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China desperate for world breakthrough ( 2003-09-16 22:27) (chinadaily.com.cn)
The United States have held it aloft twice, Norway once, and
China are determined that they will join their rivals in lifting the FIFA
Women¡¯s World Cup. The Chinese will have the perfect opportunity to finally
establish themselves among the elite of women¡¯s football in September with a
largely inexperienced but desperately hungry team.
Since being on the losing end in the dramatic final match of USA ¡®99, China have played almost 100 times all around the world to prepare themselves. They have faced the U.S. eight times, winning three and losing twice. And, despite missing out on a medal at the Women¡¯s Olympic Football Tournament Sydney 2000, the Chinese are quietly hoping that their time has come. Despite hosting the first FIFA Women¡¯s World Cup and being around the top of the game for a decade, China have never won Olympic gold or the FIFA World Cup. However, they are one of the very few teams that the U.S. and Norway genuinely dislike playing. ¡°We are trying to improve the qualities that brought Chinese football to the top of the women¡¯s game: speed, good technique, teamwork, and skill,¡± says Ma Liangxing, who was appointed to lead the Chinese team in 2002. Naturally though, there are concerns about the side. Liangxing points to China¡¯s lack of physical strength against top European nations like Norway and Germany. This is especially worrisome given that China have had to rebuild much of their side due to age. ¡°The younger players that we have now are inexperienced, and they can improve a lot,¡± says Liangxing. ¡°But, we are doing everything we can to make improvements and experience will help them.¡± Another worry is the health of star player Sun Wen, who was
reportedly contemplating retirement after a serious knee injury. The winner of
the Golden Boot and Golden Ball at USA ¡¯99 and one of the first women selected
to play in the WUSA, ¡°Sunny¡¯s¡± impact should not be underestimated, especially
when it comes to generating attacks. France¡¯s coach Elisabeth Loisel goes so far
as to say that, ¡°With Sun Wen, China is the favourite to win the World Cup, but
without her, they may struggle.¡±
However, experienced players like Liu Ying, who was named the Player of the 2003 Algarve Cup, Bai Je, who was the Chinese Female Player of the Year in 2002, Zhang Ouying, and players with WUSA experience, Zhao Lihong, Fan Yunjie, Pu Wei, and Wang Liping, are all capable of influencing a match. And exciting young prospects, Teng Wei and Han Duan, are women to watch in the finals. American coach April Heinrichs says of China, ¡°They have speed, quickness, and athleticism to complement their team skill.¡± Norway coach Age Steen concurs, ¡°China have come back some over the last year. Sun Wen is back, and they have young players who are good ... They will have many months together, and they are playing a lot of matches ... They play an impressive possession and passing style. They are also very fast up front and on the wings.¡± China's vociferous supporters are a two-edged sword, especially in the high-pressure cauldron of Chinese football. Many, including their own coach, think that China¡¯s knack for losing the big match may have something to do with the rampant interest and expectations that the team faces. Sun Wen concurs, ¡°There is a lot of pressure for the Chinese girls. We are a much younger team, and we are going to do a lot of training in preparation for the finals. We may not be as strong as some other countries, but we have great teamwork.¡± The entire nation is hoping that the side¡¯s positive attributes can overcome China¡¯s past. A 2-0 loss to rivals the United States in the final of the 2003 Algarve left the Chinese second at the prestigious tournament and still worried about how they will fare in the knockout rounds come the FIFA Women¡¯s World Cup USA 2003. However, it¡¯s obvious that the team is determined to do better than in 1991.
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