Football at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament
Encyclopedia
The women's association football tournament at the 2008 Summer Olympics
was held in Beijing
and four other cities in the People's Republic of China
from 6 August to 21 August. Associations affiliated with FIFA
were invited to send their full women's national teams.
For these Games, the women competed in a 12-team tournament. Preliminary matches commenced on 6 August, two days before the Opening Ceremony
of the Games. The teams were grouped into three pools of four teams each for a round-robin preliminary round. The top two teams in each pool, as well as the best two third-place finishing teams, advanced to an eight-team single-elimination bracket.
The tournament was won by the United States, which beat Brazil
1-0 in the gold medal game. Carli Lloyd
scored the game winning goal in the 96th minute for the United States, which collect their third Olympic gold medal.
may enter one women's team for the football competition.
The women's tournament is a full international tournament with no restrictions on age. Each nation must submit a squad of 18 players by 23 July 2008. A minimum of two goalkeepers (plus one optional alternate goalkeeper) must be included in the squad.
All times are China Standard Time (UTC+8
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4 goals Angela Hucles
3 goals Marta Homare Sawa
Lotta Schelin
2 goals Daniela
Christine Sinclair
Xu Yuan
Han Duan
Fatmire Bajramaj
Shinobu Ohno
Melissa Wiik
Carli Lloyd
Heather O'Reilly
1 goal Ludmila Manicler
Formiga
Candace Chapman
Kara Lang
Melissa Tancredi
Gu Yasha
Kerstin Garefrekes
Simone Laudehr
Anja Mittag
Birgit Prinz
Kerstin Stegemann
Eriko Arakawa
Aya Miyama
Yuki Nagasato
Yukari Kinga
Ayumi Hara
1 goal (cont.) Kirsty Yallop
Amber Hearn
Perpetua Nkwocha
Kyong Hwa Kim
Kum Suk Ri
Leni Larsen Kaurin
Guro Knutsen
Siri Nordby
Nilla Fischer
Lori Chalupny
Natasha Kai
Amy Rodriguez
Lindsay Tarpley
Own goal Gunhild Følstad
(playing against Japan)
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
was held in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
and four other cities in the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
from 6 August to 21 August. Associations affiliated with FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
were invited to send their full women's national teams.
For these Games, the women competed in a 12-team tournament. Preliminary matches commenced on 6 August, two days before the Opening Ceremony
2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony
The 2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony was held at the Beijing National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest. It began at 8:00 pm China Standard Time on August 8, 2008, as 8 is considered to be a lucky number. The number 8 is associated with prosperity and confidence in Chinese culture...
of the Games. The teams were grouped into three pools of four teams each for a round-robin preliminary round. The top two teams in each pool, as well as the best two third-place finishing teams, advanced to an eight-team single-elimination bracket.
The tournament was won by the United States, which beat Brazil
Brazil women's national football team
The Brazil women's national football team represents Brazil in international women's association football. Brazil played their first game on July 22, 1986 against the United States....
1-0 in the gold medal game. Carli Lloyd
Carli Lloyd
Carli Anne Lloyd is an American soccer midfielder currently playing for the Atlanta Beat of Women's Professional Soccer and is a member of the United States women's national soccer team.-Early life:...
scored the game winning goal in the 96th minute for the United States, which collect their third Olympic gold medal.
Qualifying criteria
A National Olympic CommitteeNational Olympic Committee
National Olympic Committees are the national constituents of the worldwide Olympic movement. Subject to the controls of the International Olympic Committee, they are responsible for organizing their people's participation in the Olympic Games...
may enter one women's team for the football competition.
| Competition | Date | Venue | Berths | Qualified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Host Nation | - | - | 1 | |
| AFC Preliminary Competition | Feb 2007 - Aug 2007 | - | 2 | |
| CAF Preliminary Competition | Oct 2006 - Mar 2008 | - | 1 | |
| CONCACAF Preliminary Competition | Oct 2007 - Apr 2008 |  Ciudad JuárezCiudad Juárez Ciudad Juárez , officially known today as Heroica Ciudad Juárez, but abbreviated Juárez and formerly known as El Paso del Norte, is a city and seat of the municipality of Juárez in the Mexican state of Chihuahua. Juárez's estimated population is 1.5 million people. The city lies on the Rio Grande... |
2 | |
| 2006 Sudamericano Femenino 2006 Sudamericano Femenino The 2006 South American Women's Football Championship football tournament was played between November 10 and November 26, 2006 at Mar del Plata, Argentina.... |
November 10–26, 2006 |  Mar del PlataMar del Plata Mar del Plata is an Argentine city located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, south of Buenos Aires. Mar del Plata is the second largest city of Buenos Aires Province. The name "Mar del Plata" had apparently the sense of "sea of the Río de la Plata region" or "adjoining sea to the Río de la Plata"... |
1 | |
| OFC Women's Olympic Qualifying | Aug 25 - Sep 7, 2007 March 8, 2008 |
 Apia  Port MoresbyPort Moresby Port Moresby , or Pot Mosbi in Tok Pisin, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea . It is located on the shores of the Gulf of Papua, on the southeastern coast of the island of New Guinea, which made it a prime objective for conquest by the Imperial Japanese forces during 1942–43... |
1 | |
| UEFA (2007 FIFA Women's World Cup)* | September 10–30, 2007 |  Mainland China |
2* | |
| UEFA Playoff (Denmark vs Sweden) | November 8, 2007 November 28, 2007 |
 Viborg  SolnaSolna Municipality Solna Municipality is a municipality in Stockholm County in east central Sweden, located just north of the capital Stockholm. Its seat is located in the 'city' of Solna.... |
1* | |
| CAF-CONMEBOL Playoff (Ghana vs Brazil) | April 19, 2008 |  BeijingBeijing Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's... |
1 | |
| TOTAL | 12 | |||
- Note - The three best ranked European teams at the FIFA Women's World Cup qualified for the Olympics. However, the third best team England could not participate, because England competes at the Olympic Games as part of Great Britain, which does not compete in football. Therefore, the fourth European team would advance, requiring a play-off between SwedenSweden women's national football teamSweden women's national football team are a football team officially representing Sweden in women's football. They won the unofficial European Championships in 1984, a success the team has not managed to repeat, it has however won one World Cup-silver as well as three European Cup-silvers...
and DenmarkDenmark women's national football teamThe Denmark women's national football team represents Denmark in international women's football. The team is controlled by the Danish Football Association .-World Cup:*1970 : Winner *1971 : Winner...
.
Seeding
| Pot 1: Asia | Pot 2: Americas | Pot 3: Europe | Pot 3: Rest of the World |
|---|---|---|---|
| (Hosts) |
Squads
The women's tournament is a full international tournament with no restrictions on age. Each nation must submit a squad of 18 players by 23 July 2008. A minimum of two goalkeepers (plus one optional alternate goalkeeper) must be included in the squad.
Officials
| Referee | Assistants |
|---|---|
| AFC Asian Football Confederation The Asian Football Confederation is the governing body of association football in Asia. It has 46 member countries, mostly located on the Asian continent. However, due to the disputed boundary of Europe and Asia, nations such as Russia and Turkey which are located mostly in geographic Asia are... |
|
 Hong Eun Ah |
 Sarah Ho Jacqueline Leleu |
 Pannipar KamnuengPannipar Kamnueng Pannipar Kamnueng is a Thai football referee.She first refereed internationally at the 2004 FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship before going on to officiate at the 2005 East Asian Cup.... |
 Daw Kaw Ja  Liu Hsiu-mei |
| Liu Hongjuan |
 Shamsuri Widiya Habibah Niu Huijun |
| CONCACAF CONCACAF The Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football is the continental governing body for association football in North America, Central America and the Caribbean... |
|
 Shane de SilvaShane de Silva Shane Calisa de Silva is a retired West Indies international cricketer and FIFA-certified referee.As a cricketer she was a left-handed batsman and slow, left-arm, orthodox bowler... |
 Milena López Cindy Mohammed |
 Dianne Ferreira-James |
Mayte Chávez Rita Muñoz |
 Kari SeitzKari Seitz Kari Seitz , is an american association football referee, considered one of the most experienced female referees in the world. She has participated in four FIFA Women's World Cups: 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011.-External links:*... |
Marlene Duffy Veronica Perez |
| Referee | Assistants |
|---|---|
| CAF Confederation of African Football The Confederation of African Football is the administrative and controlling body for African association football.CAF represents the national football associations of Africa, runs continental, national, and club competitions, and controls the prize money, regulations and media rights to those... |
|
 Deidre Mitchell |
Nomvula Masilela Tempa NdahTempa Ndah Rosalie Tempa Ndah is a Beninese football referee.A hairdresser by profession, she officiated at her first International match in 2003 before going on to referee the 2003 All-Africa Games football final and was an assistant referee at the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup in China.Ndah was nominated as... |
| CONMEBOL CONMEBOL The South American Football Confederation , commonly known as CONMEBOL , is the continental governing body of association football in South America and it is one of FIFA's six continental confederations... |
|
| Estela Álvarez |
 Marlene Leyton María Rocco |
| UEFA UEFA The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer.... |
|
 Christine BeckChristine Beck Christine Beck is a German football Referee and former player.She played for women's Bundesliga team VfL Sindelfingen in the early 1990s before moving into officiating in 1999.... |
Inka Müller María Luisa Villa Gutiérrez |
 Nicole PetignatNicole Petignat Nicole Petignat was born on October 27, 1966 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, in Switzerland. In August 2003 she became the first female referee of a men's football game organized by the UEFA, AIK Fotboll versus Fylkir in the preliminary round of the UEFA Cup.... |
 Cristina CiniCristina Cini Cristina Cini , of Florence, Tuscany, is the only Italian woman assistant referee in the Italian professional European football league....  Karine Vives Solana |
 Dagmar DamkováDagmar Damková Dagmar Damková is a Czech football referee. She has been an international referee since 1999, her first match being Belarus against Moldova on 17 April 1999. She refereed the final at the 2008 Olympics, the final of the UEFA Women's Euro 2009 and the 2011 UEFA Women's Champions League Final... |
Helen Caro  Irina Mirt Katarzyna Nadolska Hege Steinlund |
| Jenny Palmqvist |
|
Group stage
Group winners and runner-ups, plus two best third place teams advanced to quarter final round. Groups are lettered sequentially from the last letter in the Men's Football tournament (which has Groups A through D).All times are China Standard Time (UTC+8
UTC+8
UTC+08:00 is an identifier for a time offset from UTC of +08:00. In ISO 8601 the associated time would be written as .With an estimated population of 1.53 billion living within the time zone, roughly 22.5% of the world population, it is the most populous time zone in world, as well as a possible...
)
Group E
| Team | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 7 | ||
| 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 6 | ||
| 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | |
| 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 5 | −4 | 0 |
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Group F
| Team | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 7 | ||
| 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | ||
| 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 3 | |
| 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 5 | −4 | 0 |
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Group G
| Team | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 6 | ||
| 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 5 | −1 | 6 | |
| 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 4 | ||
| 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 7 | −5 | 1 |
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Ranking of third-placed teams
| Team | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 4 | ||
| 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | |
| 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 3 |
Knockout stage
Quarter-finals
--------
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Semi-finals
----Bronze medal match
Gold medal match
Medalists
| Women's football |
Final ranking
| Rank | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 | |
| 2 | |
| 3 | |
| 4 | |
| 5 | |
| 6 | |
| 7 | |
| 8 | |
| 9 | |
| 10 | |
| =11 | |
Goalscorers
5 goals CristianeCristiane Rozeira de Souza Silva
Cristiane Rozeira de Souza Silva , better known as Cristiane, is a Brazilian association football player...
4 goals Angela Hucles
Angela Hucles
Angela Khalia Hucles is a former American soccer midfielder and member of the United States women's national soccer team.-Early life:...
3 goals Marta Homare Sawa
Homare Sawa
is a female football player from Japan. She currently plays for INAC Kobe Leonessa in the Nadeshiko League Division 1.- Career :Long considered Japan's finest female footballer, she made her debut in Japan's highest domestic league at age 12. On December 6, 1993, at age 15, she made her Japanese...
Lotta Schelin
Lotta Schelin
Charlotta Eva Schelin , usually referred to as Lotta Schelin, is a Swedish football player who currently plays for Olympique Lyonnais of the Division 1 Féminine...
2 goals Daniela
Daniela Alves Lima
Daniela Alves Lima , commonly known as Daniela, is a Brazilian footballer who played midfielder who last played for Saint Louis Athletica of Women's Professional Soccer and is a member of the Brazil women's national football team.-Career:Daniela begun her career at the age of 13, at Portuguesa de...
Christine Sinclair
Christine Sinclair
Christine Margaret Sinclair is a Canadian soccer forward who plays professional soccer for the Western New York Flash and is the captain of the Canadian national team. Sinclair has spent ten years with the Canadian national team participating in two World Cups in 2007 and 2003 and the 2008 Summer...
Xu Yuan
Xu Yuan (footballer)
Xu Yuan is a female Chinese football player who competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics. Xu plays in the forward position. She was expected to be the next Sun Wen....
Han Duan
Han Duan
Han Duan is a Chinese football forward who last played for Los Angeles Sol of Women's Professional Soccer and is a member of the Chinese National Team.In 2004 she finished ninth with the Chinese team in the Olympics women's tournament...
Fatmire Bajramaj
Fatmire Bajramaj
Fatmire "Lira" Bajramaj is a German footballer with Albanian etnicity. She plays as an attacking midfielder for 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam and the German national team. She placed 3rd in 2010 FIFA Ballon d'Or competition, an annual award given to the world's best player.-Club:Bajramaj began her...
Shinobu Ohno
Shinobu Ohno
is a Japanese football player who plays as a forward. Her club team, as of 2011, is INAC Kobe Leonessa.After playing in the U-19 and U-20 teams for a short period, Ohno joined the senior Japanese national team in 2003. Her first major tournament was the 2006 AFC Women's Asian Cup, where Japan...
Melissa Wiik
Melissa Wiik
Melissa Wiik is a Norwegian female footballer, who currently plays for VfL Wolfsburg.-Career:Asker played in the elite Toppserien league in Norway, and Wiik was the league's top scorer of the 2007 season, with 22 goals from 22 matches...
Carli Lloyd
Carli Lloyd
Carli Anne Lloyd is an American soccer midfielder currently playing for the Atlanta Beat of Women's Professional Soccer and is a member of the United States women's national soccer team.-Early life:...
Heather O'Reilly
Heather O'Reilly
Heather Ann O'Reilly , also known by her initials HAO, is a member of the United States women's national soccer team and a two-time Olympic Gold medalist...
1 goal Ludmila Manicler
Ludmila Manicler
Ludmila Manicler is a women's football player from Argentina, currently playing for FC Barcelona in Spain's Primera División, and a member of the Argentina women's national football team...
Formiga
Miraildes Maciel Mota
Miraildes Maciel Mota , commonly known as Formiga , is a Brazilian footballer who played midfielder who last played for FC Gold Pride of Women's Professional Soccer and is a member of the Brazil women's national football team.-Career:Formiga was acquired by FC Gold Pride in the 2008 WPS...
Candace Chapman
Candace Chapman
Candace Marie Chapman is a Trinidad and Tobago-born, Canadian soccer defender who is currently playing for the Sky Blue FC in the WPS and is a member of the Canadian national team....
Kara Lang
Kara Lang
Kara Elise Lang is a retired Canadian soccer player, who represented her country in two FIFA World Cups and the Olympic Games, and played club soccer for Vancouver Whitecaps Women...
Melissa Tancredi
Melissa Tancredi
Melissa Tancredi is a Canadian soccer forward who currently plays for Piteå IF ladies team.-External links:* *...
Gu Yasha
Gu Yasha
Gu Yasha is a female Chinese football player who competed for the national team in the 2008 Summer Olympics. Her position is that of midfielder.-Major performances:*2004 National U16 Championship - 1st*2006/2007 National U18 League - 1st/2nd...
Kerstin Garefrekes
Kerstin Garefrekes
Kerstin Garefrekes is a German footballer. She plays as a midfielder or striker for 1. FFC Frankfurt and the German national team.-Club:...
Simone Laudehr
Simone Laudehr
Simone Laudehr is a German footballer. She plays as a central midfielder or winger for FCR 2001 Duisburg and the German national team.- Club :...
Anja Mittag
Anja Mittag
Anja Mittag is a German international footballer. She currently plays for 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam.- External links :*...
Birgit Prinz
Birgit Prinz
Birgit Prinz is a former German female professional association football player. She last played for 1. FFC Frankfurt and the German national team. Prinz is one of the game's most prolific strikers and the FIFA Women's World Cup all-time leading scorer with 14 goals . She has been named FIFA...
Kerstin Stegemann
Kerstin Stegemann
Kerstin Stegemann is a former female football player from Germany.Born in Rheine-Mesum, she made her football debut at age 15 in 1993, playing for FFC Heike Rheine in the Frauen Bundesliga. Within two years, she made her first appearance for the German national team, playing in an April 13, 1995...
Eriko Arakawa
Eriko Arakawa
is a Japanese soccer forward currently playing for Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies of L. League. She is also member of the Japanese national team.-Career:Arakawa previously played for L. League side NTV Beleza...
Aya Miyama
Aya Miyama
is a Japanese football midfielder who currently plays for Okayama Yunogō Belle of the L. League. She is also a member of the Japan's national team that won the 2011 Women's World Cup.-Early career:...
Yuki Nagasato
Yūki Nagasato
is a Japanese women's football striker.She currently plays for 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam of the Women's Bundesliga and is a member of the Japan women's national football team. She also played for Japan in the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup, where they defeated the US in the final.-Career...
Yukari Kinga
Yukari Kinga
is a Japanese international footballer currently playing as a defender for L. League club INAC Kobe leonessa. She has played in the 2007 and 2011 FIFA Women's World Cups.-References:...
Ayumi Hara
1 goal (cont.) Kirsty Yallop
Kirsty Yallop
Kirsty Lee Yallop , is an association football player who represented New Zealand at international level, making her senior international debut in a 0-6 loss to United States on 10 October 2004....
Amber Hearn
Amber Hearn
Amber Liarnie Rose Hearn , is a association football player who represented New Zealand at international level, making her senior international debut in a 0-2 loss to Australia on 18 February 2004.-Club career:...
Perpetua Nkwocha
Perpetua Nkwocha
Perpetua Ijeoma Nkwocha is a Nigerian female professional footballer, who currently plays for Swedish Damallsvenskan club Sunnanå SK...
Kyong Hwa Kim
Kim Kyong-Hwa
Kim Kyong Hwa is a North Korean football player who can play as either midfielder or forward. Her club team is 4.25 Sports Team and she is an established international player....
Kum Suk Ri
Ri Kum-Suk
Ri Kum-Suk is a North Korean footballer who plays for the 4.25 Sports Team. She plays a key role not only for her club, but also for her national teams in the AFC Women's Asian Cup, Asian Games and FIFA Women's World Cup.-Club career:...
Leni Larsen Kaurin
Leni Larsen Kaurin
Leni Larsen Kaurin is a Norwegian footballer, who currently plays for VfL Wolfsburg.-Career:She joined 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam from Asker, at the end of 2007. She was then the only Norwegian woman footballer playing in Germany. On 2 February 2010 she announced that she would transfer to 1...
Guro Knutsen
Guro Knutsen
Guro Knutsen Mienna is a Norwegian football player who plays for the club Røa IL in the Toppserien and for the Norway women's national football team....
Siri Nordby
Siri Nordby
Siri Nordby is a Norwegian football defender who plays for Røa in Norway's Toppserien league. She also plays for the Norway women's national football team....
Nilla Fischer
Nilla Fischer
Nilla Fischer is a female footballer for Linköping FC and the Swedish national team. She was previously the captain of LdB FC Malmö.-External links:* * *...
Lori Chalupny
Lori Chalupny
Lori Christine Chalupny is an American soccer midfielder currently playing for Atlanta Beat of Women's Professional Soccer and is a member of the United States women's national soccer team.-Career:...
Natasha Kai
Natasha Kai
Natasha Kanani Janine Kai is an American soccer forward currently playing for Philadelphia Independence of Women's Professional Soccer.-University of Hawaiʻi:Kai played for the University of Hawaiʻi Rainbow Wahine from 2002-2005...
Amy Rodriguez
Amy Rodriguez
Amy Joy Rodriguez is an American soccer forward currently playing for Philadelphia Independence of Women's Professional Soccer and is a member of the United States women's national soccer team....
Lindsay Tarpley
Lindsay Tarpley
Lindsay Ann Tarpley Snow is an American soccer forward currently playing for magicJack of Women's Professional Soccer and is a member of the United States women's national soccer team. She went to Portage Central High School.-High school:Tarpley grew up in Portage, Michigan, and attended Portage...
Own goal Gunhild Følstad
Gunhild Følstad
Gunhild Følstad was a Norwegian football defender from Overhalla near Namsos. The daughter of a football trainer, she played for Trondheims-Ørn and the Norwegian Women's National Football Team for which she has 75 appearances...
(playing against Japan)