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Brazil hold Germany, take top spot

In an emotion-filled match, Brazil scored in the final seconds to draw with Germany 3-3 yesterday and avoid a quarter-final match up with women's World Cup favourite the United States, who beat North Korea 3-0 to keep their record unblemished.

In other matches, African champions Nigeria reached the second round, with a 2-0 victory over a disappointing Denmark. Italy defeated Mexico 2-0 in a match of second tier Group B teams.

The Brazilians held on to the top spot in Group B with a surprise goal by reserve Maicon in the fourth minute of injury time at Jack Kent Cooke Stadium in suburban Maryland.

Brazil's top-scorer Sissi sent a free kick into the box after a foul deep in the German zone. The ball caroomed off of the German defenders before deflecting to Maicon, at the right side, who drove a 15-metre shot past goalkeeper Silke Rottenberg.

Brazil, who advanced to the quarter-finals for the first time after first round eliminations in 1991 and 1995, will face Nigeria on Thursday at Cooke Stadium.

Germany will face the United States, who won the title in 1991, and a strongly pro-American crowd in the first game at Cooke Stadium on Thursday night.

European champions Germany had forged a 3-2 lead when Stephanie Jones ran through three defenders at midfield before being set up by Sandra Smisek. Jones' 15-metre shot deflected off a defender and beyond the reach of Brazilian goalkeeper Maravilha.

After playing from behind, after Sissi scored for a 2-1 lead in the 21st minute, the Germans evened the score early in the second half when Birgit Prinz was pulled down in the box for a penalty. Veteran Bettina Wiegmann calmly buried the penalty shot in the 47th minute.

Prinz had scored the first German goal in the 8th minute, while Brazil levelled in the 15th minute off a 20-metre blast from Katia DiSilva.

In the second match at Cooke Stadium, Nigeria led with a goal from team leader Mercy Kkide in the 25th minute. The second Nigerian goal came from Nkiru Okosieme in the 81st minute.

Denmark was unable to organise a coherent attack against the fleet Nigerian defenders and finished the tournament with three loses and just one goal to show for their last-place effort in Group A.

Mexico was another poor performer as they fell to Italy and were outscored 15-to-1 in their three games in Group B.

Italy had goals from Patrizia Panico and Paola Zanni in the middle of each half. The team finished with a win and a draw but ended one point short of Germany in Group B.

Meanwhile in Foxboro, Massachusetts, North Korea held off the powerful American attack throughout the first half, but their disciplined defense yielded in the second half. Shannon MaCmillan scored in the 56th minute and Tisha Venturini added two goals in seven minutes late in the half for the hosts.

The first game between the two nations, which do not share diplomatic relations, shows the potential of the Koreans who were making their first World Cup appearance.

DPA