ASADENA, Calif. - The Rose Bowl videoboard flashed images from Beijing, Shanghai, and the Forbidden City as Team China practiced yesterday. The street scenes, rice paddie workers, bicycling citizenry, Asian architecture, and Great Wall are drawn from a palette of muted greens, grays, and browns. Remnants of the 1,000-year rule by dynastic emperors and the visage of Chairman Mao Zedong set against a red background provide brief, far-from-brilliant flashes of color. Even without narration, the tone of the montage appears subdued.
The big screen set high atop the stadium falls directly in line with the north-end goal, where starting Chinese keeper Gao Hong faced shots from her teammates. Wearing fluorescent green gloves and a shirt dyed in fluorescent orange and bright purple, the player between the posts clashes with the more traditional Chinese images played above.
All tournament long, Gao has colored the Chinese story.
''I think she's just so excited about life,'' said American forward Tiffeny Milbrett, who has maintained ''international friendship'' with Gao over the past four years. ''She's just a happy person. She's really curious. I think she's more curious than the other Chinese players and that leads me to believe she's a little bit more outgoing.''
Added US goalie Briana Scurry: ''She's always smiling. You score a goal. She smiles. She makes a save. She smiles.''
Gao is the exuberant face of a squad that has surprised many with its openess, embracing all a World Cup set on American soil has to offer a player who grew up during Chairman Mao's Cultural Revolution in the eastern city of Taizhou. The 31-year-old Gao and 32-year-old midfielder Liu Ailing are the oldest players on the team, but Gao would rather make her teammates laugh at every opportunity than act her age.
And once retirement comes, she hopes to return to California as a graduate student. The former point guard and textile worker has learned to make the most out of life's opportunities and savor the best moments.
After practice, the Chinese players hustled to a bus waiting nearby. They left quickly to keep the rigid schedule set by their coach Ma Yuanan. But goalie Gao lingered as long as she could, standing happily in the sun with her sleeves rolled up, taking in the size of the stadium, delighting in the number of reporters present. Then Gao collected her gear and headed for the bus. ''See you tomorrow,'' she said, waving and smiling at a crowd of photographers and cameramen.
''Go-go will have a better performance when there are many people around her,'' Ma said of his goalie.
Leaping high to punch away passes that cross through the penalty areas, her acrobatic style complements her personality. Gao plays goal with a rare combination of flamboyance and technically sound flair.
She leads all World Cup keepers in the two most significant statistical categories. Gao has allowed just two goals this tournament - one each to Sweden and Australia in first-round play. Her perfect record through the quarterfinals and semifinals lowered her goals against average to 0.4. Today's final against the US and counterpart Scurry, who regularly vies for title of world's best female keeper, will provide her grandest stage. Chinese coach Ma Yuanan has no doubt Gao will put on a show.
US coach Tony DiCicco knows firsthand the heights Gao's talent can reach. She assisted him at a Nike camp last summer.
''She's really a neat person, she's a great personality, and she's an outstanding goalkeeper,'' he said. ''She has some weaknesses and we're hoping to expose those [today]. She can also make some great saves. So, we've got to be patient, persistent, and take our chances well. Gao is a good goalkeeper and a lovely lady, but Briana Scurry is the best goalkeeper in the World Cup and, I think, in the world. We have an edge in goal.''
Gao's faith rests in her devout Christian beliefs. Her religion - kept by 1 percent of the population in a country that officially considers itself atheist - also sets the goalie apart. She gives credit to God for her play and views her World Cup experience as a divine gift.
But Gao has provided tournament color all by herself with the force of her personality. If the powerfull American forwards test her today consistently, Gao's unique, acrobatic artistry might result in a final golden masterpiece.
Chinese Women's World Cup soccer team goalie Gao Hong makes a save during her team's afternoon practice at the Rose Bowl Friday. China is preparing to meet the USA at the Rose Bowl in the final of Women's World Cup Saturday. (REUTERS)