Sorenstam claimed one point out of two

Europe had put in a magnificent performance in the morning's foursomes to lead 3�-�, but America won three of the afternoon matches to close the gap to just one point.

All four of the afternoon matches were close over the front nine, but the Americans started to gain the upper hand with some sparkling play as the pressure built.

Afternoon fourballs as it happened

Kelli Kuehne and Cristie Kerr set the tone in the top match, building an unassailable lead against a misfiring Laura Davies and her partner Catriona Matthew, and eventually winning 2&1.

Davies, who was clearly out of sorts, has been dropped for Saturday morning's foursomes - it is the first time she has been left out in her Solheim Cup career.

SATURDAY'S ORDER OF PLAY Profiles: The USA team Profiles: The European team 0724 (BST) Sophie Gustafson and Suzann Pettersen v Kelli Kuehne and Cristie Kerr 0736 Elisabeth Esterl and Iben Tinning v Angela Stanford and Michele Redman 0748 Annika Sorenstam and Carin Koch v Wendy Ward and Heather Bowie 0800 Janice Moodie and Catriona Matthew v Meg Mallon and Kelly Robbins

Carin Koch was beaten for the first time in 10 Solheim matches as she and Annika Sorenstam lost by one hole to Juli Inkster and Beth Daniel.

In a tight match in which neither team could build a lead of more than a hole, Sorenstam just missed a 15 foot putt to claim half a point at the last.

Europe's only success of the afternoon came as the pregnant Patricia Meunier-Lebouc and Suzann Pettersen beat Meg Mallon and Angela Stanford 3&2.

But America completed their fine afternoon by winning the last match by a hole as Michele Redman and Rosie Jones fired four straight birdies to come from behind to snatch the point from Iben Tinning and Sophie Gustafson.

It was a different story in the morning when the home side narrowly missed out on a clean sweep in all four matches.

Morning foursomes as it happened

At one stage mid-way through the morning, the board turned entirely blue with Europe ahead in all matches.

But Davies and Koch allowed their opponents to wriggle out of a scrappy match with a half after holding a two-hole lead for long periods.

The final pairing of Gustafson and Elizabeth Esterl, playing in her Solheim Cup debut, managed a fantastic victory over America's most experienced duo in Mallon and Jones.

Scottish duo of Matthew and Janice Moodie were first to bring in the points, Matthew needing only one of two putts to win 5&3 on the 15th green.

World number one Sorenstam and Petterson also wrapped up a simple victory on the 15th.

But the afternoon performance of the Americans means the match is well poised going into the weekend.