U.S. Women’s Soccer Team Loses to Norway Again, 2-1

The U.S. women’s soccer team, playing the final game of a five-game European tour, lost to Norway, 2-1, Sunday night before 15,762 at Oslo.

The lone U.S. goal came in the last minute when second-half substitute Cindy Parlow scored off a rebound from short range.

The U.S. and Norway, co-Olympic favorites, played to a 1-1 tie Thursday night at Tromso, Norway. The U.S. tied that game on an own-goal by Norway in the 58th minute.

U.S. Coach April Heinrichs thought Sunday’s loss was a case of coming to life too late.

“They showed their urgency in the last 20 minutes, not in the first 70,� she said. “It just shows once again how small the margin is between the top five teams in the world.�

The U.S. is now 2-4-2 against Norway, including three one-goal losses.

In the first half, Kristine Lilly of the U.S. had a goal taken away because of an offsides call, and early in the second half, Nikki Serlenga, who subbed for veteran Michelle Akers, hit the right post with a powerful 25-yard shot.

In the second half, Norway’s Dagny Mellgren scored in the 62nd minute before getting an own goal in the 81st minute.

The Americans play three more games at home against Russia, Canada and Brazil before heading to the Sydney Games.

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The U.S. men’s Olympic team edged English club Bolton Wanderers, 1-0, in an exhibition game at Indianapolis that served two purposes.

It provided a chance for the American squad to get used to playing together. And it gave Coach Clive Charles one last look at his roster before he trims it for the Sydney Olympics.

Charles has to pare the roster from 24 to 18 players by Aug. 14.

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Four days after England’s Football Assn. supposedly launched a crackdown on bad behavior on the field, 12 players got into a brawl during a game between host Blackburn and Everton, which Blackburn won, 2-0. An FA spokesman said any disciplinary action won’t be taken until after the referee files his report. . . . Dutch soccer hooligans attending two exhibition games in Belgium clashed with security staff, police and rival fans. One incident took place in Liege, the other in the northern city of Mechelen. Total damage: Four stadium stewards were injured and 16 fans detained by police. . . . At Stockholm, there were 10 arrests that stemmed from fighting after a game in which IFK Goteborg defeated AIK Solna, 1-0.

Pro Basketball

The Charlotte Hornets need to work out a sign-and-trade deal with the Miami Heat or they could lose Eddie Jones without compensation, according to Jones’ agent, Leon Rose.

“It appears that Charlotte can’t seem to get anything done with Miami,� Rose told the Charlotte Observer. “And Eddie is not going to be held hostage by that. Unfortunately, it puts Eddie in a situation where he must make a decision.�

Jones wants to play for the Heat, and is trying to avoid signing for the $2.25-million salary-cap exception. That’s the most money Miami can offer Jones in the absence of a sign-and-trade.

The Chicago Bulls, meanwhile, have enough room under the cap to offer Jones a maximum contract without a sign-and-trade, so the Bulls are a possibility.

Olympics

The International Olympic Committee meets in Lausanne, Switzerland, today and Tuesday to study two competing tests and decide whether either or both are reliable enough to use in testing for the banned hormone EPO.

Meanwhile in central Australia, police reported that about 1,000 syringes containing EPO were stolen from a hospital storeroom in Alice Springs and fear the performance-enhancing drugs could wind up on the black market before the Sydney Olympics.

EPO, or erythropoietin, boosts the production of oxygen-rich red blood cells.

Montenegro’s athletes will no longer compete on Yugoslav Olympic teams after the upcoming Sydney Games, according to Rade Djurdjic, the head of the Montenegrin Olympic Committee. Instead, Montenegrin officials will use the Sydney Games to lobby the IOC to recognize the pro-Western Yugoslav republic as a sovereign state with its own flag and teams.

Miscellany

Gerry DiNardo, former Louisiana State coach, has been named coach of the Birmingham, Ala., franchise of the XFL. DiNardo, a New York native, was given the choice of coaching in New York, Memphis or Birmingham.

In weather not conducive to beach volleyball--there were two rain delays during the semifinals--Karch Kiraly and Adam Johnson won the Paul Mitchell AVP Open at Virginia Beach, Va. They defeated Larry Witt and Brent Frohoff in the deciding game, 6-2, after losing the first game, 11-2.

Heavyweight Felix Savon led Cuba’s sweep of 12 gold medals at the International Giraldo Cordova Cardin boxing tournament at Havana.

Cuba’s domination was largely seen as an indicator of how the country would do at the Sydney Olympics. Only three non-Cubans qualified for the final day of the tournament.