o after losing to FCS Portland State in the opener by winning

BRASILIA, Brazil -- Cowardly or not, Swedens defensive strategy against the United States got the job done.The Swedes stymied the powerful American attack and advanced to the womens soccer semifinals at the Olympics, leaving the U.S. team empty-handed and with their earliest exit from a major tournament.Thats the best team in the world. But for once, they didnt go the whole way through, Sweden coach Pia Sundhage said. They played more attacking football than we did. We defended very well. And the fact that it went to penalty kicks says something about our defending.Sundhage certainly knows the U.S. team. After all, she coached the Americans for five years and won gold medals at the Beijing and London Olympics. Current U.S. coach Jill Ellis was her assistant.The three-time defending champion United States had been the clear favorites in Brazil and would have been the first team to win an Olympic gold following a Womens World Cup title.After the loss, the attention fell on U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo for comments she made about Swedens tactics to go on the defensive. She said she?thought they were a bunch of cowards.We had that style of play when Pia was our coach. I dont think theyre going to make it far in the tournament. I think it was very cowardly, Solo said. But they won. Theyre moving on. And were going home.While the park the bus strategy is often debated in soccer, Ellis simply drew the inevitable conclusion that it was successful.The game is the game, so I think, tactically, thats the coachs prerogative, the coachs choice, Ellis said. They look at their personnel, and they determine a game plan based on that. And I think to take us to penalty kicks is probably a good strategy because then it becomes a crapshoot, right?Can I criticize or knock someone for their tactics? No, thats their choice.On Saturday, U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati told Sports Illustrated that Solos remarks were highly inappropriate and not in line with the expectations of U.S. Soccer or the ideals of the Olympic movement.At a news briefing in Rio de Janeiro, IOC spokesman Mark Adams described Solos outburst as disappointing. However, he added that people are free to say those things. We wouldnt stop their right to express themselves, within boundaries, obviously.Lost in all the postgame drama was the spectacular play of Sweden goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl, who plays club soccer for Chelsea. The 33-year-old national team veteran turned away six shots on goal before prevailing in the shootout.Youve got to be pumped if you win against the world champions. Just playing against the U.S., on paper, you think, Oh my God, this is going to demand something special from me, Lindahl said. I think its something that happens automatically: You get really inspired and focused. It brings out the best of me, at least, when I play against the U.S.Sweden had only beaten the United States five times before Fridays quarterfinal meeting, which the team won 4-3 on penalties following a 1-1 draw.The Swedes, who won bronze in 2004, face a considerable challenge in their next match against host Brazil and the countrys star player, Marta. The Brazilians defeated Australia on penalties. In the group stage, Brazil beat Sweden 5-1. Marta scored twice in that game, but more defensive tactics could be coming from Sweden.You always have to take into account the opponents, Sundhage said. We played against the world champions, so thats one reason we chose to play the way we did. swell Gourde . Laudrup revealed Thursday he was notified of his dismissal in "the briefest of letters which gave no reasons why such hasty and final action was deemed necessary. swell Bouteille dEau .com) - The game was all punts and field goals before Kodi Whitfields catch. http://www.swellbouteille.fr/ . -- Charline Labonte couldnt have asked for a better homecoming. S Well Bouteille Paris . LOUIS -- Theres no telling how these wacky World Series games will end. Bouteille SWell Marbre . Schenn scored the game-winning goal and added two assists to lead the Philadelphia Flyers to a 4-1 win over the Calgary Flames at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Tuesday. BOISE, Idaho -- On the verge of another win over a Pac-12 team on its home field, Boise State nearly crumbled in the final minutes.Fortunately the Broncos did enough over the first three quarter to hold on.Jeremy McNichols rushed for 116 yards and two touchdowns, Tyler Horton returned his first career interception 85 yards for a touchdown and Boise State held on in the fourth quarter for a 31-28 win over Washington State on Saturday night.Brett Rypien threw for 299 yards, including a 47-yard touchdown to Thomas Sperbeck, but was intercepted twice in the fourth quarter, giving Washington State chances until the final play when Luke Falks desperation heave was batted down.Boise State (2-0) won its 34th straight regular season non-conference home game, knocking off the last out of conference team to win on The Blue.We did not face adversity in our first game. ... We got a chance to do that tonight, Boise State coach Bryan Harsin said.Falk was 55-of-71 passing for 480 yards and four touchdowns, but it took three quarters before he could beat the Broncos throwing downfield, hitting Tavares Martin Jr. on a 50-yard TD late in the third quarter that pulled the Cougars within 24-14. Rypien quickly answered, completing three straight passes for 68 yards before McNichols second touchdown run pushed the Broncos lead 31-14 on the first play of the fourth quarter.That proved to be enough -- barely.There were definitely some uncharacteristic mistakes I made tonight, Rypien said. But we won. Were 2-0.Falk rallied in the fourth quarter, throwing touchdown passes of 14 yards -- on fourth down -- to Jamal Morrow and hitting Gabe Marks on a 33-yard TD with 4:17 left right after Rypien was intercepted to pull within 31-28. Washington State got the ball back with a minute remaining after poor clock management by the Broncos, but the Cougars had their own problems with the clock and settled for Falks final throw that fell short.Leach ripped into his teams toughness after the loss, saying the Cougars outplayed Boise State in every other category.We outperformed them in a ton of different ways but were not tough enough, Leach said. And as a football team we have to get (a llot) tougher and right now were not very tough.dddddddddddd.Washington State (0-2) was trying to match what it did in 2001 when the Cougars won 41-20 in Boise and rebound from being stunned by FCS power Eastern Washington in last weeks opener. But the Cougars got off to an awful start with Falk getting intercepted on their opening drive deep in Boise State territory and watching Horton manage to stay inbound and sprint 85 yards to give the Broncos the early lead.It was the first of six drives by the Cougars that reached Boise State territory and failed to end in points. The Cougars had a field goal attempt blocked, punted twice and turned the ball over on downs twice inside the Broncos half of the field, the last coming when Morrow was stuffed on fourth-and-1 at the 46 with 5:12 remaining.TAKEAWAYSWashington State: Any momentum from last years nine wins and a bowl victory is gone for the Cougars. They were able to rebound a year ago after losing to FCS Portland State in the opener by winning at Rutgers, but an 0-2 start this year may be difficult to overcome with the upcoming schedule.Boise State: The Broncos remembered how to win at home. Boise State lost its final two home games of last season, the first time losing consecutive home games since 1997. They made sure it wasnt three straight.POLL IMPLICATIONSThe Broncos were on the edge of cracking the Top 25 last week. Theres a chance the Broncos could slide in this week, although the fourth quarter rally by Washington State may have taken away some votes. Either way, if the Broncos can win at Oregon State in two weeks, they should be able to break through at that point.UP NEXTWashington State: The Cougars close out their non-conference schedule as Idaho makes the 8-mile trip across the state border to face the Cougars.Boise State: The Broncos get the week off before facing a second straight Pac-12 school, traveling to Oregon State on Sept. 24.LAST WORDIt was a good test for us. It was nice to be able to see what were made of early, Boise State linebacker Ben Weaver said. ' ' '