FOXBOROUGH - With the parity of World Cup semifinals, the priorities of pre-game conversations change. Coaches discuss team confidence before they address strategy. They rely on four games of tournament experience before statistical comparisons. They talk chemistry before physics.
Paired in tonight's Foxboro Stadium semfinal, Norwegian coach Per-Mathias Hogmo and Chinese coach Ma Yuanan are no different. Both speak of teams and players who continue to improve in the the late stages of the tournament. Both believe their squads will be in top form for the game.
''Every day we are together, we get better,'' said Hogmo. ''I still think we can play better. We are more self-confident, and our strongest team will face China.''
The Norwegians have played China four times during Hogmo's two-and-a-half-year tenure, compiling a 2-1-1 record with the most recent result favoring the Chinese. But the coach is quick to add that his team was not at full strength in any of those games. Until the 1999 World Cup, injuries and illness have wreaked havoc with the Norwegian side.
Experience against the Chinese leads the Norwegians to expect a combination of styles. One option for the athletes from the Far East is playing direct, serving the ball from the back to forwards breaking downfield. Against Ghana in group action, the Chinese worked the long ball strategy to success and a 7-0 first-round victory. Against Russia in the quarterfinal, the Chinese played a possession game, holding onto the ball for nearly 80 percent of the match, and outshooting their opponent, 24-2. The two constants with Chinese play remain athleticism and technical skill.
''We never predict any styles that the other team plays,'' said Ma, despite appearances that the Chinese dramatically change strategies depending on opponent. ''We concentrate on what we have to play. For China, the most important thing is to play as a team.''
However, captain Sun Wen is clearly the star around whom the offense revolves. With five goals, the forward has put herself in contention for the Golden Shoe, awarded to the top goal-scorer in the World Cup. When asked about the play of his most prominent attacker, Ma replied that he was satisfied but felt she had not yet reached her tournament potential.
The goals generated by Sun and her scoring potential do not worry the Norwegians. They believe the game against China will be close and low-scoring.
''The last four matches [Norway played] against China have been very tight with lots of chances and not a lot of goals,'' said Hogmo, whose team created 60 chances and gave up nine in four matches. ''I expect the same.''
The Norwegians will counter with their zone defense and aggressive attacking style that features forwards Ann Kristen Aarones and Marianne Pettersen.
''The whole team has to function as we want to,'' said Aarones. ''Some of my job is to win it in the air so Marianne can get it. We also have to spread wide. They play a lot of short touches through the midfield. We usually have to run a lot to get the ball.''
Both the Chinese and Norwegians want to play for the championship and possibly settle scores with the US. But that pre-game conversation is for another time.
