| |
|
| ||
Sleepless night in China Beijing watches as China meets U.S. in World Cup
Posted: Saturday July 10, 1999 12:59 PM
BEIJING (AP) -- Soccer coach Cheng Wenkuan planned to stay up all night, hoping to see some of his former team members vanquish the Americans. In Li Yan's restaurant, the party was just getting started when most people would usually be in bed. Most of Beijing seemed set to spend a sleepless night watching their women's soccer team clash with the U.S. team in the World Cup final. "We'll be open all night. Who could sleep anyway?" said Li Yan, manager of the Soccer Fans restaurant in south Beijing. Her tiny Sichuan restaurant, with its soccer ball-motif floors, was packed with fans, players and journalists. Chinese sports fans disappointed by the failure of their men's team in international competition are hoping for vindication in Saturday's match. Rancor over the NATO bombing of the Beijing's embassy in Belgrade has left many eager to see their team give the U.S. a good trouncing. China's state-run Central Television planned to carry the game live on two of its national channels. The Beijing Youth Daily said that more than nine out of 10 people in the 116 households it surveyed said they would watch the game live, despite the hour. "Better Watch Our Sisters!" the China Sports Daily said in its lead article Saturday. "The Chinese team is determined not to let the nation down. It will show its standards, its style, matching the U.S. side in skill, strategy, ability, mentality, fight, teamwork, fortitude, murderousness and grit," said a front-page article in the Beijing Morning Post. Members of the Beijing women's soccer team seemed elated by the prospect of victory as they lightheartedly ran drills in a muggy, dragonfly-ridden stadium in the southern part of the city. To the great disappointment of many Chinese, the men's team has never qualified for a World Cup let alone been in a position to win one. Yet soccer in China has by-and-large been viewed as a man's sport. The success of the women's team is helping win them some long overdue recognition. "In our dorm, we only have posters of male soccer players. There aren't any posters or photos of women soccer stars," complained Ren Liping, a 21-year-old team member. "This might change that. Now, maybe someone will take pictures of us," teammate Luo Ting chimed in. Six members of the Chinese national squad started with the Beijing team. Coach Cheng said he hopes to see at least several more move up. Team captain Han Jianrong fretted that as the visiting team, China might not get a fair match. "It will be a great match, but only if it's a fair one," Han said. "It's always different for the visitor and the host." Her teammates shouted in agreement. China's state-run media has fanned suspicions that referees were biased in favor of the Americans in earlier clashes between the two teams. The atmosphere of mistrust following the Belgrade bombing has accentuated them. Chinese reports have noted that including their trip to and from China, during this World Cup competition the Chinese team will have flown 41,508 kilometers (25,793 miles), or once around the planet, compared to just 7,665 kilometers (4,763 miles) for the Americans. Despite her doubts, Han said she expected China to win. "Both sides have their strong points. The American's are physically strong. But our team is better in skill, strategy and spirit," she said.
| |||||||||||||||||
Copyright © 1999 CNN/SI. A Time Warner Company. Terms under which this service is provided to you.
| |||||||||||||||||
