China Doesn’t Rest on Its Laurels

Today’s pregame meal for the U.S. national women’s soccer team comes with an extra course, some words to chew on, possibly after having seasoned them with a grain of salt.

“I’m sorry to disappoint the American crowd,” Australia Coach Greg Brown said after his team’s 3-1 loss to China in the Women’s World Cup Saturday, “but I think China is the best technical team in the tournament. I still fancy China to make it to the final, and they could win it.”

That would presumably come at the expense of the host United States, who, if form holds, is due to meet China July 10 at the Rose Bowl for the World Cup trophy.

This opinion comes after China played 88 minutes at Giants Stadium with a one-player advantage and led Brown’s winless side by only a goal, 2-1, entering the 73rd minute.

Yes, Alicia Ferguson was ejected in the second minute for playing the wrong sport--Aussie Rules Football, instead of soccer--and sending China’s Bai Jie into orbit, head over heels. By the time Bai completed reentry, referee Sandra Hunt was brandishing the red card, forcing Australia to play short-handed for 88 grueling minutes in 91-degree heat and 38% humidity.

But instead of running Australia off the pitch with its storied pinpoint precision passing attack, China labored mightily for most of those 88 minutes--unleashing a total of 21 shots, misfiring on 18 of them and requiring a 73rd-minute strike from Liu Ying to finally put away the wilting Matildas.

Still, Brown persisted in his charity mission to provide the American women with as much bulletin-board fodder as possible.

“I just think China, all around, is technically the better side,” Brown said. “They have flair, they have confidence, they can play the ball all around the park. They probably lack a little strength when compared to the United States.

“The last two times I’ve seen them play each other, I thought China played the better football.”

Breaking it down, Brown did concede one advantage to the Americans.

“Having the home crowd, I think, will help the Americans,” he said.

Of course, such talk completely discounts the highly viable Norwegian and Brazilian factors still floating around this tournament. Norway, the reigning Women’s World Cup champion, is not likely to surrender easily should the Norwegians meet China, as expected, in one semifinal July 4. Brazil could face the Americans in the other semifinal, in another matchup that is less than a sure thing.

But should China and the United States meet for the championship, as they did during the 1996 Olympics, Brown favors the Chinese.

“I think China is a great footballing team,” Brown said. “They play the ball on the ground, the way I like us to try to play.”

Asked if he had any advice to pass along to the Americans, if and when they play China, Brown offered this: Score first.

“I think the U.S. has played China often enough to know what to do against them,” Brown said. “They don’t need me to tell them anything. But I’d say they have to be patient. One of the weak links of China is that they get frustrated. If you can hold them out, you can frustrate them.”

As Sweden did last weekend in China’s World Cup opener--scoring in the second minute before ultimately succumbing, 2-1.

“China came very close to losing that game,” Brown said.

Australia, far less experienced than Sweden, stuck to much the same plan. With a tall, physical back line, Australia repeatedly flushed Chinese attacks out of the box--winning head balls and interrupting crosses with knees, shins, ankles, whatever.

China Coach Ma Yuanan said his team played at less than peak form because of the heat and jet lag from having to travel from San Jose to Portland, Ore., to East Rutherford to complete its three first-round matches.

“Our rhythm is much slower today,” Ma allowed. “We still have to get used to the local weather.”

A reporter asked Ma about the saturation media coverage that has been devoted to the United States so far during the tournament.

“We have to consider these things from two perspectives,” Ma said with a wry smile. “One, everybody talks about the Americans because they know they are a capable team. And, two, all this talk about the Americans places a great pressure on them.”

How did Ma rate China’s chance in a possible championship showdown with the Americans?

“We have played against the Americans 21 matches,” he said, with the same wry smile. “Ten we have lost [11, actually], five we have drawn, and five we have won. In 1999 against the Americans, we have won two times and we have lost one time.”

So much for quotations from chairman Ma.

Interpretation, anyone?

“The Americans do have some weaknesses,” Brown said. “China is technically sound at every position.”

To be continued, if this tournament has any luck, in two weeks at the Rose Bowl.