USA vs. North Korea: A Minute-by-Minute Recap of the First Half

A cursory glance at the Twitter feeds of the players for the U.S. women's national team said it all: they were relishing this chance to play Wednesday's group stage match at Old Trafford. NBC commentator Arlo White revealed that it was the first time a major women's international fixture had taken place at the iconic venue.

USA: Solo, O'Hara, Rampone, Buehler, LePeilbet, Rapinoe, Lloyd, O'Reilly, Cheney, Morgan, Wambach

North Korea: Chang-Ran, Myong-Gum, Son-Hwa, Yong-Sim, Nam-Hui, Myong-Hwa, Ye-Gyong, Chol-Ok, Un-Ju, Hyon-Hi, Song-Hui 

1': The U.S. a bit too antsy to get this game started; rush into midfield circle before referee blows her whistle. Brief North Korean possession ends with ball trickling out for goalkick.
2': U.S. dispossessed in midfield, but regain possession, build from back working the ball from side to side. O'Hara plays lovely 1-2 with Rapinoe, Morgan then plays Rapinoe in down wing, where she ghosts past defender to endline, her left-footed cross pushed aside by keeper for corner.
3': Corner kick cleared at near post, goes out for another corner. Carli Lloyd wins Rapinoe's second corner, but North Korea clear as far as midfield, where U.S. retain possession.
4': Ball goes to North Korea, attempt to play ball in behind U.S. defense, unsuccessfully. 
5': N. Korea dispossessed by Rachael Buehler in midfield, U.S. play ball across defense, up to Wambach, who lays off for Lloyd, who plays in ball to Alex Morgan. Morgan's first touch of the game takes her across edge of penalty area, her left-footed curling effort pushed aside for a corner.
6': Corner misses everyone, Lloyd gets sandwiched at far post.

7': Good ball played in toward defense by N. Korea, picked out, U.S. switch play over to Rapinoe, ball pinballs around before going out for throw-in. Morgan gets another chance, effort blocked, Wambach's acrobatic kick off Morgan's pass called off for offside.
8': Rapinoe tries to play ball in, but unsuccessfully. Goes out for a goal kick. 
9': Headers aplenty, N. Korea look to build but fail to do so. Long ball played in for Morgan, but runs out of her reach. Goalkick.
10': N. Korea get some space in midfield, play four passes before play broken up, slide-rule pass picked out by U.S. Play from back toward midfield, ball played for Rapinoe broken up, but Rapinoe does really well to retrieve possession.
11': O'Hara's shot slices, but right into the path of Morgan, whose header is easily collected by keeper.
12': Speculative lofted ball falls into Hope Solo's arms for first touch of the game. Christy Rampone's long ball for Heather O'Reilly perfectly measured, O'Reilly plays out for a throw-in. U.S. unable to capitalize.
13': Ye Gyong goes in very late on No. 6, draws first yellow card of the game. Rampone's lofted ball punched, but not clear. N. Korea get ball back, try for counter, but O'Reilly works hard to break up play.
14': N. Korea look to play ball from left to right, but crossfield ball headed out by O'Hara for throw-in.
15': Buehler clears U.S. lines, ball comes to Morgan, passes to Wambach, who ghosts past defender on wing, plays ball to Morgan, who brilliantly turns defender before firing left-footed shot off the right post (!)
16': U.S. quickly break up ensuing counter by N. Korea. Song Hui Kim goes down to apparent injury.
17': Play resumes, N. Korea play from left to right in own half. Not committing too many numbers forward, perhaps looking for draw, which would be enough to see them into knockout stages.
18': Lauren Cheney picks up yellow card for kicking out after late challenge. 
19': Ball played out of N. Korean defense intercepted, but Buehler unable to pick out pass. Wambach exhorts teammates to settle down, look to play on the ground more.
20': U.S. again looking to build play. O'Hara to Rampone, who cuts inside before playing terrific pass for Morgan at the top of the box, plays out to O'Hara on left wing, whose whipped cross goes right into keeper's hands.
21': Brandi Chastain reports that U.S. coach Pia Sundhage wants U.S. to work wings, play balls into area. Unsuccessful so far. N. Korea closing down wings quickly.
22': O'Hara wins ball back, plays to Morgan on edge of penalty area, dispossessed by crunching challenge. 
23': U.S. working very hard in midfield to close down space, N. Korea called for offside.
24': Loose ball picked up by N. Korea in midfield, again look to play long ball into defense, cut out by Rampone, U.S. recover possession. Wambach tries diagonal pass for Morgan, cut out. Those two have been dangerous when able to combine. Too infrequently though.
25': Cheney plays ball over the top for Morgan, who holds up play very well, nearly loses possession then slips in pass for arriving, unmarked Wambach, who can only score from five feet out from goal. 
26': Fun celebration by U.S. Entire team lines up, holds hands and does a sort of wave-like motion.
27': U.S. quickly regain possession, but N. Korea briefly recover, before losing again to U.S.
28': U.S. doing really well to close down space, again disrupt attempted N. Korean movement. Neither side holding onto possession very well these past two minutes.
29': N. Korea without an attempt on goal yet. U.S. build through 10 or so passes, moving ball from left to right, ends with an excellent cross from O'Hara who picks out Wambach at top of the box. Header pushed aside for a corner. Best collective movement of the half for U.S. 
30': N. Korea preparing a substitution already.
31': Very poor from N. Korea, three passes ends with ball played long, picked out by Buehler. Yun Hyon Hui substituted out for N. Korea.
32': Buehler again tries to pick a pass for Morgan over the top, goes out for throw-in.
33': N. Korea finally getting players into penalty area, cross comes in, but no threat for Solo, who gets second touch of the game. Easy again. Sundhage's revelation that the keeper takes the game in 15-min. stages in order to stay sharp echoing again. Little to do.
34': U.S. again play through Morgan, forces corner kick with cut-back cross that caroms off defender.
35': Rapinoe corner flicked on by Morgan at near post, but cleared away. Buehler collects at edge of the box, right-footed shot hacked wide for yet another corner. Rapinoe corner whipped in to near post, cleared for corner. U.S. play short next, but unsuccessfully. O'Reilly quickly wins ball back, plays in cross for Wambach, who is unable to get any power on header.
36': Morgan collects with back to goal, plays back to midfield.
37': N. Korea enjoy a bit of possession, play long ball that's deflected, they recover. But O'Hara makes saving tackle and regains ball for U.S. LePeilbet with little to do so far at right-back.
38': U.S. play across, Buehler's pass goes out for a throw-in. N. Korea again unable to build.
39': LePeilbet brought into play, U.S. movement closed down, but dogged work from Lloyd, Wambach retains possession. Cheney again plays for Morgan, who slips in ball for Lloyd. Lloyd's cross gets deflection, comes into path for Wambach, who can only muster a weak right-footed lunge that goes off post. O'Reilly arrives to meet, shot caroms off keeper for another corner.
40': Keeper requires attention from physios after that challenge, receives some magic spray.
41': Keeper OK, play resumes. Lloyd does brilliantly to collect, pick out O' Reilly, whose cross picks out arriving Lloyd, whose shot rockets 10 feet over the bar.
42': U.S. get free kick just ahead of midfield, N. Korean Sung Hui gets second yellow card for her team.
43': Rapinoe's ball takes deflection, scuffled wide, O'Hara's left-footed shot pushed wide for eighth corner of the half. Ball played toward far post, misses everybody, scuttles out for throw-in on other side.
44': Ball pinballs around midfield, N. Korea send in ball, Solo again able to collect with ease. Third touch of the game for the keeper. 
45': Morgan tries a bit of skill, doesn't come off, ball sent out for throw-in.
45'+: Two minutes of stoppage time afforded, Lloyd chopped down as she looks to push past, ball comes back to Solo.

So it's 1-0 to the U.S. at halftime. Thoroughly dominant, easily could have added at least two more goals to the scoreline. North Korea will be forced to send bodies forward in second half as they look for that all-important draw, meaning there will be gaps in defense for Morgan and Wambach to exploit.