China on a roll and ready to conquer all
(WorldCup.com)
Updated: 2003-09-14 11:27

China have plenty of motivation to conquer all-comers at the Women's World Cup and head into the tournament on a roll.

They are in sparkling form, having won six of their seven warm-ups including smashing a whooping 21 goals past a hapless South Africa in their last two friendlies.

The overriding motivation will be revenge against host nation the United States who beat them in a penalty shoot-out in the final of the last World Cup in 1999.

The Chinese will also have the strong North Koreans in their sights and will want to put one over their Stalinist neighbours who upset them to win the Asian championships earlier this year.

China was supposed to host this tournament until SARS came along and ruined their plans, and losing home advantage and the chance to show-off its booming economy adds to the Chinese desire to lift the trophy.

Coach Ma Liangxing has named a 23-strong squad although his first 11 is expected to be the one that lost to North Korea in the Asian finals.

That would put Zhao Yan in goal, Gao Hongxia, Fan Yunjie, Liu Yali and Wang Liping at the back, Zhao Lihong, Pu Wei, Pan Lina and Liu Ying in midfield and Sun Wen and Bai Jie up front.

There is plenty of experience in the squad with 10 of them playing at the last World Cup and a handful plying their trade as professionals in the United States.

They get their campaign underway at Carson, California on September 21 against Ghana after being drawn in Group D along with Australia and Russia.

China, which automaticaly qualified for the tournament as the original host, has never lost to any of three teams and should sail into the next round.

Ma sees Russia as the biggest threat in the group stage but cautioned against complacency.

"It's hard to predict who will win and who will lose," he told www.fifa.com.

"In the last few years the overall level of women's football has increased dramatically, and the gap between the traditionally stronger and weaker teams has decreased. Today every team has a chance to win."

Despite advancing years, Sun Wen, the top scorer at the 1999 World Cup, remains China's most potent weapon and will undoubtably, with Bai, form China's strike force.

Sun, who at 30 insists this will be her swan song, says the United States is the team to beat, despite them being drawn in the so-called "Group of Death" with North Korea, Sweden and Nigeria.

"I don't think it's very likely," said the woman once referred as "Maradona in a skirt" when asked if the North could upset the host nation in the group stage.

"Any way you look at it, the USA are the stronger team. They have home advantage again this time."

Bai, known as the 'Roberto Carlos' of women's football, agreed the United States were China's biggest threat.

"From a teamwork and strategic perspective, we should be the best team in the world," said the left back turned striker.

"But the US players have their own individual strengths, and that's where they have an advantage."

Ma doesn't see things as so clean-cut and warns a host of nations are in with a shout.

"We have seen teams such as North Korea and Brazil make great strides in the last few years," he said.

"Other so-called 'smaller' footballing nations have also come along. So the traditionally stronger teams will get a run for their money this time around. I'm predicting we'll see quite a few upsets."

The Asian Football Confederation expects all four of its representatives to do well.

"The quality of the four Asian teams is much higher than in previous years," Peter Velappan, AFC secretary-general said. "We expect all four teams to do well."

China is the only Asian side to have previously reached the last eight.