Thessaloniki, Greece ? In the first half, the U.S. women’s soccer team was pushed around by a Brazilian squad that had more hustle, speed and creativity.

In the second half, the Americans pushed back.

The Brazilian coach called it dirty soccer. The American coach called it proactive soccer. Regardless, Brazil ultimately had no answer for scoring machine Abby Wambach, whose souvenirs included a ripped jersey, a cut on her side, a goal created and a goal scored in Saturday’s 2-0 victory in the first round of the Olympic tournament.

“Brazil came with a gusto in the first half that we didn’t have,” coach April Heinrichs said. “And we responded. I like the way we responded.”

Wambach drew the foul that set up Mia Hamm’s penalty kick in the 58th minute and sliced through two defenders to score on a thrilling run in the 77th — her 16th goal in 17 games. For good measure, she also received her second yellow card in two games, giving her an automatic suspension for Tuesday’s final first-round match against Australia.

“She could’ve got rattled after that yellow card, knowing she was going to have to sit for the third game,” Hamm said. “But what she decided was that she was going to give us everything she had.”

The victory secures a U.S. berth in the quarterfinals, although that hardly was an achievement given that eight of the 10 in the Olympic tournament will advance. The Americans can clinch their group — and the high seeding that goes along with it — with a win or a tie against Australia.

But the Americans were the first to concede they should have been trailing the Brazilians by at least two goals at halftime. Brazil went to the locker room with several close calls — including two shots that hit the frame — and nothing on the scoreboard.

“Our players responded to the first half by self-evaluating and saying, ‘Look, we have to bring mentality, decisiveness and a little more bite in our tackles,'” Heinrichs said.

The “little more bite” agitated Brazil coach Rene Simoes. He said the Americans played a “very dirty game” in the second half and accused them of deliberately fouling his players.

“They come in the second half to really go against the player, not to go at the ball, and the referee allowed that,” Simoes said.

Women’s basketball

Athens, Greece — Three members of an NCAA championship team, a two-time Olympian and a quick, experienced guard — all on the floor at the same time. The U.S. second string can overwhelm opponents, too.

With a jump start from the reserves, the American women turned it up after an awful start and rolled past New Zealand, 99-47, Saturday — step No. 1 in the U.S. team’s bid to win a third straight gold medal.

“Our first unit knows the second unit won’t have a letdown,” said Swin Cash, one of the reserves and the top scorer with 19 points.

Those first five also know this: mess up and you sit.

“That’s the great thing about coaching USA Basketball,” coach Van Chancellor said. “When you’re not happy with the first five, you’ve got another five just as good.”

Softball

Athens, Greece — A calm came over U.S. coach Mike Candrea as he stepped into the dugout for his first Olympic game. He knew he’d done the right thing by coming.

His wife was gone, but at least this part of his life was still whole.

“I was back in my element,” he said. “It felt really, really good to be able to focus on one thing.”

Less than one month after his wife’s death from a brain aneurysm, Candrea guided the U.S. softball team to a 7-0 victory over Italy on Saturday in a shortened opener of the eight-team tournament.

Jennie Finch didn’t allow a hit in three innings, Natasha Watley went 4-for-4 with two RBIs, and the Americans began their run toward a third straight gold medal with an impressive display of speed and power.

Watley’s two-run double capped a three-run fifth inning that put the United States up by seven runs, invoking the mercy rule that ended the game.

Women’s volleyball

Athens, Greece — With the United States poised to make a gold-medal run, China was up to the opening challenge.

Paced by the power of outside Hao Yang, the Chinese team beat the Americans in four sets to start the preliminary competition.

China, the team chosen by many to win the gold in these games, was just a little too much for the U.S. — which has a promising mix of young and old players hoping to use momentum from a fourth-place finish in Sydney in 2000.

Heather Bown’s block attempt on match point fell short in the fourth and least-competitive set, ending the match at 25-21, 23-25, 25-22, 25-18.