Poland and Norway to contend for Algarve Cup title
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E-mail Xinhua, March 5, 2019
Poland and Norway will put up their duel in the 2019 Algarve Cup women's soccer invitational tournament final with two straight victories as the group stage curtained down here on Monday.
Poland edged the Netherlands 1-0 in group B through Agnieszka Winczo's 42nd-minute goal, which arrived just three minutes after Dutch player Danique Kerkdijk's dismissal.
Poland top the group by having won both matches, while the Netherlands sit bottom with opposite results. Spain rank second with one win and one loss.
Norway had secured their leading position in group C after two matches. In the final round, Denmark beat China 1-0 as their skipper Pernille Harder converted a penalty around the hour mark, while Chinese footballers saw two efforts denied by woodwork.
Harder sent a left-flank cross after breaking into China's defensive line in the 11th minute, but Emilie Henriksen saw her shot at the back post just wide.
Harder's Chinese counterpart Zhang Rui had a left-footed curling shot bounced off the post 10 minutes later.
Chinese striker Wang Shuang rounded goalkeeper Line Johansen in the 34th minute, but failed to connect teammates on position to slot home. Wang had another strike blocked by Johansen before the first half ended in stalemate.
Denmark were awarded a penalty midway through the second half, as Wang Shanshan was penalized for pushing an opponent inside the area. Harder didn't waste the ensuing penalty.
Chinese teenager Zhao Yujie was close to register a magical international debut. After two shots in a row by fellow substitutes Yang Man and Wu Chengshu were blocked, the 19-year-old Zhao, playing and pursuing degree at Florida State University, turned around and fired a powerful strike, but it just went off the crossbar.
With two losses in as many games, China are restrained to bottom after Norway and Denmark.
A pair of goals from Elizabeth Arnott gifted Scotland a 4-1 thrash of Iceland in group A. Arnott's teammates Erin Cuthbert and Kim Little also scored, while Sara Bjork Gunnarsdottir netted a consolation goal for Iceland.
Canada sit atop group A with four points, followed by Scotland and Iceland.
Despite Andreia Norton's first-half goal, hosts Portugal lost to Switzerland 3-1 in the final match of group D.
Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic, Rahel Kiwic and Melanie Muller found the net for Switzerland in the second half.
Sweden become a better side in the group with superior goal difference, ahead of Switzerland and Portugal.
Poland and Norway will contend for the title on Wednesday as two best group winners, while Canada and Sweden participate in the third-place playoff.
China will face the Netherlands in the 11th-place classification.
The fifth place will be fought for between Scotland and Denmark. Switzerland will face Spain in the 7th-place contention. The ninth-placed team will come out from Portugal or Iceland.
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