Norwegian Women Finish Run to World Soccer Title

Norway is the new world champion of women’s soccer.

The Norwegians won the title Sunday by defeating Germany, 2-0, at the Rasunda Stadium--the same place Brazil won its first World Cup in 1958--in the final of the second FIFA Women’s World Championship.

The match, played in a nonstop rainstorm that limited the crowd to 17,158 and made footing treacherous, was dominated from the start by Norway, which knocked out the United States, the defending champion, in the semifinals.

German Coach Gero Bisanz suggested that the downpour might have led to his team’s downfall.

“I’m not going to complain at all about the [wet] field or the weather. It was exactly the same for both teams,” he said, “but it has to be said that these conditions really might have suited the Norwegians better than they suited us.”

To which Norway Coach Even Pellerud responded by saying, in essence, “Hogwash.”

The Norwegians attacked from the opening whistle, earning a remarkable six corner kicks in the first eight minutes. But it was not until the 37th minute that they took the lead.

Midfielder Hege Riise, who moments before had skied a shot over the crossbar from close range, made a fine run past two German defenders and unleashed a low shot that found the right-hand corner of the net beyond the fingertips of diving German goalkeeper Manuela Goller. In the 41st minute, Norwegian striker Linda Medalen fired a shot that Goller dived to block, but the ball rolled free and was bundled into the net by onrushing forward Marianne Pettersen.

Outplayed in the first half, Germany fought back in the second, but could find no way through a Norwegian defense anchored superbly by Gro Espeseth.