China 'can be Cup contender'

The Chinese women's team can light up next year's World Cup finals, according to their opponents on an ongoing training stint in Australia.

The Steel Roses made it five wins on the bounce Down Under with a comprehensive 5-0 dismantling of the Newcastle Jets, who play in the top-flight W-League, in Gold Coast on Sunday.

And Jets coach Craig Deans was effusive in his praise of the well-drilled Chinese.

"They are much improved from when they played in Melbourne last year," he said.

Deans was particularly impressed by forwards Wang Shanshan and Li Ying, who netted three goals between them on Sunday, as well as centerback pairing Wu Haiyan and Li Jiayue, saying they "are very strong with good communication and organization".

China's month of matches and training in Australia is part of the squad's preparations for next summer's World Cup, and the Jets believe Jia Xiuquan's charges should fear no one at the finals.

"China obviously is a very good team," said Jets captain and Australia international Emily van Egmond.

"China has improved technically and they are very disciplined. They go to World Cup with great ambition. They can definitely make it out of their group."

That's unlikely to be a straightforward task, however, with China drawn in Group B with two-time world champion Germany, rising contender Spain and South Africa.

"They have another six months to prepare," Deans said. "If they keep improving like they have in the last six months, I think they can make it difficult for all those teams in the World Cup.

"Their tactics and speed can make a difference. If they stick together and work hard like what they did here, they can upset teams like Germany and Spain for sure."

China's best performance at a World Cup came at the 1999 finals in the United States, where it finished as runner-up behind the host.

Results dipped after that'99 feat, but with recently crowned Asian women's player of the year Wang Shuang among their ranks, expectations are rising that the Steel Roses could produce a deep run at next summer's finals.

Paris Saint-Germain playmaker Wang', has been afforded a rest and did not travel to Australia.