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U.S. ties China 0-0 in women's soccer
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-02-02 08:52
The United States tied China 0-0 Sunday in the Four Nations women's soccer tournament, a tuneup for the Athens Olympics.
Tiffany Roberts of the United States (L) evades a tackle by China's Ren Liping during a match at a four-nation women's soccer tournament in Shenzhen, southern China, February 1, 2004. The match ended 0-0. [Reuters] |
The Americans, the defending champions, were without Mia Hamm and Brandi Chastain. They are expected to return for Olympic qualifying beginning Feb. 25 in Costa Rica.
In the other game, Sweden beat Canada 3-1.
The four teams are playing a round-robin format. The U.S. squad leads on goal differential after China downed Canada 2-1 in Friday's opener. The Canadians are without a point.
"To play China, to tie them, on the road in the middle of a tournament under the fatiguing factors, I'm pleased," U.S. coach April Heinrichs said.
Fan Yunjie is China's emerging star following the retirement last year of Sun Wen, a past FIFA player of the year and a member of the team that lost to the United States in the 1999 Women's World Cup final.
"We think China is one of the best teams in the world," Heinrichs said. "We learn something every time we play them."
In the Sweden-Canada game, Malin Mostrum, Victoria Svensson and Therese Sjogran scored for the Swedes, the runner-up to Germany in last year's Women's World Cup. Christine Sinclair had Canada's goal.
"It was very important to win for our self-confidence," Swedish coach Marika Domanski Lyfors said.
The Swedes were cheered by a small contingent of Swedish fans who traveled from Hong Kong for the game.
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