La acción deportiva comenzó el miércoles en los Juegos Olímpicos de Londres, y la selección local de fútbol de mujeres se impuso 1-0 a Nueva Zelanda, con un tanto de Stephanie Houghton.


En tanto, las estadounidenses ratificaron su condición de favoritas al doblegar 4-2 a Francia, pese a que mostraron algunas deficiencias a la defensiva. Otras firmes aspirantes al podio, las japonesas, se impusieron 2-1 a Canadá.


Dos días antes de la inauguración formal de los Juegos, el tiro libre cobrado por Houghton a los 65 minutos, con la derecha y con mucho efecto, envió el balón por encima del muro defensivo y a la izquierda de la arquera neocelandesa Jenny Bindon, para dar la victoria a Gran Bretaña.


El torneo de fútbol comenzó previo a la ceremonia de apertura pues de otra manera no era posible cumplir con su largo calendario antes de que concluyeran los Juegos.


Las británicas figuran entre las favoritas para avanzar en el Grupo E, junto con Brasil, medallista de plata en Beijing 2008. Las brasileñas se medían a Camerún más tarde, también en el Millennium Stadium de Cardiff, Gales.


En Glasgow, Escocia, las estadounidenses permitieron un par de goles en los albores del partido antes de desatar un ataque despiadado que mostró por qué se les considera candidatas a colgarse la presea de oro.


Estados Unidos permitió más goles en el comienzo del encuentro que en cualquier otro partido desde que perdió la final mundialista ante Japón, el año pasado. Gaetane Thiney, a los 12 minutos, y Marie Laure Delie, a los 14, perforaron la zaga norteamericana para mandar al frente a Francia.


Pero Abby Wambach acercó a las estadounidenses con un buen remate de cabeza a los 19. Alex Morgan hizo el tanto del empate a los 32 y Carli Lloyd marcó el gol de la ventaja a los 56 con un poderoso disparo.


Morgan anotó su segundo tanto del encuentro a los a los 66, para dar un sentido de normalidad al marcador en favor de las estadounidenses, que llegaron a Londres en busca de su tercera medalla de oro al hilo.


Más tarde, Colombia chocaba contra Corea del Norte, en otro encuentro del Grupo G.


Las japonesas, a quienes en cambio les ha sido elusiva la presea dorada, debutaron también con el pie derecho, en un encuentro por el Grupo F.


Nahomi Kawasumi y la capitana Aya Miyama hicieron goles en los primeros 11 minutos del cotejo. Tancredi descontó por Canadá a los 55.


Suecia y Sudáfrica completaban más tarde la primera fecha de este grupo.


___


El periodista de la AP, Joseph White, contribuyó con este despacho desde Glasgow.

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