ASADENA, Calif. - You mean they have to win this thing now? Haven't the Babes of Summer done enough already? Haven't they sold out NFL stadiums from coast to coast? Put women's soccer permanently on America's sporting radar screen? Inspired a generation of ponytailed hooligans? They have to reclaim the World Cup, too?
Goalie Briana Scurry of the US women's soccer team practices stopping shots during practice at the Rose Bowl Friday in preparation for the finals of 1999 FIFA Womens World Cup. (AFP photo) |
''This is it,'' says US goalkeeper Briana Scurry, whose teammates take on formidable China in this afternoon's final before a capacity crowd of 90,000 (including President Clinton) in the Rose Bowl.
''Now we're playing for all the marbles.''
For the Americans, who've spent the last three weeks signing autographs, talking into a sea of microphones and tape recorders and ''leaving a legacy,'' having merely to play will be a simple blessing. ''Getting to the final was for the fans,'' says forward Tiffeny Milbrett. ''Being in the final is for us.''
For the Chinese, who have never won a Cup medal, just getting to the final was historic. By winning today, they can stake an indisputable claim as the planet's best team.
Though oddsmakers have the US as a 3-2 pick (that's historic itself: Vegas action on a women's soccer match) even the hosts concede that the Chinese, who've beaten the US twice this year and humbled defending champion Norway, 5-0, in the semifinals, are the favorites.
Still, the Americans have always prevailed when a global medal has been at stake, winning the bronze in the 1995 Cup and the gold at the 1996 Olympics. And they're playing on home turf in front of the largest crowd ever to watch a women's sporting event. ''When it comes down to the 85th minute and we're dying out there, having people still screaming for us will pump us up,'' says forward Cindy Parlow.
The Americans expect it will come down to the 85th minute and more. Their last two games with China in April were both decided in added time after the clock ran out. Today's match could go to overtime, even to penalty kicks. The sides are that even. ''We are at the same level,'' says Chinese coach Ma Yuanan. ''The match will depend on good preparation, good performance, and fighting willingness.''
Though the US leads the all-time series 11-5-5, 10 of the 16 decisions (including the last three) have been by one goal. ''The match will come down to who makes the big play in the key part of the game,'' says US coach Tony DiCicco.
And that likely will come down to which team controls the midfield. That's been China's secret throughout the tournament and that's how they took apart the Norwegians, slicing through them, racing upfield and finishing them off with set-piece goals off corners and free kicks. ''We gave them too much space,'' says Norwegian assistant coach Jarl Torske. ''They ran around us and we couldn't stop them.''
It's no mystery whom the Americans have to stop - gifted striker Sun Wen, playmaker Liu Ailing, and flank midfielder Zhao Lihong. And they have to stop them early, before the Chinese get them down two goals and scrambling. ''That's how they beat the Norwegians,'' says Scurry. ''They got a couple early and Norway had to come kicking and scratching back.''
The first 10 minutes is exactly where the Americans have been vulnerable. They gave up a goal to the Nigerians on their first shot. They scored on themselves in the fifth minute against the Germans. But they survived because they had more weapons and more depth and plenty of time to bring them into play.
If they have an edge over the Chinese (besides their 90,000-voice boombox), the Americans believe it's because they've been tested by better teams on their way to the final. ''We've been prepared better by the nature of who we've played,'' says DiCicco. ''The Chinese are athletic, but not as athletic as the Nigerians. They're organized, but no more so than the Germans. They have tremendous flair on the ball, but no more so than the Brazilians.''
And the Chinese have yet to face anyone who has more players to worry about than the US does. The Americans' 18 goals have been scored by 10 different players and Mia Hamm hasn't tallied since the 20th minute of the second game.
Balance, experience, resilience, and a healthy dose of euphoria have gotten the hosts to the winner-take-all match. But just getting here, they realize, is no longer enough.
''At the Olympics, when we got to the final everyone just took a big sigh and said, well, we made it,'' says Milbrett. ''This time, everyone wants to make sure we end it on a good note.''
