The U.S. women, in their first match since finishing third at the Women's World Cup, surrendered a goal off the opening kickoff and another minutes after taking their only lead of the game and settled for a 2-2 tie with Italy on Wednesday night.

Ilaria Pasqui scored just 11 seconds into the game and Moira Placchi finished a superb free kick in the 64th minute to carry the Italians, who battled their hosts for 90 minutes to post an impressive result before 18,263 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo.

The Americans got a 36th-minute own goal after Abby Wambach chested a fine cross from Julie Foudy, then went ahead as Shannon MacMillan's driven free kick from just outside the box beat Italy goalkeeper Monica DiBernardo at the near post in the 60th minute.

''We weren't really pleased with how we played, but we need to find positives in everything,'' Wambach said. ''But we are professionals, and if we want to be the best team in the world in 2004, then we have to play like it.''

Added captain Julie Foudy: ''It's tough to get motivated to play so soon after the Women's World Cup, and everyone is still disappointed from the [semifinal] loss to Germany. But you can react in one of two ways: You can keep being angry or you can move on and focus on the Olympics, and that's what we are going to do. This game was the first step towards that.''

The match started horribly for the Yanks. Aly Wagner's pass off the opening kickoff was intercepted by Katia Serra, who pushed the ball forward, fended off a Shannon Boxx tackle (with a potential Serra hand ball ignored by referee Ali Saheli), then played the ball square to Patrizia Panico.

Pasqui raced between Joy Fawcett and Kate Sobrero into a clearing, and Panico's through ball followed a similar path. Pasqui, even with Fawcett when the pass was delivered, ran onto the ball in the box and fired past onrushing goalkeeper Siri Mullinix into the left side of the goal.

The United States had its chances, but didn't find the net until Manuela Tesse, trying to knock the ball from Wambach, volleyed it over DiBernardo and into the left side of the net.

MacMillan, who played 45 minutes — her longest stint since returning from a torn anterior cruciate ligament — put the Americans ahead an hour in, rifling a free kick just left of the Italian box through the defensive wall and into the smallest of spaces at the left post. DiBernardo got her hand to it but could not keep it out.

The goal was MacMillan's first since returning from injury and the 59th of her international career.

The Italians evened the score four minutes later, when Pasqui won an aerial battle in the box with Danielle Slaton for Pamela Conti's free kick from 33 yards, sending it toward the right post. Placchi, running in uncovered from the right, volleyed the ball off the left post and into the net.

Tiffeny Milbrett was presented an outstanding opportunity to score her 100th international goal but misfired far over the crossbar just before halftime.

Sobrero wore the captain's armband in honor of her 100th cap, which she earned during the World Cup.

University of North Carolina sophomores Lindsay Tarpley and Lori Chalupny were brought on in the second half; Tarpley, who has 18 goals and 10 assists for the Tar Heels in 16 matches, had a few chances but her touch was off.

Tarpley and Chalupny were added to the roster, otherwise occupied by World Cup players, when Mia Hamm begged off with injury and Catherine Reddick, their North Carolina teammate, skipped the game to catch up on schoolwork.

Cindy Parlow (concussion sustained in the third-place victory over Canada), Angela Hucles (stress fracture), Brandi Chastain (broken foot) and Briana Scurry (ill) were on the game roster but unable to play.

The United States will conclude its two-match post-World Cup series on Nov. 2 against Mexico at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.

WEDNESDAY'S SUMMARY

Oct. 22 at Kansas City, Mo.

United States 2 Italy 2. Goals: own goal Tesse 36, MacMillan 60; Pasqui 1, Placchi 64.

United States — Mullinix; Bivens, Fawcett (Slaton, 62), Sobrero, Pearce; Boxx; Foudy (Roberts, 46), Wagner, Lilly (Chalupny, 61); Wambach (MacMillan, 46), Milbrett (Tarpley, 46).

Italy — DiBernardo; Sancassani (Pontil, 85), Tona, Tesse, Placchi; Serra (DiFilippo, 46), Tuttino (Conti, 63), Camporese; Pasqui (Gabbiadini, 70), Gazzoli (Deiana, 84), Panico (Boni, 80).

Yellow cards — U.S. — Wambach 15; Italy — Placchi 28, DiBernardo 87.

Referee — Ali Saheli (U.S.)

A — 18,263.