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PACIFIC CUP 2000 |
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USA Add Pacific Cup To Their Trophy Collection The Olympic gold medal, the Women's World Cup, the Algarve Cup and the U.S. Women's Cup will be joined by the Pacific Cup in the US Soccer Federation's trophy cabinet shortly, after the USA's 1-0 defeat of Australia in front of 4500 at Newcastle's Breakers Stadium on a showery June 11 secured them the latest trophy in the world of women's soccer. Shannon MacMillan's 79th minute penalty, after the clumsiest of handball offences by Cheryl Salisbury, secured the sizable piece of silverware for the oft-honoured American team, who were made to work hard for their win by a dogged Australian side. Dianne Alagich, Alison Forman and Sunni Hughes all went close to opening the scoring before the USA had truly settled into their rhythm, but once they did, they carved the Matildas open at will. An early warning for Australia had come in the fourth minute, as the white-clad world champions probed left and right before MacMillan crossed for Kristine Lilly, who hammered a fifteen yard shot across the face of goal. From the twenty minute mark, however, there was only one team likely to score in the half, and it certainly wasn't the host nation. A neat one-two at this time between Tiffeny Milbrett and Mia Hamm - she led her opponents a merry dance throughout this match - saw the former twice thwarted by Tracey Wheeler, the goalkeeper saving at the striker's feet on the second occasion. Seconds later, a Julie Foudy shot flashed wide, followed soon after by a similar effort from Milbrett, whom Hamm had put through with a super turn and pass which nullified three Australian defenders in an instant. While she hadn't scored in this tournament, Hamm's creative skills had been well to the fore, as they were in the 27th minute, when she deftly flicked a Brandi Chastain throw-in into Lilly's path. The world's most-capped player unleashed a screamer which Wheeler only just got her fingertips to, turning the top corner-bound shot onto the crossbar. MacMillan came haring in to lash home the rebound, but succeeded in steering her effort over the bar. Milbrett fired across the face of goal seconds later, as the Americans poured on the pressure. Before the break, MacMillan hit the sidenetting, Hamm saw a header headed clear by Tann-Darby, while Lilly fired a free-kick into Wheeler's hands. Soon after it, Milbrett's teasing curling effort crept inches past the 'keeper's right-hand post, but the deadlock remained unbroken. Australia were looking to score via the counter-attack, but had enjoyed little change to this point from the Sobrero-inspired USA defence. Hughes had a half-chance on the hour, but Mullinix was alert to the danger, as she was six minutes later, pawing a Sharon Black cross-shot over the top, five minutes after Hamm had gone close at the other end, on receipt of a Milbrett cross. Parlow - what a luxury to have the tournament's leading goalscorer sitting on the bench! - had been introduced to the fray in the 59th minute, and scampered away down the left eight minutes later, Australia appealing in vain for offside with three US players, including the substitute, clearly in such a position. Milbrett was another of the trio, but she couldn't capitalise on Parlow's pass, Wheeler saving her effort, as she did Parlow's headed attempt twelve minutes from time, after Hamm and Milbrett had teamed up on a short corner. Then came the penalty incident, after which the USA looked the more likely side to score, particularly as the Matildas threatened to hit the self-destruct button disciplinary-wise. How Forman, the captain, who had already been booked, stayed on the pitch after firstly shoving substitute Serlenga to the ground as the USA player took up her position in the 82nd minute, then taking Hamm's legs out from under her with a scything challenge seconds later, only local referee Tammy Ogston could explain - neither incident was reflective of the manner in which the match had been played. Nonetheless, the USA always looked the side more likely to score in the last ten minutes, Serlenga, with a twenty-five yard effort, and Lilly both giving Wheeler cause for concern moments before the final whistle, The sounding of this concluded the inaugural Pacific Cup
tournament, one set to stand the women's soccer-playing nations of the Pacific
region in good stead for many years to come.
USA
Canada Finishes With A Flourish Canada proved too strong for Japan in the final Pacific Cup match for both nations at the Hunter Athletics Centre on June 10, the North Americans trouncing their Asian rivals 5-1. Christine Sinclair opened the scoring after just three minutes, the sixteen-year-old stooping to head home a Kristina Kiss cross. It signalled an attacking onslaught from the Canadians, who pounded away at the Japanese goal for the next ten minutes, only to find their opponents putting any and every part of their anatomies in the way of the ball as it headed towards goal. A brief lull allowed Japan to launch some promising raids of their own, but after Silvana Burtini headed Isabelle Harvey's free-kick past the post in the 23rd minute, Canada doubled their lead four minutes later. Christine Latham's shot was turned onto the post by Japan's goalkeeper, Shiho Onodera, who recovered quickly to parry Burtini's attempt to steer home the rebound. The midfielder wasn't to be denied however, and made no mistake with the second chance from point-blank range. Two goals in two minutes just after the half-hour mark finished off the game as a contest, Burtini - a splendid first-time volley from Harvey's cross - and Latham - from the penalty spot after she had been tripped by Yumi Obe - extending Canada's advantage to 4-0. Japan looked to respond through Aymui Hara and Megumi Torigoe and, after Onodera had saved a twenty-yard drive from Randee Hermus, had something to celebrate in the 42nd minute. Rie Kimura's lob forward was gathered by Harue Sato, who took full advantage of a Canadian defensive blunder to pick her spot past Karina Le Blanc in the Canadian goal. What the first half enjoyed in incident the second half sorely lacked. It was a largely nondescript affair, save for some early saves from Onodera - Amy Walsh, Burtini and Sinclair were denied - and a late flurry, in which the game's final goal was scored. Andrea Neil thought she had broken the second half deadlock four minutes from time when heading home Mary Beth Bowie's corner. She fouled Onodera in the process, however, but wasn't to be denied. For within a minute, she was on hand to round off the scoring after Sinclair had muscled her way into the penalty area and rolled the ball invitingly into her path. The 5-1 result concluded a fine tournament for Canada,
who, under former Norwegian Women's World Cup-winning coach Even Pellerud,
will be one of the teams to watch on the road to WWC 2003.
Canada
Referee: Krystina Szokolai China Hand Out Hiding To Tiring SWANZ China, the world's second-best women's soccer-playing nation, accounted for a tiring New Zealand team 6-0 in both countries' final Pacific Cup match at the Hunter Athletics Centre on June 10. The SWANZ gave as good as they got in the first twenty minute, a Simone Ferrara corner, which zoomed across the face of goal, and a Marlies Oostdam drive, which Han Wenxia saved at the second attempt, the first shots fired in anger in this confrontation. After Wang Liping had hit the sidenetting, and the SWANZ had scrambled clear following a Liu Ailing-inspired raid, Maia Jackman headed another Ferrara corner over the crossbar, while Wendi Henderson found herself crowded out in the fourteenth minute, after choosing to go it alone despite the unmarked Amanda Crawford being up in support in the penalty area. Yvonne Vale then saved twice in a minute from Bai Jie, the first stops she was to make in an outstanding goalkeeping display. After Fan Yunjie had headed a Shui Qingxia corner narrowly past the far post in the twentieth minute, China opened the scoring within seconds. Jie instigated the raid, and Qingxia, on the overlap, held off Ferrara's challenge before crossing to Zhao Lihong, who swept the ball past Vale from ten yards. Within two minutes, China had doubled their tally. Vale produced a double-save to thwart Jie, who gathered the rebound and laid it back to Pu Wei. She crossed to Ailing, who slotted home past the unsighted goalkeeper. Undeterred in the face of the two-goal deficit, the SWANZ battled on, Jackman and Oostdam - her most impressive performance of the tournament - combining to allow Henderson a shot, which flashed a foot over the bar in the 28th minute. China, however, were beginning to show their technical proficiency - their fleet-footedness and sheer skill and speed on the ball were facets of the game totally foreign to that which New Zealand teams usually encounter - and after Vale had denied Jin Yan at close range, the Asian champions went further ahead in the 33rd minute. Qingxia's corners were a constant menace to the SWANZ defence, and another such delivery arrived near the far post, where Wei was lurking. Her shot ricocheted off the unfortunate Jill Corner - she, too, played well in the role of sweeper - and bobbled its way over the line. Vale pulled off a fine save to deny Yan four minutes before the break, while the last act of the half took place at the other end of the park, Nicky Smith's cleverly angled pass for Crawford seeing Wenxia reach the ball first, at the striker's feet. Yan rattled the crossbar in the 53rd minute following yet another menacing Qingxia corner, while Vale denied Ailing twice and a Qingxia free-kick in the ensuing ten minutes. Crawford and Henderson combined to good effect in the 64th minute, as the SWANZ continued to stake their claims against the odds. The latter's shot struck Ferrara, who was unable to react quickly enough to steer home the rebound - the midfielder had an outstanding game, covering seemingly every blade of grass in her efforts to stem the red tide. Still China pressed, and after Jackman - another to give her all and then some for the cause - had blocked a Liping shot, three goals in six minutes finished off the SWANZ. Tragically for the Kiwis, two were own goals, bringing about a rare hat-trick of goals in this manner. Vale and the tireless Melissa Ruscoe, like Corner before them, didn't deserve the ignominy of putting through their own net, but both did so as they attempted to clear Qingxia corners in the 69th and 71st minutes. In between times, Vale had saved from Jie, a feat she was to repeat in the 79th minute, having saved at the feet of Ailing seconds earlier, Lihong having created this chance with a brilliant piece of skill to beat two players. The final goal of the game came sixteen minutes from time, Zhang Ouying breaking down the right before finding Jie, who rounded a defender before seeing Vale parry her shot. Jie reacted quickly to lash home the rebound, and conclude China's 6-0 win. "I was really proud of the team today", said SWANZ coach Doug Moore afterwards. "As opposed to the Australia performance here three days ago, we played like a team today, and kept fighting and battling against what is technically the best team here. "The girls are absolutely gone. They've had to give 110% in every game, and today was a real test of their character and attitude". "We came out with less fear today", said captain Henderson. "We were confident, and have improved in this regard over the tournament. We were determined to do ourselves proud and give our last game ninety minutes. "It's been a huge learning curve for us, but we showed that we can be competitive, providing we train hard and work hard. But it's back to reality for us next week!!" "Among the many things we'll be taking from this tournament",
said Moore, "is the fact that it's an absolute disgrace that we haven't
played in twenty months. It's a betrayal of the players. They're prepared
to work hard, but they need international match-play on a far more regular
basis than has been the case in recent times".
SWANZ
Referee: Jacquie Leleu Black Day For SWANZ As Matildas Go A-Waltzing A lovely sunny afternoon at the Hunter Athletics Centre on June 7 turned into a black day for the SWANZ in their Pacific Cup encounter with Australia, the Matildas recording a 4-0 win over their trans-tasman rivals, three of the goals courtesy midfielder Sharon Black. The SWANZ had the better of the early exchanges, Wendi Henderson, Melissa Ruscoe and Maia Jackman all going close in the first seventeen minutes, by which time the Matildas had hit the front, albeit a little against the general run of play to this point. An Alicia Ferguson-led attack wasn't cleared by the SWANZ in the seventh minute, and Black came in off the left wing to scamper through the middle unchallenged, from where she picked her spot beyond Yvonne Vale. What rocked the SWANZ most of all was Australia's second goal, in the 21st minute. The alarm bells had rung seconds before, when Sunni Hughes headed wide following a Ferguson cross. Alison Forman pounced on the resulting clearance, and sparked another Australian raid which proved more successful, Black firing across Vale into the far corner, after the attacking duo of Hughes and Ferguson had again asked questions of the SWANZ defence which they failed to answer. Worse was to come for the visitors. After an enterprising left-flank raid, featuring Henderson and Rachel Oliver, had come to nought, the Matildas stormed straight back up the other end and netted number three. Forman was again the inspiration, Hughes this time the executioner, turning past Terry McCahill on the edge of the penalty area before curling home a gem into the top far corner beyond Vale's flailing arms. After the goalkeeper had pawed a Cheryl Salisbury attempt to safety, she was forced to fish the ball out of the net once more on the half-hour, Anissa Tann-Darby having sent Black careering clear once more with a raking diagonal ball which turned defence into attack. The advancing Vale was given no chance - 4-0, and the end of a nightmarish ten minutes for the SWANZ, who were totally shell-shocked at the way events had turned against them. Salisbury and Ferguson both had chances to give Australia a nap-hand by half-time - Vale parried the latter's effort to safety - while a Simone Ferrara drive from twenty yards brought Tracey Wheeler back into the game seven minutes before the interval. The SWANZ put up more of a contest in the second spel, a tactical reshuffle and the introduction of the tough-tackling Tarah Cox adding some much-needed bite to the midfield. That said, the Matildas introduced a number of changes of their own, which tended to disrupt their rhythm as, with the result in the bag, thoughts turned towards their next match, against the USA. Before these changes took effect, however, Ausrtalia could well have had a fifth goal in the ten minutes following the resumption. Salisbury headed over the top seconds after Hughes had been thwarted by Ruscoe, while Vale made a superb double-save to deny the former Japanese-based professional, after New Zealand's shaky rearguard had again been pierced by Ferguson. The SWANZ best chance of the match came in the 66th minute, Jackman releasing Amanda Crawford through the Matildas defence with a measured crossfield ball. The striker was prevented from adding to her two tournament goals by Wheeler's adroitness, and Tann-Darby's subsequent clearance. Vale ensured there would be no further Australian goals in the match when saving from Forman - a superb eightieth minute volley, Kelly Golebiowski and Hughes in the final ten minutes, with Oliver, Henderson and Jill Corner all playing their part in ensuring the SWANZ suffered no further embarrassment - from their point of view, 4-0 was bad enough as things stood. The after-match comments of the respective coaches were equally contrasting. While the Matildas' Ian Murray was dutifully circumspect - "We bounced back well after Canada. We were superb in the first half, but took our foot off the pedal in the second spell", the SWANZ mentor, Doug Moore, paid no heed to the too-oft-practiced protocols of political correctness in his typically forthright assessment of proceedings. "We took Canada to the 92nd minute in a real ding-dong go, and Canada won convincingly on Sunday. Now we turn round and lose 4-0 to these clowns!! "In principle, I started with my best eleven players on the park, but in the first half - and it was exactly the same against the USA - they showed no old-fashioned bottle. They froze. "It's not their football that's the problem. It's a mental thing. It's as if I've got a team of headcases on my hands!! We knew what the game plan was - it's still on the whiteboard at the hotel - but due to our lack on international experience, we don't have the necessary mental toughness, which we're only going to get through playing more games. "We've played eight halves of football in this tournament, and in six of them, we've done well. The second half today was all about trying to come off the park with a bit of credibility, so I'm not unhappy with the score for the last hour of the match being 0-0. "But our lack of international experience is what
has cost us at this tournament, and it's something which New Zealand Soccer
needs to address".
Australia
Referee: Krystina Szokolai
Battling SWANZ Keep Hamm Scoreless Once More; USA Hit NZ For
Five Again Football's a funny game, isn't it? Take the case of Mia Hamm, unquestionably one of the finest footballers of either gender to grace the game. She has played 194 games for her country, the USA, scoring 118 goals in the process - a record tally in international soccer, be it men's or women's. Amazingly, none of those goals have come against New Zealand, who have provided the opposition to the World and Olympic champions on four occasions in the last thirteen years. The first clash, in December 1987, saw the SWANZ record a famous 1-0 victory over the USA, who included Hamm and her 203-times-capped team-mate, Kristine Lilly, in their line-up that day. Both were on deck when the Americans extracted revenge in 1993, to the tune of 3-0 in the Chiquita Cup, the forerunner of the annual US Women's Cup tournament. Hamm missed the 1998 encounter between the countries, a match whuich the USA won 5-0. That scoreline was repeated at the Campbelltown Sports Stadium on June 4, New Zealand's battling Pacific Cup performance in the face of the best women's side inn the world earning them a standing ovation from some, and a hearty round of applause from all at the end of their ninety minute encounter with the country which has set the standards by which all other women's soccer-playing nations are judged. In losing 5-0 to the Americans, however, the SWANZ kept the first lady of women's soccer scoreless once again, maintaining their record as one of the few countries whose defences she has failed to breach. It wasn't for the want of trying, however, Hamm doing everything but score in a match in which New Zealand only rarely tested the USA's defensive prowess - the triumverate of Christie Pearce, Brandi Chastain and Danielle Slaton, plus goalkeeper Siri Mullinix, dealt most capably with the SWANZ occasional attacking forays, so much so that the last- mentioned touched the ball just three times in the entire ninety minutes. Au contraire New Zealand's goalkeeper, Yvonne Vale. Her first saves came in the sixth and tenth minutes, both thwarting Shannon MacMillan efforts, these after Rachel Oliver had cleared off the line from Chastain in the first minute, and Cindy Parlow had hit the sidenetting with a snapshot on the turn two minutes later. Parlow was indirectly involved in the opening goal, drawing the defence as Christie Welsh stole in behind them to volley into the roof of the net in the eleventh minute, on receipt of a cross from Hamm - her one hundredth career "assist". Vale kept Aly Wagner, Parlow and Hamm at bay in the next ten minutes, before two Chastain efforts came close to extending the USA's tally. The goalkeeper kept Parlow's fifteen yard effort out in the 27th minute, before Hamm was denied by Maia Jackman, who produced the defensive performance of her life after coming on for Oliver in the fifteenth minute, a tactical substitution made by SWANZ coach Doug Moore to counter the impact being made by the USA's "twin towers" - Parlow and Welsh - in attack. Alongside Jackman, Melissa Ruscoe was equally outstanding, while ahead of them, Nicky Smith and Simone Ferrara, who led the team out against the country where she received her education, tirelessly chased and harried from first whistle till last, as the entire SWANZ line-up put up brave resistance against opposition from a seemingly different planet!! More goals were inevitable, and two in four minutes confirmed the USA's on-field superiority on the scoreboard. Welsh shrugged off Jackman's challenge to steer Parlow's through ball under the advancing Vale in the 29th minute, while the supplier turned scorer four minutes later, a searing twenty-yard drive which careered across Vale and in by the far post following Wagner's orchestrations. The scoreline remained 3-0 in the USA's favour till half-time, despite the best efforts of Sara Whalen, Welsh and MacMillan - a twenty-five yard crossbar rattler - to add to it. Three minutes after the interval, half-time replacement Zarnia Cogle cleared off the line from Welsh, after Ruscoe had blocked Welsh's close- range effort. After Hamm had sent a twenty-five yard drive careering a foot over the angle, the USA scored a further two goals in four minutes to extend their advantage still further. MacMillan and Slaton combined neatly on the left in the 52nd minute, the latter's cross finding Parlow, whose initial effort was parried by Vale. Parlow snapped up the rebound, then completed her second consecutive hat-trick - only Hamm, in the history of the US Women's Team, has done this before - four minutes later, slamming the ball into the roof of the net from four yards after Hamm had completely outfoxed Jackman with a smart turn and cheeky nutmeg near the byline. It speaks volumes for the SWANZ that they kept the USA scoreless for the remaining thirty-four minutes of this encounter. After getting "the mother and father of all rockets" from coach Moore at half-time, they battled like trojans in the second spell, in an effort to limit their more illustrious opponents to long-range attempts on goal, Wagner and MacMillan going closest to hitting the target from distance in this time. When the USA did get nearer the target, Vale proved unbeatable. Three times she thwarted Hamm at close range, while on the one occasion the goalkeeper was beaten by the goalscorer-par-excellence, Hamm couldn't guide her header on target from eight yards out, Welsh and Wagner having combined to open up the SWANZ on the right. Vale's efforts also frustrated Slaton and Parlow before the final whistle, the save from the latter a superb one-handed effort at the death wich ensured the USA's margin of victory would remain at five goals. As for Hamm, such has been her ill-luck in front of goal during this tournament that, deep down, she must be beginning to wonder where her next goal is coming from. Not that she minds, however, being very much a team player in this regard. When she does find the target next, however, expect an
avalanche of goals to emanate from her trusty Nikes. Meantime, those plans
for the printing of a souvenir t-shirt to commemorate Mia Hamm's first goal
against New Zealand will remain on the back shelf for some time yet!
SWANZ
Referee: Sheena Storrie Experimental China Too Strong For Japan An experimental Chinese line-up, which featured five personnel changes from their draw with Australia two days previously, proved too strong for Japan in their Pacific Cup encounter at Campbelltown Sports Stadium on June 4, the Chinese winning 2-0. China's line-up also featured a change of roles for two players, with striker Jin Yan and defender Bai Jie swapping positions, a role which the latter took full advantage of. She it was who scored the opening goal of the game, four minutes before the interval. Superb close control in the penalty area saw her evade a couple of challenges, before she slammed the ball inside Nozomi Yamago's left-hand post to give the game the goal it badly needed. Up to this point, there had been little else to write home about, as China's second-stringers struggled to gel as a cohesive unit, and Japan enjoyed little change from the defensive web which has frustrated so many opponents in games gone by. Only Jie, Pu Wei and Zhang Ouying had threatened the Japanese goal in the first half, while Wei, Shui Qingxia and Qiu Haiyan, twice, went close in the fifteen minutes following the resumption of action, a period in which the Chinese showed a far greater degree of urgency than had been evident in the first forty-five minutes of play. It was in this spell that the Asian champions struck their second goal - just ninety seconds into the half, in fact. Qingxia's acutely-angled free-kick seared into the tyop far corner of the net past a startled Yamago, but it was the end product of a free-kick which should never have been given, Jie having tripped over the ball after evading a challenge. Yamago redeemed herself somewhat in the 72nd minute, pulling off a superb save at close quarters to deny Haiyan from ten yards. It was the only time she was truly tested during the final half-hour of the match, China seemingly content to coast through the game without putting in too much effort. That said, they were denied a third goal by Yamago two minutes from time, the Japanese defence having been unable to contain the pirouetting figure of Ouying as she twisted and turned this way and that in the penalty area prior to finding the space in which to shoot. She had been at the heart of a Chinese raid in the 69th
minute which saw Hiromi Isozaki clearing the danger posed by Wang Liping
and Qingxia. But 2-0 was China's lot, a result with which they seemed quite
content, as it maintained their position at the top of the table.
China
Referee: Tammy Ogston Matildas Outsmarted By Clever Canada The inaugural Pacific Cup women's soccer tournament witnessed its first shock result on June 4, as Canada gave Australia the proverbial runaround en route to a 2-0 win at Campbelltown Sports Stadium. All appeared in order for the Matildas early on in the match, Kelly Golebiowski firing wide after clever off-the-ball running by Anissa Tann-Darby created space for Cheryl Salisbury to stride forward and play her young front-running team-mate through in the tenth minute, Tann-Darby's presence leaving Canada's Isabelle Harvey in two minds as to who she should cover. It was to prove a false dawn, however, as Canada's 'in-your-face' tactics posed Australia questions to which they failed to supply a single answer. Leading for the prosecution was Amy Walsh. The Canadian captain had a massive game in midfield, frustrating Alison Forman and Peita-Claire Hepperlin, both of whom were forced to drop deeper and deeper as the game went on, a move which left Golebiowski and Sunni Hughes increasingly isolated in attack as a consequence. With the subsequent dearth of front-line movement, and no options available to them in midfield, the central defensive pairing of Salisbury and Bridgette Starr had few openings available to them - in effect, Australia were stymied. Lacking the imagination necessary to retrieve the situation - their usual 'Route One' approach was no longer viable - the Matildas frustrations grew, and resultingly, so did their error count. Christine Sinclair's first attempt to capitalise on her opponents' creative deficiencies saw her shoot wide on the stretch in the 27th minute, following the contributions of Silvana Burtini and Christine Latham. Her second attempt, five minutes later, opened the scoring. Burtini's deep corner picked out Isabelle Morneau, who flighted a delightful return cross into the danger zone. As Australia slowly reacted to this threat, Sinclair stole in unnoticed on the blindside of the defence, and steered the ball home inside Leanne Trimboli's left-hand upright, an action which left the 3947-strong crowd somewhat stunned. The natives became increasingly restless soon after, as both Burtini and Latham snatched at chances to double Canada's lead after pouncing on Australian lapses within nine minutes of the opening goal. Two minutes later, the natives' worst fears were confirmed, as Canada doubled their advantage. Trimboli and Salisbury combined to present the ball to Burtini, who, from twenty yards out, smashed a screamer into the top far corner of the net to bring the half to an end. Ian Murray's half-time team talk had little effect on the Matildas, who were fortunate not to fall further behind four minutes after the resumption, Latham hitting the angle after Kristina Kiss had combined with Sinclair down the right. Only a vital save at the feet of Latham by Trimboli thwarted Canada in the 56th minute, while the 'keeper needed two attempts to deal with a Morneau free-kick on the hour, Burtini then Sinclair providing the pressure on the custodian. The latter was sent scampering away down the right once more by Kiss in the 67th minute, as a result of which Sacha Wainwright was given the runaround once more. But upon drawing Trimboli out of goal, Sinclair rolled her shot across the face and wide. Australia were, by now, behind the proverbial eight-ball, but were still gaining little change from their opponents, for whom Morneau and Cindy Walsh were proving every bit as effective as the latter's terrier-like namesake, Amy. Even when Hughes finally managed to penetrate the Canadian rearguard twenty minutes from time, Cindy Walsh was able to get back and thwart her, much like Morneau had foiled Golebiowski late in the first half, following Hughes' cross, which resulted from Heather Garriock's 39th minute free-kick. The Matildas knew the game was up thirteen minutes from time - Golebiowski was unable to convert from virtually on the goal-line, after Sharon Black and Forman had linked up following a corner - and the boos which rang out at full-time underlined what the crowd thought of the efforts of their leading female footballers, heroines just 48 hours previously following their draw with China. Canada were worthy winners, however - a stark contrast
to their previous result, a 9-1 loss to the USA.
Australia
Referee: Krystina Szokolai Ten-Woman Australia Take China All The Way Australia took China all the way to a penalty shoot-out in their Pacific Cup encounter at the Sydney Football Stadium on June 2, the runners-up at both Atlanta '96 and USA '99 prevailing 5-4 on spot-kicks, after the scores had been tied at 1-1 at the end of both normal and extra-time. Cheered on by the biggest crowd to ever watch a women's soccer match in Australia - 10049, the Matildas produced a gritty performance laden with character against their technically superior opponents, who oozed confidence on the ball, and, as a result, often succeeded in pulling off the sorts of moves which most training manuals don't endorse under any circumstances! Their reading of the game was very pleasing to the purist's eye, too. So effective was it that the Australians may well have had more success scaling the Great Wall itself, in contrast to the imposing Chinese defensive structure which the Matildas had very little joy penetrating throughout the match. For the most part, the home side resorted to long-range scoring attempts, which China's goalkeeper, Gao Hong, treated somewhat contemptuously, save for Kate McShea's 78th minute strike, which was destined for the top corner of the net until the athletic custodian swatted it to safety. A great deal of China's confidence could be sourced from taking an early lead, an absolute gem of a curling free-kick from one of women's soccer's greatest-ever players, Sun Wen, in the third minute. Into the top near corner of Tracey Wheeler's goal the ball arced - the best-executed set-piece of the tournament so far. In the 22nd minute, China came desperately close to extending their advantage. Not for the first nor last time in the match, the oft-ponderous Cheryl Salisbury was found wanting by the lightning-quick Zhang Ouying, who forced the error, then swept the ball into the goalmouth from the byline. Jin Yan flicked the ball across the face of goal, but Sun Wen prevented it from going out, then delivered the sphere back into the danger zone, where Yan executed an exquisite back-heeled effort seemingly effortlessly. A startled Wheeler dived low at her near post to save well. China's next raid of note - Dianne Alagich was having a massive game at the heart of the Matildas defence to restrict their opponents to so few goalscoring opportunities - came in the 36th minute, and was led by Liu Ailing. Zhao Lihong received the ball, and whipped it into the near post, where Yan volleyed wide. Sunni Hughes snatched at a similar effort at the other end of the park six minutes later, by which time Australia should have been given the opportunity to equalise by referee Sheena Storrie. She ignored Sharon Black's appeals for what appeared to be a clear-cut penalty, then, when the ball went out of play, promptly booked the Australian for diving! It was one of seven yellow cards she issued during the match, four of which were to Australians, along with a red card, about which, more later. In the interim, Australia had further penalty claims turned away, Salisbury's close-range header, following Bryony Duus' corner, appearing to be handled on the line by a Chinese defender. Referee Storrie was having none of it, however - no charges of local bias could be laid against the official in this encounter!! Come the second spell, Alagich and company restricted China to just two noteworthy shots on goal, from Wen and Lihong. These apart, the Asian champions were finding themselves up against worthwhile opposition, who didn't truly threaten them until nine minutes from time. Until this time, Fan Yunjie had been rock-like at the heart of China's defence. But on this occasion, she allowed a raking Salisbury free-kick to bounce over her head, and Heather Garriock didn't need a second invitation. The substitute thundered past her opponent at pace, and hammered the ball beyond the advancing Hong from the edge of the goal area to level the scores. China pressed hard for a late winner, but Alagich, ably supported by Anissa Tann-Darby, ensured Australia would not be denied the extra twenty minutes their efforts deserved, so to extra time we went. McShea's early twenty-five yard effort flew wide, after which a superb Wang Liping tackle broke up an Australian raid, and launched a Chinese one in one fell swoop. Wen received the ball, cut inside and drew the retreating defence, before slipping a reverse pass through for the overlapping Lihong to take full advantage of. She scythed past a challenge before curling a gorgeous shot towards the top far corner. Wheeler just got her fingertips to it to prevent China winning by the golden goal they sought. Shui Qingxia, Wen and Fan Chunling all had chances to win the match for the Asian champions, whose hopes were enhanced when Alicia Ferguson was sent off by referee Storrie for a late tackle from behind, a decision which saw the eighteen-year-old Matilda substitute leaving the field in tears. Another Qingxia free-kick soon followed, Wheeler seeing it late through the crowd and doing well to smother it at her near post. The match was destined for penalties, however, following Garriock's late attempt to win the match for the Matildas with a thirty yard free-kick on the angle. The spot-kicks of Garriock, Alison Forman and Amy Wilson were matched shot for shot by those of Bai Jie, Pu Wei and Liping. Tann-Darby, Australia's most-capped women's international, did not rely on her experience, however, and Hong made an easy save. Lihong converted to swing the match firmly in China's favour
- 4-3, and despite Salisbury's levelling the scores, China had yet to play
their ace. Wen's penalty found the net with no little amount of nonchalance,
and the Matildas were left to ponder on what might have been.
China
Referee: Sheena Storrie Canada Suffer Backlash From USA's Loss To China The Canadian women's soccer team found themselves faced with an unenviable task at the Sydney Football Stadium on June 2 - taking on the footballing equivalent of a lion suffering from wounded pride. It is not a situation the World and Olympic women's soccer champions, the USA, often find themselves in. But their 1-0 defeat by China in Canberra two days earlier meant that they were bottom of the Pacific Cup table after its opening round, and someone was going to suffer for this slight on their reputation. That someone was Canada. And how! 9-1 was the final scoreline in a match in which the USA could well have struck twenty goals, so rampant were they on this occasion. The hapless Canadians didn't know what had hit them, except for a brief description they were able to provide the relevant authorities with after the event - "We didn't get near enough to see who they were, but they were dressed in white, and they gave us a footballing lesson!!" That the USA most certainly did. Inside five minutes, both Tiffeny Milbrett and Mia Hamm had spurned scoring opportunities, while a glorious interchange between Milbrett and Cindy Parlow in the thirteenth minute saw the former clip the ball beyond the advancing Nicole Wright but just past the far post as well. Joy Fawcett sparked the next attack, three minutes later, releasing Shannon MacMillan down the right with a deft through ball. Her well-angled pull-back invited parlow to shoot, but the ball rolled across the face of goal and wide. A goal had to come, and in the seventeenth minute, the dam burst. Hamm's superbly weighted pass sent Milbrett scampering through Canada's defence, and the striker gave Wright no chance as she stroked the ball home off the inside of the far post. Within three minutes, the water was flowing incessantly. Parlow was the supply line on this occasion, her classy pass giving MacMillan all the time in the world to slip the ball under the diving Wright into the far corner. Milbrett and Kristine Lilly, who had earned her 200th cap in the recent US Cup Final against Canada, were next to chance their arm, but on both occasions, Wright emerged with the ball in hand. The USA's masterclass was briefly interrupted in the 31st minute by Christine Latham, who evaded Brandi Chastain's challenge upon receipt of a Christine Sinclair cross in the 31st minute, only to shoot wide. Cue the appearance of another crack in the dam, in the 37th minute. MacMillan rewarded Fawcett's overlapping run with an inch-perfect pass, which allowed the defender to scamper to the byline, from where she invited Parlow to stroke home goal number three. Wright's fine save to deny Milbrett in a one-on-one two minutes later inspired the striker to go through her box of tricks and pick out an absolute peach of a goal five minutes before the interval. The recipient of a short corner from Hamm, Milbrett completely wrong-footed Sinclair before smashing a superb strike into the back of the net from twenty yards. The Americans, by this stage, were threatening to run riot. Only Breanna Boyd's despairing goal-line clearance prevented Milbrett from completing her hat-trick before the interval, after the striker had rounded Wright, while the same player was guilty of being too casual in front of goal when put through by Julie Foudy - Marie-Claude Dion was able to get in a telling challenge to bring an end to a four-goal half. The interval proved but a brief respite for the Canadians, as the USA emerged from the dressing rooms sporting four changes to their starting line-up, only to prove themselves in even more fluent combination as a consequence. Wright saved with her legs from both Hamm and Parlow before five minutes had elapsed, in which time the score had been increased still further, Hamm and MacMillan combining to allow Fair to head home from twelve yards in the 49th minute. The same player made it 6-0 two minutes later, Hamm's clipped cross to Milbrett seeing the striker flick the ball on into Fair's path, the midfielder nutmegging Wright to add to her misery. The goalkeeper redeemed herself somewhat soon after, battering away a venomous MacMillan drive before preventing the perfect conclusion to a gorgeous left-flank raid which fully merited a goal in the 56th minute. Sara Whalen's clever back-heel sent Danielle Slaton into overdrive past a couple of defenders, before she picked out Milbrett with a measured cross. Wright prevented her from rounding off her hat-trick on this occasion, but Milbrett wasn't to be denied, clipping the ball home beyond the bemused goalkeeper on receipt of Whalen's chip. The USA afforded Canada a brief ten-minute respite before resuming their onslaught with a vengeance. Christie Welsh, Milbrett's replacement, released Hamm down the right with a lovely pass. Women's soccer's leading international goalscorer drew two defenders, but still found room in which to fire a shot past Wright, only for the ball to cannon off the far post, straight to Parlow - 8-0. Amazingly, Hamm hadn't yet scored, and unbelievably, she was destined not to. In both the 73rd and 76th minutes, she was put through on goal, on the second occasion courtesy a superbly angled crossfield ball from Parlow. But each time she failed to find the net, Wright saving her first effort. So well-rounded a team are the USA that they aren't Hamm-strung when one of their undoubted stars has an off-day in front of goal. Instead, the spotlight fell on Parlow in the 77th minute, as she completed her hat-trick following the combined efforts of Nikki Serlenga and Whalen down the right. The Canadians weren't the least little bit interested in conceding double figures, and went about attempting to reduce the deficit. Only a splendid save by Jen Branam, at the feet of Sinclair, prevented them from doing so in the 79th minute, but the striker was on hand to steer home the rebound two minutes later, after Branam had parried Latham's well-struck drive to her left. Ironically, this strike was afforded the biggest cheer of the night, but there was little doubt that the ever-growing crowd knew they had been privy to a footballing masterclass come the final whistle, at which they stood as one to applaud the USA off the park, both Welsh and Whalen having gone close to concluding the match with what would have been the champions' tenth goal of the match in the last ten minutes. On this occasion, though, nine was more than enough, the
lion's pride and reputation restored, wounded no more.
USA
SWANZ Beaten By Last Kick Of Match Again The SWANZ, New Zealand's women's soccer team, suffered another agonising defeat in the inaugural Pacific Cup women's soccer tournament at the Sydney Football Stadium on June 2, going down to a Golden Goal defeat at the hands of Japan, 2-1 the final score. The Kiwis started brightly, the lively Simone Ferrara linking well with Wendi Henderson on the left to engineer the first opening, which Japan eventually cleared. The Asians, who finished eleventh at the 1999 Women's World Cup Finals, came back strongly, and after Michelle Hodge had easily dealt with Mio Otani's twelfth minute effort, watched with relief as a headed attempt from the same player flew past the post two minutes later, following good approach play featuring Megumi Torigoe and Mito Isaka. After Kozue Ando had sent a twenty-five yarder flying past the post in the 26th minute, the SWANZ took the game by the scruff of the neck, inspired by Ferrara's pursuit of a seemingly lost cause in the 27th minute. All the odds favoured Yuka Yamazaki as the ball ran towards the corner line for a goal kick, but Ferrara's dogged pursuit paid off, as she robbed the defender before whipping over a cross for Zarnia Cogle. Yoshie Kasajima cleared on this occasion, but played a key role in New Zealand's goal six minutes later. It's instigator was Maia Jackman, who bisected the Japanese defence with a diagonal through-ball for the overlapping Jane Simpson. After dodging one challenge, she crossed for Cogle, only for Kasajima to win the aerial duel once more. This time, her header was wayward, much to Amanda Crawford's delight, the striker swooping to head home from close range, the despairing efforts of Shiho Onodera to keep the ball out notwithstanding. The 'keeper was almost beaten again by Crawford five minutes later, her teasing cross-shot being tipped round the post at the last moment by Onodera, as the SWANZ relished the chance to dictate terms to their opponents. Hodge dealt easily with Ando's tame finish just before the break, after the striker had left Terry McCahill and Melissa Ruscoe trailing in her wake, but this effort apart, it was all one-way traffic until the 62nd minute mark. In the 54th minute, Japan were reeling from another Ferrara-inspired raid, the silky-skilled midfielder orchestrating a variation on the SWANZ standard free-kick routine to carve a path to the byline, from where she delivered another telling cross into the danger zone. Somehow the Japanese survived the ensuing goalmouth scramble, and another Ferrara-induced raid two minutes later, the US-educated midfielder switching play to McCahill, who was still in the attack following a SWANZ corner. The defender's cross was met by Jackman, who beat Onodera all ends up in the air, but whose header sizzled over the crossbar. Debutant Tarah Cox had been fulfilling the midfield anchor role more than satisfactorily, but coach Doug Moore, sensing a degree of tiredness creeping into her game, opted to replace her in the 62nd minute with another debutant in striker Vicki Ormond. The change in tactics was quickly seized upon by Japan, who levelled matters against the run of play just seven minutes after the substitution. Pint-sized striker Mito Isaka made the initial breakthrough, before squaring the ball to Ando. Her shot was blocked by Ruscoe, but the ball fell kindly to substitute Kae Nishina, who clipped the ball into the top far corner of the net from the edge of the penalty area past an initially unsighted Hodge. Jackman sought to restore the SWANZ advantage soon after, heading Henderson's cross over the top, but the tide was definitely turning, as evidenced by Isaka squandering a golden opportunity in the 74th minute. Yumi Obe's cross from the right found the striker with just Hodge to beat, but her sidefooted volley skewed wide of the target. Back came the SWANZ, desperate for a victory they certainly deserved. Henderson sent a volley thundering wide with ten minutes to go, while Ruscoe was somehow denied by Onodera at close range two minutes later, following a corner from the well-performed Rachel Oliver delivered right into the goalmouth. A splendid save by Hodge at her near post two minutes from time thwarted Tomomi Fujimura, and the 'keeper's efforts to deny both Ando and Isaka before the final whistle brought about extra-time, one of the quirks of this particular tournament. Crawford and another SWANZ debutant, Meisha Pyke, were both thwarted by Onodera in the first half of extra-time, while at the other end, Yasuyo Yamagishi's twenty-five yard free-kick whistled over the crossbar to the relief of Hodge and company in the 95th minute. Come the first minute of the second half of extra-time, however, the game was brought to an end by Yamagishi. Jill Corner's failure to decisively clear a loose ball near the corner flag allowed Ayumi Hara the chance to cross, and the ball fell to Nishina. Ruscoe blocked her shot, but the rebound fell to Yamagishi, who neatly turned past Ormond before unleashing a twenty-yard chip which dropped into the net just under the angle of the crossbar and far post to secure Japan their win. The SWANZ, in stark contrast to the delighted Japanese, were crestfallen. To lose their first match to the last kick of the game was a hard enough hurdle to overcome, but for the situation to be repeated so soon afterwards was a bitter pill which they scarcely deserved to have served to them, let alone be forced to swallow. A couple of players sank to the ground in despair at the final whistle, while others stood hands on hips, struggling to come to terms with how cruel, at times, this game can be. Still, it's highly unlikely that lightning will strike
a third time - taking on the World and Olympic champions, the USA, is next
on the SWANZ agenda, and even with the greatest will in the world, it's
hard to envisage this match being decided by a last-gasp winner!
SWANZ
Referee: Krystina Szokolai A view from New Zealand -- China Edge
USA In Match For The Purists A penalty five minutes from time struck by Sun Wen propelled China to a 1-0 victory over their arch-rivals, Team USA, in sub-zero temperatures at an extremely bumpy Bruce Stadium in Canberra on May 31. The result means China are now firm favourites to win the inaugural Pacific Cup, a bi-annual tournament established to benefit those women's soccer-playing nations in the Pacific region. There were very few clear-cut goalscoring opportunities in what was always going to be a closely contested encounter between the world's premier women's soccer-playing nations, which was a disappointment to some who were anticipating an exhibition-style encounter. The purists weren't among those complaining, however. To this group, this latest chapter in the ongoing saga of China - USA jousts was anything but a disappointment, as fast-paced thrust and parry abounded throughout this most absorbing tactical tete-a-tete. The USA, who are undertaking a rebuilding programme targeted towards WWC 2003 and beyond, took the initiative from the off, Mia Hamm showing in just the first ten minutes why she is so highly regarded, moulding deft and delicate touches with incisive passing and off-the-ball running for the good of the cause. She was not the star performer on this occasion, however. Two of her team-mates more than satisfied the criteria for this category. Midfield general Julie Foudy and her partner-in-crime, Lorrie Fair, absolutely dominated the middle of the park, central to much that was good about the game from the World and Olympic champions' perspective. The Chinese had few answers to this pair, so much so that they mustered just five shots on goal in the entire match, the last of which was the match-winning penalty. Their first effort came in the seventeenth minute, following a superb crossfield ball from Bai Jie to Zhang Ouying. Siri Mullinix, the USA's goalkeeper, dealt capably with the attempt on this occasion, as was the case with Shui Qingxia's rather tame effort eight minutes before the interval. Ouying's crossfield ball to Zhao Lihong saw her beat Christie Pearce all ends up in the 28th minute, only to send a twenty-yard drive whistling over the crossbar, a feat repeated from five yards further back by Jie in the 82nd minute. For all their possession - and they certainly enjoyed more of the ball than their opponents - the USA offered little in attack, mustering just two attempts of note in the first hour of play. Tiffeny Milbrett was first to pounce, seizing on a rare Chinese error in the tenth minute, only for Han Wenxia to save her drive on the six-yard line. And just after the half-hour mark, some splendid inter-passing between Foudy and 201-cap veteran Kristine Lilly paved the way for Shannon MacMillan to go for goal. After being obstructed, she curled the resulting free-kick tantalisingly past the far post. The introduction of Cindy Parlow for MacMillan just prior to the hour provided the USA with another attacking dimension, which seemed to result in far greater penetration than had been seen to date. Within five minutes of coming on, the near six-foot-tall striker had climbed high to head an inviting deep cross into Wenxia's hands, after Hamm and Foudy had combined to release Danielle Slaton down the left. Within seconds, Slaton, a half-time substitute for Brandi Chastain, provided another deep cross, this time for Fair, who was lurking with intent on the far post following Hamm's corner, but who finished poorly. The chess-match-style nature of the duel continued unabated, and the tournament looked certain to see its first application of some most unusual rules, given its round-robin format. If the scores are level after ninety minutes, the combatants play ten minutes each way under Golden Goal rules, before a penalty shoot-out determines the winner. That was the case until five minutes from time, when the inexperienced Slaton blundered, then compounded her goalmouth error by fouling Sun Wen in the penalty area, as the Chinese captain looked to capitalise. Ultimately, one of women's soccer's most gifted players did, via the penalty spot - 1-0 China. The remainder of the match - including five minutes of added time which only referee Tammy Ogston knew about - saw the white-clad Americans laying siege to the Chinese goal. An equaliser looked certain when Lilly's slide-rule pass put Milbrett through in stoppage time, and she slipped her shot past the advancing Wenxia, but agonisingly past the far post as well. Moments later, only a desperate headed clearance by Fan Yunjie - outstanding at the heart of the Chinese defence - kept her side in front, following Parlow's cross. The USA retrieved the ball, but did not have time to mount a further raid, the final whistle signalling their third defeat under recently appointed coach April Heinrichs. Matildas Record Rare Win Over Japan Australia's women's soccer team, the Matildas, enjoyed a plethora of goalscoring opportunities against Japan at Bruce Stadium on May 31, but only defeated their Asian opponents 1-0 in their opening Pacific Cup encounter. Goalkeeper Nozomi Yamago was the star of the show for the Japanese, producing her first save of note on the half-hour to thwart Alicia Ferguson, after a surging run at the heart of the Japanese defence by former J-League professional, Sunni Hughes. Prior to this, a combination of bad luck, good defending and profligate finishing had prevented the home team from sending their many supporters in the 3345-strong crowd wild with delight. Cheryl Salisbury just failed to meet a Heather Garriock free-kick in the ninth minute, while a superbly timed tackle from Hiromi Isozaki stopped Hughes in her tracks four minutes later. Alison Forman, the Matildas captain, was guilty of the worst misses of the match. After squandering a golden chance created by Hughes in the twentieth minute, she headed against the crossbar with the goal at her mercy two minutes into the second spell. Just before the break, Japan's Tomomi Fujimura had frustrated the Australians with her outstanding defensive efforts, both Hughes and Salisbury left somewhat miffed as a result. After Hughes and Forman had both seen efforts fly around the target, the Australians finally scored the goal their concerted pressure merited in the 64th minute. Bryony Duus was on hand to turn the ball home from close range, following persistent build-up play on the left, featuring Garriock, debutant Kate McShea, Forman and Sacha Wainwright, whose cross was flicked on by Hughes into Duus' path. On three occasions after this, the Australians were prevented from adding to their tally by fine saves from Yamago, who kept out efforts from Kelly Golebiowski, Sharon Black and Hughes in a ninety-second spell two minutes from time. The Matildas should have underlined their on-field superiority with more goals - 1-0 was by no means a reflection of their dominance - but the profligacy of their finishing was of little concern to assistant coach Ian Murray afterwards, Australia's mentor admitting he was delighted by a performance which restricted the Japanese to just one shot on goal of note, that coming in the final minute from substitute Mio Otani. It was the seventh time the two nations had met, the last five games having been drawn, following Australia's 6-2 victory in their inaugural encounter in 1984. Australia
Japan
Referee: Krystina Szokolai So Near Yet So Far For Heartbroken SWANZ New Zealand's women's soccer team, the SWANZ, had their hearts broken by Canada at the AIS Athletics Ground in Canberra on May 31, as the North Americans scored twice in the last seven minutes to record a 2-1 victory over their Kiwi combination in the opening match of the inaugural Pacific Cup women's soccer tournament. Playing their first international in nineteen months, the SWANZ showed understandable ring-rustiness in the first spell, a period which saw the Canadians enjoying by far the better of the exchanges. Amy Welsh's curling fifth minute effort which went past the far upright was the first of Canada's six first half scoring attempts, the remainder of which foundered on SWANZ goalkeeper, Yvonne Vale. In the fifteenth minute, she got her fingertips to an Isabelle Harvey cross destined for the feet of the incoming Christine Sinclair, while six minutes later, it was the turn of Christine Latham to be thwarted by the shot-stopper, Vale turning the striker's free-kick around the post low to her right for a corner. This was cleared, but only to Liz Smith, whose inviting cross lured Vale off her line. She was beaten to the ball by Latham, however, only for the striker to power her header against the post, much to the SWANZ relief. Vale thwarted the Canadians twice more before the break, doing just enough on each occasion to frustrate Andrea Neil and the ever-dangerous Latham, easily the pick of the North American combination. With the wind and sun behind them in the second spell, and some well-chosen words from coach Doug Moore ringing in their ears, the SWANZ tore into their opponents with a vengeance. Captain Wendi Henderson twice sent the ball over the crossbar in the first four minutes of the half, while in between her efforts, Amanda Crawford's inviting cross, coupled with Maia Jackman's menacing presence in the Canadian goalmouth, gave goalkeeper Karina Le Blanc all sorts of cause for concern before she was able to gather the ball. Ten minutes into the second spell, the SWANZ hit the front. Terry McCahill's free-kick from just inside the Canadian half penetrated deep into their penalty area. Crawford flung herself forward, and sent a diving header careering inside Le Blanc's right-hand post to register the first-ever goal in the Pacific Cup. This sent the SWANZ confidence levels off the scale, but they were quickly reminded of the need to keep their minds on the job, following a woeful Rachel Oliver free-kick. Latham was quickly onto the opening, but was closed down by Nicky Smith just as promptly. The ball fell kindly for Sinclair, whose twenty-yarder whistled over the top. Back came the SWANZ, Marlies Oostdam forcing a fine save high to her right by Le Blanc, following a 68th minute corner from debutant Simone Ferrara. Le Blanc cleared the ball, and it eventually reached her opposite number. Vale's clearance, however, was nowhere near as authoritative. Thankfully, she was able to atone for it, saving from Latham after gifting the ball to Sinclair. Into the last ten minutes, the SWANZ looked as if they would be able to hold on for their first win against full international opposition on foreign soil since beating Papua New Guinea in the Oceania Women's World Cup qualifying series in October 1994. While each member of the starting back four - Jane Simpson, McCahill, Melissa Ruscoe and Oliver - had, at times, looked somewhat uncomfortable under pressure, they had, with assistance from Oostdam and Simpson's replacement, Jill Corner, fulfilled their primary duty to this point, namely keeping 1999 Women's World Cup finalists Canada scoreless. But a knock to the knee curtailed Oliver's involvement with eight minutes to go, and as the SWANZ tried to reorganise matters, Canada capitalised. McCahill, the SWANZ defensive lynchpin for much of the last decade, was caught out of position following a Canadian corner, and her error was compounded by a foul on the edge of the penalty area committed by Oliver's replacement, Zarnia Cogle. Kristina Kiss gave Vale no chance with a delightfully curled free-kick over the wall to put the Canadians on level terms in the 83rd minute, a goal which gave them renewed impetus. Extra time loomed large - despite teh round-robin format, if the scores are level at ninety minutes, the Golden Goal rules applies, thence penalties. But it didn't come, as Canada struck the goal which broke the SWANZ hearts two minutes into injury time. Another Canadian corner came to nought, the clearance finding its way to Harvey, out on the right. As the SWANZ raced out of defence, she found herself with her shadow and the ball for company on the right flank, space which she made full use of. A tantalising cross soon followed, and, despite the best attempts of Vale and Ruscoe at the near post, it beat the pair of them. Sinclair, following up, swept the ball home high into the net to the delight of her team-mates, who had just seconds to wait for the final whistle, the SWANZ barely able to kick off before referee Sheena Storries sounded the death knell for their hopes on this occasion. As you would expect, coach Moore was disappointed at the way his charges had allowed victory to slip from their grasp so late in the piece. Ultimately, it comes down to the SWANZ lack of exposure on the international stage, a fact underlined by the lack of confirmed fixtures scheduled for the national women's team following this tournament. Unless the SWANZ are afforded the same degree of forward-planning, in terms of regular international match-play, as is enjoyed by New Zealand's other national representative soccer teams, the rewards gained from their involvement in tournaments such as the Pacific Cup will be of little long-term benefit to the players, whose ultimate goal at present is qualifying for the 2003 Women's World Cup Finals, which will almost certainly be held in Australia. SWANZ
Canada
Referee: Sheena Storrie
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