European's gain cup 14.5 - 11.5

Swedish stars Carin Koch and Catrin Nilsmark won their matches within seconds of each other as Europe bounced back from a poor start in the singles to win the Solheim Cup for the first time since 1992.

Europe took just two points from the first eight singles matches but brilliant displays in the final matches from Koch, Nilsmark and Scotland's Janice Moodie ensured victory.

After this morning's rain-delayed fourballs Europe went into the final 12 singles matches needing just four points. However, at one stage Dale Reid's side had already lost the first two matches and were trailing in another 10.

But Lisolette Neumann rallied to win the final hole to halve her match with Pat Hurst and Alison Nicholas used a fairway wood to chip in from off the green on the final hole to earn a half in her match with Sherri Steinhauer.

Becky Iverson and Meg Mallon levelled the scores with their wins but Catrin Nilsmark then survived a nervy finish to see off Rosie Jones and edge Europe to within a point of victory.

It was going to come down to one of the two rookies, Koch and Moodie, in the last two matches and it fell to Koch to hole the winning putt, making birdies at 16 and 17 to come back from three down to beat Michele Redman.

Moodie played out her match as the celebrations began, and she completed her comeback from four holes down to win one up.

Earlier, Juli Inkster got the US team off to the best possible start in the singles by beating Annika Sorenstam 5 and 4 before the rain break.

Sorenstam had earlier accused the Americans of bad sportsmanship as controversy over one of her fourball shots.

Europe regrouped during the rain break, with Nilsmark rallying the troops with her words of advice.

And despite winning just one of the four opening singles matches, they rallied superbly.

A delighted Laura Davies said: "No individual championship can top this. It's the US Open and British Open rolled into one.

"It looked like we had blown it, it looked like we had buckled."