China Dominates U.S. in 2-0 Win
The United States was beaten by China, 2-0, and Germany and Norway battled to a 2-2 tie Sunday at the Four Nations Cup women’s tournament in Wuhan, China.
The defending world champions were outplayed by a technically gifted Chinese team that shrugged off the wind and rain and was lifted by the support of 40,000 fans at the new Wuhan Sports Center Stadium, one of the venues for the fourth Women’s World Cup in September.
China, the runner-up to the U.S. at the 1999 world championship, had the better of the possession throughout and was able to control the pace and tempo of the match after building a two-goal lead in the first half.
It went ahead in the 19th minute when midfielder Zhao Lihong sent in a corner kick from the left and defender Fan Yunjie rose to head the ball past U.S. goalkeeper LeKeysia Beene from seven yards out. Beene had come slightly off her line to deal with the cross but was beaten by Fan’s lob.
The Chinese doubled their advantage in the 36th minute on an excellent 28-yard free kick by forward Sun Wen, with the ball curling into the upper left corner of the net beyond Beene’s reach.
April Heinrichs, the U.S. coach, was forced by illness to make several changes in her lineup from the team that had beaten Norway, 3-1, in the tournament’s opening game. China, meanwhile, fielded the same starters from its opening 0-0 tie with Germany.
“These are some of the most difficult conditions that I’ve seen our women’s national team face,” Heinrichs said. “As many as 10 players got sick, we are playing China in China, in front of 40,000 screaming fans, the temperatures were cold, but worsened by the rain and wind.
“Giving up two goals is hard to overcome, but our effort in the second half was phenomenal. We did everything we could in that second half to get a goal and make it difficult for China.”
The closest the U.S. came to scoring, however, was on a first-half free kick by Shannon MacMillan that was tipped over the crossbar by Chinese goalkeeper Zhao Yan.
“China looks very well prepared to have the World Cup come to their country,” Heinrichs said. “Sun Wen is playing as well as I’ve seen her play in four years.
“They have speed, quickness and athleticism to complement their team skill, and unlike 1999, they will be supported massively by their home crowd.”
The tournament ends Wednesday in Shanghai, with the U.S. playing Germany and China playing Norway.
Cannon to France
The San Jose Earthquakes have lost another player to Europe. This time it was goalkeeper Joe Cannon, who decided to sign with Lens in the French league rather than returning for a fifth Major League Soccer season.
Cannon, a free agent after his MLS contract expired at the end of last season, went for a tryout with Feyenood of the Dutch league and later to Lens, which has lost backup goalkeeper Sebastien Chabbert for six months because of shoulder surgery.
Terms of the contract were not revealed, but Cannon was reported to be seeking at least $100,000 to stay in MLS.
Cannon, 28, helped the Earthquakes win the MLS title in 2001 and was the league’s goalkeeper of the year in 2002, when he had a 1.10 goals-against average.
Last week, San Jose defender Wade Barrett left to join AGF Aarhus in the Danish league and fellow defender Richard Mulrooney is being sought by Rayo Vallecano in Spain.
Yeagley to Retire
Jerry Yeagley, who has led Indiana University to five NCAA titles during his 40 years as coach of the Hoosiers, will retire at the end of the 2003 college season.
Yeagley, 63, has a record of 527-98-40 and is 17 victories shy of the NCAA record of 544 held by former University of San Francisco coach Steve Negoesco, who retired in 2000.
Quick Passes
A minute’s silence was observed at all games in the Italian League on Sunday in honor of former Juventus president Gianni Agnelli, who died Friday after being in control of the team for more than half a century.... Cafu, the 32-year-old defender who was captain of Brazil’s 2002 World Cup-winning team, will leave AS Roma of Italy and join the Yokohama Marinos of Japan’s J-League in July.
