The U.S. women's national team beat France, 1-0, to open play at the 2005 Algarve Cup in Portugal. Christie Welsh, who has been playing in France for Lyon, scored the only goal in the 20th minute. The game was the first for interim head coach Greg Ryan.
Christie Welsh, who has been playing in France for Lyon, scored the only goal in the 20th minute. She was set up by Aly Wagner, another of the American contingent that has settled at Lyon.
The goal sequence saw Wagner collect a short pass from Abby Wambach near the left corner of the penalty area and chip a pass into the middle of the box. It deflected off a French defender and Welsh did well to reach the bouncing ball first, hitting a spinning half volley with her left foot into the lower left corner from 12 yards out. It was Welsh's 14th career goal in 24 career matches.
The Americans limited France, which is preparing for the 2005 European Championship and recently beat Norway, to three shots. Nicole Barnhart earned a shutout in her first match in goal for the U.S. national team.
In other Group B play, Denmark, scored three unanswered goals to defeat Finland, 4-1. In Group A which features four of the top six ranked teams in the world, Norway got off to a great start with a 2-1 win over China, and Germany continued its mastery of Sweden, also winning, 2-1. In Group C, England routed Northern Ireland, 4-0, and Mexico came from a goal down to defeat host Portugal, 2-1.
March 9 in Ferreiras
USA 1 France 0. Goal: Welsh 20.
USA — Barnhart, Mitts, Reddick, Markgraf, Chalupny, Tarpley (Fair, 80), Boxx, Wagner (Hucles, 68), Welsh (O'Reilly, 64), Wambach, Lilly.
France — Deville, Diacre, Dusang, Georges, Provost, Abily, Bompastor, Mugneret-Beghe (Bussaglia, 61), Soubeyrand, Lattaf (Tonazzi, 68), Pichon.
Referee: Dagmar Damkova (Czech Republic)
Att.: 250.