BY SCOTT FRENCH IN MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA Brandi Chastain, Kristine Lilly and Shannon MacMillan scored goals and the U.S. women’s team claimed the top spot in its group at the Sydney Olympics with a difficult 3-1 victory Wednesday night at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Norway overcame China, 2-1, in Canberra to claim Group F’s other semifinal berth and send the Americans (2-0-1) — who trailed the Chinese on total goals heading into Wednesday’s action — to Sunday’s Canberra semifinal against Brazil. The U.S. men, meanwhile, departed for Adelaide, where in Saturday’s quarterfinals they will face Japan, which fell into the second spot in Group D with a 1-0 loss to group winner Brazil in Brisbane. Nigeria’s speed and athleticism repeatedly stretched the American women, who were unable to control the tempo of the match as they did in their earlier first-round matches, a victory over Norway (2-1) and a draw with China (1-1-1). Chastain and Lilly scored goals nine minutes apart to give the U.S. squad the upper hand before halftime, and MacMillan answered a sensational goal by Nigeria’s Mercy Akide early in the second half to nail down the victory. “Nigeria is unequivically one of the top six teams in the world,” praised U.S. coach April Heinrichs. “The way they play, the style they play would be unsettling for anybody.” Nigeria (0-3) accompanied its athleticism with a physical game that sometimes crossed the border into brutality, and several players — Tiffeny Milbrett and Kristine Lilly among them — were nursing battered limbs and bruises after the game. Korean referee Im Eun-Ju did little to halt the Africans’ aggressiveness, and she missed two clear penalties that might have padded the U.S. lead. The Super Falcons had the better of play much of the match, using U.S.-based stars Akide and Florence Omagbemi — who play for Milligan College in Tennessee — to dictate terms in midfield and penetrate the U.S. defense as neither Norway or China could. They outshot the Yanks, 18-10, and put 12 shots on target. But the match was the Americans’ to win almost from the start. They were unfortunate not to go ahead in the fourth minute, when Lilly, unmarked at the 6-yard box, caressed the crossbar with a volley from a Mia Hamm cross. Chastain broke the deadlock in the 26th minute from a Hamm corner kick. Hamm sent the ball beyond the far post, where Julie Foudy — who headed home a similar corner kick in Sunday’s 1-1 tie with China — nodded it back into the goalmouth. Chastain, unmarked inside the 6, volleyed it into the ceiling of the net. Omagbemi’s looping header six minutes later forced a leaping save by U.S. goalkeeper Siri Mullinix, and the Yanks doubled their lead on a goal credited to Lilly three minutes after that. Lilly, with Omagbemi trying to mark her, ripped a low 22-yard shot into the box. It appeared to be headed wide of the net but struck defender Perpetua Nkwocha and ricocheted past goalkeeper Anna Chiejine and inside the right post. FIFA likely will change credit to an own goal after reviewing tape of the game. Akide, Nigeria’s most lauded player, cut the deficit three minutes into the second half, taking a pass from the left flank and racing through attempted tackles by Joy Fawcett and Kate Sobrero. After forcing her way clear, Akide blasted the ball over Mullinix’s left shoulder and into the goal. Four minutes later, Chiejine charged studs up into Tiffeny Milbrett just inside the Nigerian box, felling the U.S. forward, who sustained injuries to her chest and right arm but continued to play. Im cautioned Chiejine and awarded the Americans a free kick just outside the penalty area; MacMillan’s blistering free kick cleared the wall and sailed over Chiejine, who wasn’t able to react until the ball had hit the net. In Canberra, China — needing only a tie — was unable to overcome a Margunn Haugenes free kick in the 78th minute and was eliminated. Marianne Pettersen fired Norway ahead 10 minutes into the second half, but Sun Wen evened things with her tournament-leading fourth goal, a 75th-minute penalty kick. In men’s play, Brazil grabbed the top spot in Group D as Alex’s fifth-minute goal stood up against Japan. The Brazilians edged their rival o total goals after both finished with six points and a plus-1 goal differential. Slovakia overcame South Africa, 2-1, in Canberra in the other game. Chile finished first in Group B despite a 1-0 loss in Adelaide to South Korea, which played a man short for 78 minutes. Spain topped Morocco, 2-0, in Melbourne on goals by Jose Mari and Gabri to claim the group’s second quarterfinal berth. Complete pairings for the women’s semifinals and men’s quarterfinals can be found below. U.S. GAME SUMMARY — WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 20 AT MELBOURNE USA 3 Nigeria 1. Goals: Chastain 26, Lilly 35, MacMillan 56; Akide 48. USA — Mullinix; Pearce, Fawcett, Sobrero, Chastain; MacMillan, Fair, Foudy, Lilly (Serlenga, 46); Hamm (Parlow, 70), Milbrett. Nigeria — Chiejine (Chime, 64); Kudaisi, Opara, Nkwocha, Ajayi (Avre, 20); Akide, Omagbemi (Mmadu, 72), Okosieme; Mbachu, Nwadike, Chiejene. Yellow cards — Serlenga 49, Chiejine 54, Akide 55, Avre 90. Referee — Im Eun-Ju (South Korea). Att. — 9,000. Other Group F score Norway 2 China 1. Goals: Pettersen 55, Haugenes 78; Sun 75 (pen). Women’s semifinals Sunday’s games United States vs. Brazil at Canberra Germany vs. Norway at Sydney WEDNESDAY’S MEN SCORES Group B Spain 2 Morocco 0. Goals: Jose Mari 33, Gabri 90. Chile 0 South Korea 1. Goal: D. Lee 28. Group D Japan 0 Brazil 1. Goal: Alex 5. South Africa 1 Slovakia 2. Goals: McCarthy 75; Czinege 47, Slahor 72. Men’s semifinals Saturday’s games United States vs. Japan at Adelaide Italy vs. Spain at Sydney Chile vs. Nigeria at Melbourne Brazil vs. Cameroon at Brisbane