ball. "Basically," Hamm said, "we had to hold the ball and take some abuse in the process." At least the final score showed no bruises and sent the United States toward a final first-round game against the Koreans in Columbus, Ohio, on Sunday comfortably atop the Group A standings with a 2-0-0 record for six points. Coupled with Sweden's 1-0 victory over North Korea earlier yesterday, leaving both Sweden and North Korea at 1-1-0 for three points, the United States needs only a tie Sunday to advance into the tournament's knockout phase.

Still, there was a sense of barely surviving throughout the match, witnessed by 31,553 at Philadelphia's new Lincoln Financial Field the largest stadium of the six being used for this tournament. By the fifth minute, Nigerian defenders Florence Omagbemi and Bunmi Kayode had sandwiched and flattened U.S. forward Cindy Parlow in the penalty area. The play was a summation of events, really, since it forewarned of Nigeria's tactics, but also that Nigeria would be hoisted on its own disregard for restraint. The hard foul on Parlow resulted in a penalty kick, which Hamm calmly TI IE SUN Nigeria's Stella Mbachu gets a leg up on Julie Foudy of the United States as they battle for the ball during the first round of the United States' 5-0 victory in Philadelphia.

last 34 increasingly rough minutes. Abby Wambach added a fourth U.S. goal in the 65th minute and Julie Foudy scored on a penalty kick in the 89th to conclude the scoring as Hein-richs once again appeared to make all the right strategic moves. Following Sunday's Cup-opening victory over Sweden by starting Wambach and Parlow up front with Hamm, Heinrich held Wambach out until half-time and used slick-passing Aly Wagner in a midfield position instead. Newsday is a Tribune Publishing newspaper.

slipped into the right corner of the net for a 1-0 U.S. lead. Hamm struck again in the 12th minute, when she sent a free kick from 30 yards into the far upper corner, admitting that she was trying to loop a pass to the charging Parlow. In withstanding constant pounding near the goal, Parlow seemed to have the role of the canary in a mine shaft, establishing that it was safe enough to proceed with work. At least it was safe enough for a woman as tall (5 feet 11) and strong as Parlow.

She earned a headed goal in the 47th minute on a perfect corner kick from Hamm and was rewarded with a seat on the bench in the game's Hooters of Harborplace 301 Light Street 410-244-0367 DP980043101R NjlKS HEIENTED IT OPEN POST GAME OUTSIDE GATE FREE TO FANS RAVENS REPORT wfifF Baltimore SATURDAYS AT (comcast SportsNet SUNDAYS AT flQVPVH PLEASE NOTE Vft NEW GAME TIME ls fo RAVENS WIRED AFTER MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL 1 (comcast SportsNet SEPTEMBER 27 AT SEPTEMBER 30 AT BoWfll BBBBBB -aflfl fresh Ideas igreatvalues my giant!.