Honours were even after the first session of the Solheim Cup as Europe looked to claim an unprecedented third straight victory over the United States at St Leon-Rot in Germany.

European captain Carin Koch put her highest-ranked pairing of Suzann Pettersen and Anna Nordqvist out first in the morning foursomes, but saw them make just one birdie in losing 3&2 to Morgan Pressel and Paula Creamer.

World number eight Pettersen struggled from the outset, hitting a wild approach on the first from the middle of the fairway, and, although the European pair got back on level terms on the fourth, they never led at any time and lost four out of seven holes from the seventh.

A belated birdie on the 14th gave the home duo a glimmer of hope, but pars on the next two holes were enough for Creamer — who had missed the cut in her last four events — and Pressel to justify the faith of their captain Juli Inkster.

English pair Melissa Reid and Charley Hull were never behind as they beat Michelle Wie and Brittany Lincicome 2&1 in match two, before Germany's Sandra Gal and Catriona Matthew put Europe 2-1 ahead with a 3&2 victory over world number three Stacy Lewis and Lizette Salas.

Azahara Munoz and Karine Icher threatened to pull off an unlikely comeback against Lexi Thompson and Cristie Kerr, recovering from four down after six holes to win the 13th, 14th and 15th with a hat-trick of birdies.

However, they were unable to find another birdie on the par-five 16th and eventually lost 2&1 to ensure a 2-2 scoreline heading into the afternoon fourballs.

Koch surprisingly split up Reid and Hull for the second session, sending Hull out with France’s Gwladys Nocera and putting Reid alongside Spain’s Carlota Ciganda.

Pettersen was left out as Caroline Hedwall, who had a 5-0 record in Colorado in 2013, came in to partner Nordqvist, with Gal and Caroline Masson making up an all-German pair in the final match.

Inkster kept faith with her two victorious foursomes pairs and created two new ones, rookie Alison Lee partnering Angela Stanford and Gerina Piller alongside Brittany Lang.