China vs Denmark: final-like duel for World Cup hosts
Updated: 2007-09-11 16:03
China, the fifth FIFA Women's World Cup hosts, will start their campaign on Wednesday to take on European soccer giant Denmark in their Group D opener, the result of which may decide their fate in the tournament.
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According to the latest FIFA women's ranking in June, Denmark stood at sixth with 2,019 points while China settled in 11th with 1,934 points. The other two in Group D, Brazil and New Zealand, were eighth and 23rd respectively.
It is natural to predict that Denmark and Brazil will most likely to advance to knockout stage, but as hosts, China have set a target of entering top four of the tournament.
The head-to-head results among the three will be so subtle that no one can afford a defeat.
Women's soccer in China suffered a slump after the 1999 World Cup, in which the "Steel Roses" spearheaded by star striker Sun Wen and playmaker Liu Anling grabbed the silver medal, the best outcome of China in world level soccer arena.
Most Chinese bear in mind their Roses' dazzling 5-0 win over the then reigning champions Norway in the semifinal and the regrettable loss in the final to the hosts United States through penalty shootouts.
With the boot-hanging of the then stars, China failed to smoothly pass the transition period for a long time with the lack of young talents and the frequent changes of coaches.
Chinese fans were stunned by their women team's 8-0 collapse to Germany at the Athens Olympic Games and 4-1 loss to minnows Iceland in this year's Algarve Cup.
Since Marika Domanski-Lyfors, who led Sweden to the runners-up of the 2003 World Cup in the United States, took over the Chinese team in late March this year, China began to be back on track with a string of victories, most of which were in friendlies against weaker sides.
The recent back-to-back losses to Australia in friendlies at home rang the alarm for China who were regaining confidence for the World Cup. Both Denmark and Brazil are absolutely stronger than Australia.
The obvious weakness in the midfield might be the main obstacle for the hosts to achieve their top-four goal in the World Cup. So, most Chinese fans pin their hope on two relatively strong strikers, Han Duan and Ma Xiaoxu.
Tipped as "secret weapon", Han Duan, 24, was on the rise in her seven-year international career to become a core of the current Chinese side. Her speed, sharp eye for goal and expansive vision in attack may help the Chinese side at crucial moments.
Ma Xiaoxu, China's new No.10, shone last year with Golden Ball and Golden Shoe at FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup and the AFC Women's Player of the Year award.
However, after joining Sweden club Umea, the 19-year-old striker sustained an unhappy spell in Europe this year.
Ma told reporters that she had been gaining fitness and physical energy heading into the competition and that she couldn't wait for the duel against the Danes.
Denmark, a traditional powerhouse in Europe, have qualified for the World Cup finals four times, failing once in 2003.
After a transition period, the younger-looking team still has three experienced and key players. They are defender Katrine Pedersen, who has racked up more than 120 caps since making her debut in 1994 and remains a captain, midfielder Anne Dot Eggers Nielsen and striker Meret Pedersen.
The trio form the backbone of coach Kenneth Heiner-Moller's side. With more than 50 international goals to her credit, Pedersen is out on her own as Denmark's top international scorer, scoring ten times in the World Cup qualifiers alone.
With Pedersen missing from both qualifiers against Finland, it was Maiken Pape's crucial goal that sealed Denmark's berth in the finals.
Pape scored four times in the qualifying campaign, as did midfielder Catherine Paaske Sorensen. Pedersen, Pape and Sorensen collected 18 of Denmark's 22 goals in the qualifiers.
Denmark coach Kenneth Heiner-Moller, 35, is one of the youngest coaches at the finals in China. Together with his players, the coach is eager to improve Danes' record in the World Cup history.
Denmark were quarter-finalists at the inaugural tournament in China 1991, Sweden 1995 and failed to survive the group stage in the United States 1999.
"We have a good team that can hold its own against any opponent. So anything is possible in China," said Kenneth Heiner-Moller.
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