March 12, 2001
LAGOS, Portugal (AP) - Charmaine Hooper scored twice as Canada' beat an inexperienced U.S. team 3-0 Sunday in the opening game of the Algarve Cup women's soccer tournament.
The U.S. team, defending last year's Algarve Cup title, dictated the run of play but it was the Canadians who took their chances.
The United States brought a young squad for this event in southern Portugal. The members of the team that won the World Cup two years ago and earned a silver medal in the Summer Olympics are preparing for the new Women's United Soccer League season, which begins next month.
Canada also won its last game against the United States, last November, after a series of 24 games without victory against the Americans.
Hooper, Canada's all-time leading scorer, got the first in the 30th minute when she chipped the ball over goalie Hope Solo. Christine Sinclair made it 2-0 from a corner kick seven minutes later while the U.S. side squandered chances at the other end.
Hooper got her second in injury time, pouncing on a defensive blunder.
In other games, Sweden defeated Portugal 4-1, Denmark beat China 2-1 and Norway routed Finland 5-1.
The next games are on Tuesday when the U.S. meets Portugal, and Canada takes on Sweden in Group A. In Group B, the games are Norway vs. China and Finland vs. Denmark.
The finals will be held March 17.
