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Utah fans turn out to see U.S. women Posted: Wednesday June 11, 2003 1:33 PMSALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Soccer fans in Utah were so eager to see the U.S. women's national team in action they have turned out in force to watch them practice. The team held a practice Tuesday in advance of its friendly international match with Ireland scheduled for Saturday. Wednesday's 10 a.m. practice also was open to the public. Thursday's and Friday's practices, including Ireland's Friday practice at Rice-Eccles Stadium, will be closed. "It's kind of hard to get a chance to see them play," said Liz Bogus, a former Brighton and current Arizona State player. Bogus said she was surprised the team would play against Ireland in Utah. National team coach April Heinrichs, however, said it made perfect sense. "The national team is a national team," Heinrichs said. "We need to expose ourselves to everywhere in the country they want us to play." Seeing the number of fans at the practice, Heinrichs said, justified the teams' decision to play at Rice-Eccles. "I just hope we can see this kind of support magnified on Saturday," she said. Steve Rich of the Utah Sports Commission said more than 11,000 tickets have been sold for Saturday's match. Rice-Eccles can seat 45,634. "If we can get to 20,000, it would be awesome," Heinrichs said. "I'd love to expose the team to a World Cup atmosphere before the World Cup." Pam Duke of Salt Lake City was among the fans clamoring for autographs after the practice session. Brandi Chastain's signature was perhaps the most coveted. "It's just incredible to see your idols right in front of you," Duke said. Saturday's game, and this week's practice sessions, gives Heinrichs an opportunity to evaluate the team prior to September's World Cup. Thirty athletes have competed with the team this year, and her job is to pare that number to 20 by August for the international tournament. Under the U.S. Soccer Federation's proposal, which is expected to be given to FIFA this week, the semifinals of the tournament would be played in Portland, Ore., and the final is the new Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., a high-ranking U.S. soccer official said Monday on the condition of anonymity. The other proposed sites are reportedly Washington's RFK Stadium; Columbus, Ohio; East Rutherford, N.J.; and Foxboro, Mass.,
FIFA, soccer's world governing body, decided May 3 to move the tournament from China because of the SARS virus, and announced May 26 it will be held in the United States, site of the hugely successful 1999 Women's World Cup.
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