U.S. Women Take Algarve Cup

On its sixth try, the U.S. women’s soccer team won the Algarve Cup.

Brandi Chastain, who scored the winning goal during overtime penalty kicks in last summer’s World Cup final, converted a penalty kick in the ninth minute Saturday as the United States beat Norway, 1-0, in the championship game.

“We talked before we left for Europe about being mentally tougher on the road and how maybe we didn’t have the focus in the past,” said April Heinrichs, who took over as U.S. coach earlier this year. “The focus was here this time.”

Norway, a four-time winner of this prestigious tournament, beat the U.S. twice this earlier year in exhibition games in Florida and defeated the U.S. in the initial Algarve Cup in 1994. China beat U.S. in the tournament’s 1999 final.

“I think everyone played extremely well,” said Mia Hamm of the U.S. “The back line, along with Julie Foudy and Lorrie Fair, was tremendous.”

Hamm created the situation that led to the penalty kick, intercepting a back header from Norwegian defender Bente Kvitland to goalkeeper Bente Nordby. Hamm raced into the penalty area, put the ball around Nordby and was cut down by the goalkeeper.

Swedish referee Ingrid Johnsson awarded the penalty and Chastain took it, her first since the World Cup winner.

Norway almost tied it two minutes into the second half, but Dagny Mellgren missed from a sharp angle.

U.S. goalkeeper Siri Mullinix, playing in only her fifth international game, punched out a corner kick in the 89th minute.