5AM EDT: Women's Soccer, Preliminaries: Germany vs. Brazil

7:00AM - That is all for now, thanks for joining us in our first LIVE BLOG for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad. We will be back in just half and hour to bring you coverage of the USA vs. Norway game. So make sure you come back here to NOW Sports and remember to check our home website: http://nowsportsamerica.blogspot.com for the latest updates on the upcoming Beijing Olympics.

6:57AM - So the final score in Shenyang, Germany 0, Brazil 0. In other preliminary action, Japan and New Zealand also finished with a tie: Japan 2, New Zealand 2. Canada was the only winner in this round of preliminary matches: Canada 2, Argentina 1.

6:54AM - There were plenty of fouls committed and it was a very sloppy game. Brazil was a little slow going early in the game as Germany came close to scoring in the first half. Neither side truly dominated but there were plenty of shots that either hit the goal post or came into the hands of the goalkeeper. The game did come down to the performance of the goalkeepers, and both Angerer and Andreia did well in saving crucial shots that would have otherwise produced a different result.

6:52AM - It's all over in Shenyang as the rematch of the World Cup finalists from last year end this preliminary group match in a scoreless tie. Both sides had missed opportunities as Brazil took 5 shots on goal, Germany took 3. This result gives each side 1 point in the standings of group F, with North Korea and Nigeria getting set to play later today.

6:49AM (90') - Two additional minutes of injury time have been set.

6:45 (86') - Marta was trying to run away with the ball but Angerger got in the way of her making a clean kick. We're still tied at 0-0.

6:44AM - Japan has tied New Zealand and it is a 2-2 game in the 87th minute.

6:42AM (83') - The corner kick by Brazil ends up onto the feet of Marta whose shot on goal is saved by Angerger. The following corner kick is saved as well. These two opportunities break the lack of offensive structure that we have seen in the past few minutes.

6:41AM (82') An offensive effort by Brazil is deflected away by Annike Krahn. Corner kick coming up for Brazil.

6:40AM (81') - Substitution made for Brazil. Pretinha comes in for Christiane.

6:34AM - It's a close one between Japan and New Zealand. New Zealand currently leads 2-1 in the 78' minute.

6:32AM (73') - Substitutions are being made for the German side as Bajramaj and Okoyino Da Mbabi come in for Germany. Meanwhile, the Brazilian corner kick just hits the side netting.

6:30AM - Canada's Kara Lang has just scored a goal to bring the Canadians up 2-0 over Argentina.

6:27AM (68') - Another huge opportunity missed when Marta took a rebound shot with the goalkeeper down on her back. Her shot went just wide right. That has been the closest to scoring thus far for Brazil. We are still scoreless with just about 20 minutes to go.

6:22AM - Currently experiencing technical issues with the blogger website. Hopefully it will be fixed soon. Meanwhile, we've since Brazil start to step up with the shots on goal, the latest one being a very close one that just got off the top of the cross bar by Renata Costa of Brazil.

6:09AM (49') - Prinz with a shot that is deflected and wide to the left.

6:07AM (47') - Beringer's shot on goal after the foul committed by Andreia Rosa is unable to get through as it remains scoreless early in the second half.

6:01AM - Just saw the highlights from the Canada vs. Argentina game and it was Chapman who scored in the 27th minute following a corner kick by Sinclair to put the Canadaians ahead by a goal.

5:58AM - Here are some of the scores from the other games as we await the second half of the scoreless Germany v Brazil game at Shenyang Olympic Stadium. In Tianjin, Canada has a 1-0 lead over Argentina while New Zealand leads Japan 1-0 in their opening round game.

5:49AM (Half) - We are scoreless going into halftime at Shenyang with Germany putting up two shots on goal and four corners. Each has had one free kick and there have been many fouls on both sides. Brazil already has one yellow card from the match.

5:48AM (45') - We're going to see one more minute in inury time.

5:44AM (40') - A huge shot by Bridget Frinz is just wide right as she took her shot from the left wing of the field.

5:42AM - And the roster for Team GERMANY:

Goalkeepers
1
Nadine Angerer
Djurgårdens IF
November 10, 1978(1978-11-10) (age 29)
12
Ursula Holl
SC 07 Bad Neuenahr
June 26, 1982(1982-06-26) (age 26)

Defenders
2
Kerstin Stegemann
Wattenscheid 09
September 29, 1977(1977-09-29) (age 30)
3
Saskia Bartusiak
1. FFC Frankfurt
September 9, 1982(1982-09-09) (age 25)
4
Babett Peter
FFC Turbine Potsdam
May 12, 1988(1988-05-12) (age 20)
5
Annike Krahn
FCR 2001 Duisburg
July 1, 1985(1985-07-01) (age 23)
6
Linda Bresonik
SG Essen-Schönebeck
December 7, 1983(1983-12-07) (age 24)
17
Ariane Hingst
Djurgårdens IF
July 25, 1979(1979-07-25) (age 29)

Midfielders
7
Melanie Behringer
SC Freiburg
November 18, 1979(1979-11-18) (age 28)
10
Renate Lingor
1. FFC Frankfurt
October 11, 1975(1975-10-11) (age 32)
13
Célia Okoyino da Mbabi
SC 07 Bad Neuenahr
June 27, 1988(1988-06-27) (age 20)
14
Simone Laudehr
FCR 2001 Duisburg
July 12, 1986(1986-07-12) (age 22)
15
Fatmire Bajramaj
FCR 2001 Duisburg
April 1, 1988(1988-04-01) (age 20)
18
Kerstin Garefrekes
1. FFC Frankfurt
September 4, 1979(1979-09-04) (age 28)

Forwards
8
Sandra Smisek
1. FFC Frankfurt
July 3, 1977(1977-07-03) (age 31)
9
Birgit Prinz
1. FFC Frankfurt
October 25, 1977(1977-10-25) (age 30)
11
Anja Mittag
FFC Turbine Potsdam
May 16, 1985(1985-05-16) (age 23)
16
Conny Pohlers
1. FFC Frankfurt
November 16, 1978(1978-11-16) (age 29)

Coach
Silvia Neid
May 2, 1964(1964-05-02) (age 44)

5:37AM - I should give this before the game but here is the roster for BRAZIL.
Goalkeepers
1
Andreia
Prainsa S.C.
September 14, 1977(1977-09-14) (age 30)
12
Bárbara
Sport Recife
July 4, 1988(1988-07-04) (age 20)

Defenders
2
Simone
Olympique Lyonnais
February 10, 1981(1981-02-10) (age 27)
3
Andreia Rosa
Ferroviaria Araraquara
July 8, 1984(1984-07-08) (age 24)
4
Tania
Saad
March 10, 1974(1974-03-10) (age 34)
5
Renata Costa
Odense
July 8, 1986(1986-07-08) (age 22)
16
Erika
Santos
February 4, 1988(1988-02-04) (age 20)
18
Rosana
SV Neulengbach
July 7, 1982(1982-07-07) (age 24)

Midfielders
6
Maycon
Saad
April 30, 1977(1977-04-30) (age 31)
7
Daniela
Linköpings FC
January 12, 1984(1984-01-12)(age 20)
8
Formiga
Saad
March 3, 1978(1978-03-03) (age 30)
9
Ester
Santos F.C.
December 9, 1982(1982-12-09) (age 26)
13
Franciele
Santos
October 18, 1989(1989-10-18) (age 18)
17
Maurine
Santos F.C.
January 14, 1986(1986-01-14) (age 22)

Forwards
10
Marta
Umeå
February 19, 1986(1986-02-19) (age 22)
11
Cristiane
Linköpings FC
May 15, 1985(1985-05-15) (age 23)
14
Pretinha
INAC Leonissa
May 19, 1975(1975-05-19) (age 35)
15
Fabiana
Corinthians
August 4, 1989(1989-08-04) (age 19)

Coach
Jorge Luiz Barcellos
March 17, 1967(1967-03-17)(age 41)

5:34AM (31') - Another big save for Andrea, the Brazilian goalkeeper after saving the shot that came from a German freekick. Also, Canada has scored the first goal of the Olympic tournament and are ahead of Argentina by a score of 1-0.

5:29AM (27') - Lingor just took a freekick after the tackle and her shot gets into the hands of the Brazilian goalkeeper.

5:25AM (23') - German Sandra Simsek had the best opportunity to open the scoring but her shot hit the top of the crossbar toward the left side.

5:22AM (20') - Marta was all alone there trying to head that ball in but just couldn't get the ball anywhere after the pressure from the German defenders.

5:20AM (18'): The free kick by Brazil has gone nowhere, instead headed out and put into the otherside of the field.

5:14AM (12') - This is a rematch of the FIFA Women's World Cup final last year in China and it certainly has been a competitive match so far.

5:08AM - The action is underway from Shenyang and already both Brazil and Germany have pressed their offense deep into each side of the field.

5:06AM - The games are underway! Kickoff has already started for the three games.

4:57AM - Welcome and good morning to our first LIVE BLOG session as the competition in women's football gets underway at the Games of the XXIX Olympiad from Beijing, China. We will be focusing on the Germany v Brazil match but will be giving you updates from the other two games as well.