The United States survived a head injury to Abby Wambach, mediocre play, the rain and an inspired effort by North Korea to struggle to a 2-2 draw in its opening Group B match in the Women's World Cup in Chengdu, China on Tuesday night.
The top-ranked U.S., favored to win its third world title, hardly looked like potential champions as they were fortunate to walk out of Chengdu Sports Center Stadium with a point after trying to keep afloat in the rain against the fifth-ranked Koreans.
The U.S., which has never lost a first-round game of the WWC in 13 tries, continues its tour of the so-called Group of Death against Sweden, the third-ranked team in the world, Friday.
U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo made a diving save to her right to deny a long-range shot three minutes into stoppage time to preserve the tie before 35,100 soaked spectators.
"It's unfortunate we didn't win, but we got a point," Wambach told ESPN2 in the mixed zone afterwards. "It's how you get to the next round, not how many points you get.
"We kind of had to battle back. North Korea is a great team. They deserve to be No. 5 in the world."
Wambach broke a scoreless tie with her 78th international goal in the 50th minute. Kristine Lilly sent a ball into the box that Wambach rocketed toward the net with her right foot that had her injured big toe. The ball went through the hands of goalkeeper Jon Myong Hui and into the left side of the net.
Wambach, however was forced from the game with a bleeding forehead in the 57th minute after bumping heads with a Korean defender a minute earlier. The Rochester, N.Y. native needed seven minutes to close the cut, forcing the U.S. to play a woman down.
They did not respond well, looking lost without their most dangerous goal-scorer.
"Obviously not fast enough," Wambach told ESPN2 of her long return to the field.
The North Koreans took advantage of it, scoring twice within a four-minute span to grab a 2-1 lead.
First there was a breakdown in the net as Solo allowed substitute Kil Son Hui's 22-yard shot from the left side to bounce off both her hands and into the net in the 58th minute.
With Korea forcing the issue in the 62nd minute, Kim Yong Ae scored during a scramble in the penalty area as the U.S. failed to clear the ball.
The U.S. took advantage of the Koreans' inability to clear the ball out of the box in the 69th minute as the ball bounced off two players before coming to Heather O'Reilly. The New Brunswick, N.J. product calmly placed an eight-yard shot into the net for a 2-2 deadlock.
The North Koreans took the game to the U.S. in a rainy opening half. They enjoyed the better play of possession, getting to the ball quicker than the USA and winning more 50-50 balls, thanks in part to their quick pace, high pressure of play.
The youngest team in the tournament, North Korea did not looked fazed or intimidated playing against the top-ranked team in the world.
The U.S., on the other hand, had problems getting the ball to its one-two dangerous punch of Wambach and Lilly during the flow of play.
The best scoring opportunity early on for the USA came in the 41st minute. Stephanie Lopez swung a corner kick into the area that Wambach headed off the crossbar from eight yards.
Except for that play, the U.S. shots wound up eight over or wide left or right of the net with an occasional shot going right into Jon's hands.
Michael Lewis is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
