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.
