Algarve Cup - Match Day 1 Results

The 22^nd edition of the Algarve Cup kicked off earlier today with an exciting day of results. Current World Champions Japan lost in the opening game of the tournament to Denmark, followed by current European champions Germany being defeated by Sweden. See below for a summary of games and results of Match Day One.

Group A

As we stated earlier in the week our game of the day was Germany vs. Sweden. The game lived up to expectations. There was only two minutes on the clock and already the current Algarve Cup holders Germany had scored two goals. A half volley inside the box by Marozsan and a cool finish by Lauder moments later gave the current European champions a dream start to their Algarve Cup campaign.

Caroline Seger gave her Swedish side some hope ahead of half time when she narrowed the gap by a single goal on the 30^th minute. It was team mate Sofia Jakobsson who pulled the sides level on the 54^th minute, when a long ball was played to the midfielder who skipped past the German goalkeeper Nadine Angerer who charged out of the box to clear it. Seger scored her second of the game on the 71^st minute before Jakobsson secured a 4 - 2 victory on the 84^th minute for the Swedish side.

Elsewhere, newcomers Brazil played out a scoreless draw against China. Next up in Group A on Friday, March 6^th is: Sweden vs. Brazil and Germany vs. China.

Group B

Switzerland beat Iceland in Lagos earlier in the day. Goals by Olympique Lyonnais's Lara Dickenmann secured three points for the Swiss. The United States faced Norway later in the day and it was another star of Lyon Ada Hegerberg who fired first. Hegerberg headed Norway into a 1 - 0 lead just before the half time whistle. Carli Lloyd levelled the sides early in the second half with a shot from distance. Lloyd gave the United States the lead moments later when she converted her penalty which was awarded for a handball inside the Norwegian box on the 62nd minute. A brace by Lloyd earned the United States all three points towards winning their tenth Algarve Cup.

Switzerland are next set to face the United States and Norway are to play Iceland on Friday, March 6th.

Group C

Japan and Denmark kicked off the opening game of the Algarve Cup which ended in a 2 -1 defeat for current FIFA Women’s World Cup holders Japan. The Japanese had a shaky start to the match as the ball bounced off numerous players before Denmark’s Troelsgaard placed the ball over the line after 2 minutes on the clock.

Japan grabbed an equaliser on the 17^th minute when a shot clipped the outside of the post rolling into the path of Ando to score the rebound inside the six yard box. It remained 1 – 1 at half time. Denmark’s Rasmussen scored the definitive winning goal of the game on the 58^th minute.

Hosts Portugal were narrowly defeated by a single goal by Eugenie le Sommer on the 65th minute. France secured there first three points on their debut at the tournament. Next up for the hosts is Japan on Friday, March 6th and Denmark are set to face France on the same day.