The first event of the 2008 Olympic Games starts on Wednesday when the women's football tournament kicks off two days Beijing opens Games village ...
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N Korea 'to deliver nuclear data' ... before the opening ceremony.
Beaten World Cup finalists Brazil are among the first athletes to compete in Beijing with an early opportunity for revenge over world champions Germany.
Athens 2004 gold medallists the US take on Norway, while China face Sweden in Tianjin in the first round.
The hosts are looking to overcome a loss of form and an injury crisis.
The Chinese, who also hosted last year's World Cup, have lost key players in the run-up to the Games, including Ma Xiaoxu and Qu Feifei.
The US have injury problems of their own, with star striker Abby Wambach out after suffering a broken leg in a pre-tournament friendly against Brazil.
Wambach has scored 99 goals in 127 internationals for the US, including the winner against Brazil in Athens four years ago.
The Brazilians will look to avenge their 2-0 World Cup final defeat in Shanghai last September and improve on their Olympics final appearance in 2004.
They take on Germany at 1000 BST in Shenyang in a double header, followed by South Korea and Nigeria at 1245.
Brazilian striker and two-time Fifa World Player of the Year Marta says they are in a better position this time around to succeed.
"The team is certainly stronger now and better prepared psychologically to play in a final," she said.
Germany goalkeeper Nadine Angerer has labelled her team's pairing with Brazil, South Korea and Nigeria in Group F as the "group of death".
"We have to win this first match because we know we will have other difficult ones ahead," she said.
"It's going to be a difficult match, but we need at least a tie. We need to give our best from the beginning."
Despite the loss of Wambach, US coach Pia Sundhage says her side remain confident of defending their Olympic title.
"The Olympics is a big deal in America, in many ways a bigger deal than the World Cup, and the players are in good spirits and ready to go," she said.
The Americans' Group G clash with Norway at 1245 follows Japan's meeting with New Zealand in Qinhuangdao at 1000.
Argentina and Canada meet in Tianjin at 1000, followed by China and Sweden at 1245.
(BBC)
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