NOTES
Playing the role of a good guest, China Coach Ma Yuanan gave a polite and evasive reply when asked whether he would prefer to face the U.S. or Brazil in the finals.
“I rate them evenly,” he said. “The top four are at the same level. . . . For sure, America should be in the top four. They’re one of the best teams in the world.
“Norway, they play better and better. The team has quality players. Brazil is a very skillful team but their performance is very unsteady. Sometimes they are up, sometimes they are down.”
Norway Coach Per-Mathias Hogmo also tried to play it safe.
“It’s good for the tournament that we have the U.S. in the final,” he said. “It’s good for the whole tournament. It would, of course, be good for Brazil if they win.”
Hogmo said he didn’t plan to watch the U.S.-Brazil game because he would be too busy preparing for his team’s game against China today. He said he might tape it for later viewing.
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Norway defender Linda Medalen, who celebrated a goal by raising her shirt earlier in the tournament, said her days of celebrating that way are over.
“I was warned about it,” she said, “and I already got a yellow card, so I can’t risk getting another one.”
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Tournament officials anticipate a crowd of 30,000 for today’s semifinal between Norway and China at Foxboro (Mass.) Stadium, based on a total of 28,000 tickets sold through Friday. The game will be the second half of a doubleheader that will begin with an MLS game between the New York/New Jersey MetroStars and the New England Revolution.
