U.S. finds offense in women's soccer

Lloyd's goal enough to edge Japan, 1-0

So much for the U.S. women's soccer team's scoring drought. Midfielder Carli Lloyd scored on a first-half volley to lead the Americans past Japan 1-0 in their first game since a 2-0 loss to Norway.

The Americans created a host of scoring opportunities but were only able to capitalize in the 27th minute, when Lloyd volleyed a cross from defender Stephanie Cox just under the crossbar. Goals are at a premium for this club with scoring leader Abby Wambach out with an injury.

China tied Canada 1-1, putting the host country in position to advance to the quarterfinals. Also, two-time FIFA Player of the Year Marta scored to help Brazil beat North Korea 2-1; Sweden beat Argentina 1-0; Germany beat Nigeria 1-0 and Norway beat New Zealand 1-0.

GYMNASTICS: The U.S. men finished atop their qualifying group with a score good enough to clinch a spot in the team finals. Thus, even without injured stars Paul and Morgan Hamm, the Americans still have a shot at a medal -- even if it's a slim one.

"To make a major team personnel change, compete in the first subdivision and qualify for the team finals is a huge accomplishment, and we are looking forward to competing on Tuesday," U.S. coach Kevin Mazeika said.

China, winner of three straight world championships and the overwhelming favorite, lived up to it by soaring to the top of the pack.

BEACH VOLLEYBALL: Being defending world champions, having won 21 straight international matches and getting a visit from President Bush did little for Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser. They lost their opening match 21-19, 21-18 to Martins Plavins and Aleksandrs Samoilovs of Latvia, a team that was seeded 23rd in the 24-team field. The Americans must win their next two pool-play matches to make the medal round.

WEIGHTLIFTING: Chen Xiexia, last year's world champion, dominated the competition from start to finish, lifting 210 pounds in the snatch and 258 in the clean and jerk.

By winning the second event of the games, she earned the first medal of any shade for China.

Turkey's Sibel Ozkan won the silver medal, while Chen Wei-Ling of Taiwan finished third.

CYCLING: Samuel Sanchez of Spain emerged from a sprint to the finish in the shadow of the Great Wall and won the men's road race, a trek that covered 152 miles in hazy air.

Italy's Davide Rebellin won silver on his 37th birthday, while Switzerland's Fabian Cancellara took the bronze. Levi Leipheimer was the top U.S. finisher, placing 11th.

Sanchez won in 6 hours, 23 minutes, 49 seconds, conquering a route that went past Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and other landmarks in Beijing, then outside the city for seven punishing laps of a hilly loop course between two points on the Great Wall.

JUDO: Romania's Alina Dumitru won the women's 106-pound gold, throwing Cuba's Yanet Bermoy to the mat for the prize after stunning Japan's seven-time world champion Ryoko Tani in the semifinal. Argentina's Paula Pareto and Tani, winner of the last two golds, won bronze.

In the men's 132-pound class final, South Korea's Choi Min-ho, the bronze medalist in Athens, defeated European champion Ludwig Paischer of Austria. Choi won all his bouts with match-ending throws.

IN OTHER SPORTS: South Korea's Park Sung-hyun, the defending Olympic women's archery champion, tied the Olympic record in the first day of competition.

* American sailor Zach Railey was second in an Olympic Finn race, first in a series of 11 that will determine the medals.

* American middleweight boxer Shawn Estrada beat Ezequiel Maderna of Argentina.

* Samoan light heavyweight boxer Farani Tavui was knocked out, lost consciousness, then left the ring on a stretcher and went to a hospital for evaluation.

* Serbia's Jelena Jankovic, who will become the No. 1 tennis player in the world Monday, said a sore right calf may knock her out of the Olympics.