Markgraf: Norway not to be overlooked
OLYMPICS_DOLY_SOC Headlines
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By RYAN LUCAS,
Updated August 5, 2008
QINHUANGDAO, China (AP) United States defender Kate Markgraf doesn't put a lot of stock in recent wins over Norway, the team it opens its Olympic soccer title defense against Wednesday.
The Americans racked up two 4-0 wins over the Norwegians this year, but Markgraf warned Norway - the only team other than the United States to win a gold medal in women's soccer - can't be overlooked in China.
"Norway's a perennial powerhouse," the veteran defender said Tuesday. "They've always battled well against us. They have a confidence, a very steely confidence against us that they can beat us, and that's what makes them play so well, and that's what makes them fight.
"Friendlies don't really mean anything. What matters is how you're playing during the Olympics."
The big question for the United States heading into the tournament is how the team will handle a slew of recent injuries to key players. Leading scorer Abby Wambach, midfielder Leslie Osborne and defender Cat Whitehill - all regular starters - are all out.
Wambach's injury is the biggest blow. The 28-year-old forward, who scored a goal in both wins over Norway earlier this year, fractured her left leg against Brazil in mid-July.
"When you lose Abby you lose a dynamic heading personality, for sure, that's one of the main things you lose, so you can't send as many long balls in the air as much, so we really have to play on the ground," Markgraf said.
"But that's the thing, you can't be as good as your one player otherwise you aren't going to be very good."
Despite the adversity, the United States isn't ready to adopt the underdog tag at the Beijing Games.
"A lot of people have us kind of written off, now that we've had the three big injuries, and people are like, 'Oh, they don't have certain players so they're not going to be nearly as good,'" Markgraf said. "We're just going to be different."
That doesn't mean this U.S. team plans on going home with a different medal than the gold they won in Athens in 2004.
© 2009 by STATS LLC and Associated Press.Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.
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