Warming up for the semifinals, the Chinese team stretches out at Babson College. (Globe Staff Photo / Dominic Chavez)

A Chinese changeup

By Rupen Fofaria, Globe Correspondent, 07/03/99

The Chinese national women's soccer team will beat you with its brains, not just with its feet.

Although two Chinese are among the top four goal scorers in the Women's World Cup, there are no offensive stars. Seven members have played in the forward position, and each has scored.

That's because on any given day, the Chinese will play any given style of soccer. It just depends on what they believe will be the best poison for their opponent after hours of careful analysis.

''We have many, many different types of scoring chances on the field,'' said Zhao Lihong, a forward who has scored once.

''That represents the strength and ability of our team.''

The Chinese get reports on the strengths and weaknesses of their opponent, who will be defending champion Norway tomorrow when the teams meet at Foxboro Stadium for a 7:30 p.m. semifinal. The Chinese watch tapes, read the reports, and then hit the drawing board.

Against Sweden, a team that put a lot of pressure on the ball and played them very closely, the Chinese were a very aggressive team and constantly attacked the goal. The result: a 2-1 victory. Against Russia, which played much of its defense in the midfield, the Chinese played long ball and began each scoring drive with shots from over 20 yards out. The result: a 2-0 victory.

The brainpower China uses in achieving its versatility can be maddening. They can go from an aggressive attack to a long-range offense in a matter of days - and come away with a victory either way.

So how do they do it?

''Failure,'' said Pu Wei, China's youngest player who scored her only goal thus far Wednesday against Russia.

China finished second two years ago in the Olympics, fourth in the '95 Cup, and fifth in the '91 Cup. It finished second in the '94 and '96 US Cups and outscored its opponents, 37-1, en route to winning its sixth consecutive Asia Cup.

That's nothing to be ashamed of. But failure comes in many forms. Failure in practice can result in failure on the field. So Pu counts that in her assertion. And, although placing well in many of the major tournaments and being considered one of the most dominant women's teams in the world is nice, the Chinese still haven't won the Olympics or the Women's World Cup. No one is ashamed of their performance, but when the goal is to be the best, finishing second is failure.

`In '96, when we won the silver medal - when we lost to the US in the final - I prepared for this [tournament]. For two years,'' said Ma Yuanan, China's coach.

Zhao said she and her teammates feed off these shortcomings and it makes them mentally tougher. No amount of analysis or energy in switching offenses is too great - because when the opponent expects and prepares one thing and instead meets something which exploits its greatest weakness, the result is a victory for China. And that is what this team wants to take home.

''That is our goal,'' said Zhao. ''To win it all.''

This story ran on page G01 of the Boston Globe on 07/03/99.
© Copyright 1999 Globe Newspaper Company.