by Despite winning the last two foursomes on the second day, Europe faces a tough battle to defend the Solheim Cup.
Both sessions on the second day at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Virginia ended 2-2, so the USA went into the singles on the final day with a score of 10-6.
Suzanne Pettersen’s team must match the US record set in 2015, when they managed to overcome the same deficit and win.
Trailing 8-4 after competing together in the morning foursomes, Europe lost the first two foursomes – Anna Nordqvist and Madelene Sagstrom lost 4&3 to Alison Lee and Megan Khang after leading on the first nine holes, while Linn Grant and Celine Boutier were comfortably beaten 6&4 by Andrea Lee and Rose Zhang.
Carlota Ciganda and Emily Pedersen brought some blue to the board in the third game of the afternoon, beating Ally Ewing and Lexi Thompson 2&1.
Europe reduced the gap to four points overnight as English pair Charley Hull and Georgia Hall finished two points ahead of Allisen Corpuz and Lilia Vu.
Hull had a simple message for the European team ahead of their individual matches, as they faced the daunting task of winning the trophy for a record fourth time in a row.
“Defend your own point, have fun out there, enjoy it,” she said. “Just kick some ass.”
Pettersen insisted that Europe was “still in the game” and pointed to the 2015 Ryder Cup victory in Medinah in an identical situation, but admitted that her team needed a “great day” to defend the trophy.
“We are still far behind, but if there is hope, there is always a chance,” she said.
“These girls are going to go to bed tonight thinking that we have every opportunity. It will be a miracle, but we’ve seen this before.”
US captain Stacy Lewis admitted that Europe played much better than on the opening day and revealed a simple schedule for Sunday’s singles.
“We’re going to try to score as many points as possible as early as possible and get this thing over with,” she said.
It was the second time that day that Hull had trailed on the 18th hole, having won the morning’s foursome with Esther Henseleit against Ewing and Jennifer Kupcho by a single hole after coming back from a two-shot lead with four strokes to play.
A 4&3 win by Thompson and Lauren Coughlin over Maja Stark and Hall on Saturday morning briefly extended the USA’s 6-2 lead overnight before Nordqvist and Boutier defeated Vu and Sarah Schmelzel by the same margin.
World number one Nelly Korda and Corpuz then claimed their fourth consecutive foursome victory by eliminating Pedersen and Ciganda on the 18th hole after the European pair had led by two holes on the first nine.
