The U.S. women’s national team, with an average age of 19.9 years per player, held a talented Sweden team to a 0-0 tie in its second match of the Australia Cup on Jan. 10. Sweden’s starting lineup featured 10 players from its 1999 Women’s World Cup Team that finished seventh in the United States and earned a berth to the 2000 Olympic Games in Australia. The USA is tied with Sweden on points at four a piece, but possesses a much higher goal difference courtesy of its 8-1 thrashing of the Czech Republic on Jan. 7. Unless Sweden also produces a big rout of the Czechs, the USA will likely win the tournament with a victory over host Australia in Adelaide on Thursday, Jan. 13. The match kicks off at 7:30 p.m. local time/3:30 a.m. ET at Hindmarsh Stadium, an Olympic venue for the 2000 Games. “I was very pleased not only with the result, but also the quality of soccer that this team played,” said U.S. coach Lauren Gregg. “The team was very disappointed not to win and that makes us even prouder of their effort. Our fitness was excellent and that really helped us press them at the end.” The last time the USA and Sweden met they also tied, that time in a 1-1 deadlock during the Algarve Cup in Portugal last March. The USA out-shot Sweden 8-6 in the more recent match and had a 5-1 edge in corner-kicks. Goalkeeper LaKeysia Beene, despite numerous grabs on dangerous crosses, did not have to make a save. The two teams traded early forays with forward Mandy Clemens running at the defense to create two chances in the first seven minutes, while Sweden’s captain Malin Andersson pinged a free-kick off the outside of the right post in the 11th minute. In the 21st minute Clemens turned the corner on her defender and raced toward the goal, but her skipping cross just eluded the sliding Sherrill Kester at the near post. Sweden had its best chance of the first half in the 31st minute when the USA failed to clear a cross and it bounced to Tina Nordlund, who miss-hit her shot, but hit it well enough to bounce it under the onrushing Beene. As the ball rolled toward the U.S. goal, Kester raced back to clear it off the goalline. “The team is really responding well to this environment,” said U.S. captain Michelle French. “Everyone is so excited just to represent our country and all of our under-21 national team experience has been really valuable. We’re all dedicated and focused to try to beat Australia.” In the nightcap of the doubleheader, Australia defeated the Czech Republic, 3-0, scoring twice in two minutes during the second half on a free-kick goal from Anissa Tann-Darby and a strike from Women’s World Cup star Julie Murray. Sharon Black added a third just minutes from time. The match saw six yellow cards issued and one Czech ejection. Jan. 10 in Melbourne USA 0, Sweden 0. USA — Beene, Lindsey, Pryce, French, Slaton, Cramer, Wagner, Serlenga, Mascaro (Welsh, 46, Zepeda, 78), Kester (Bush, 46), Clemens (Aldama, 70). Sweden — Jonsson, Westberg, Sandell (Sundh, 67), Marklund, Mostrom (Svensson, 56), Tornqvist, Bengtsson (Lonqvist 64), Andersson, Green (Fagerstrom, 71) Nordlund (Gustafsson, 89), Ljungberg. Ref.: Krys Szorola (Australia). Att.: 2,000. Standings
| Team | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | P |
| USA | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 4 |
| Sweden | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| Australia | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| Czech Republic | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 0 |