China turned the tables on the United States and won a game from the spot in the Pacific Cup in Canberra, Australia. USA '99 MVP Sun Wen converted an 86th-minute penalty kick to give China a 1-0
victory over the world champions in the first game of the tournament for each team. Unlike the World Cup final, in which Wen converted past Briana Scurry in a penalty shootout, this time the
Chinese captain scored past Siri Mullinix, who started since Scurry did not make the trip. Australian referee Tammy Ogston had ruled that Danielle Slaton pulled Wen down in the U.S. box and gave
the U.S. left back a yellow card. U.S. veterans Scurry (shin splints), U.S. captain Carla Overbeck (knee) and Michelle Akers (shoulder) stayed home with injuries. "I'm not pleased with the
result, but I am pleased with the way we played," said U.S. head coach April Heinrichs. "I thought we played well enough to score at least three goals, which on another day, we might have converted.
But when you lose, there are always things to learn and build on." The two teams were meeting for the first time since the Women's World Cup final on July 10, 1999. China fielded nine starters
from that match while the U.S. women had eight, but the atmosphere was much different from that warm day at the Rose Bowl. The Women's World Cup final was played in 90-degree temperatures on
glass-smooth turf in front of 90,000 fans. The Pacific Cup opener for both teams was played with the thermometer touching 0 Celsius, on a Bruce Stadium field made choppy by rugby league matches and in
front of a crowd of approximately 550 fans. Still, those fans were treated to a classic USA-China chess match as each team attacked and defended in numbers. The Americans got the better of the
game, out-shooting China, 10-5, while clearly producing the more dangerous chances. The USA played effective pressuring defense the entire match with center-midfielders Julie Foudy and Lorrie Fair
proving dynamic ball-winners. While the skillful Chinese did put together several sequences of quick passes that had the U.S. defense chasing, the Women's World Cup runners-up could not find a way
behind the U.S. back line. "The U.S. team is always disappointed when we lose," added Heinrichs. "But China is a terrific team and they always have been. Even under high pressure, they are
difficult to dispossess." With Overbeck back in the United States recovering from knee surgery, April Heinrichs moved Joy Fawcett into the middle of the defense with Kate Sobrero and inserted
Christie Pearce at Fawcett's usual right back slot. All three repeatedly ran down China through balls with tremendous closing speed while U.S. goalkeeper Mullinix came off her line to clear away
several long services. The USA kept Wen in front of them and under wraps for most of the match. But, in the sequence leading to the goal, the U.S. defense let a ball bounce in the penalty box. Wen
darted after the ball, but was screened by Slaton and then both went down in a heap as Mullinix charged out to slide and corral the ball. Ogston ruled that Slaton had wrapped her arms around Wen. Wen
calmly stuck her shot into the right corner past the wrong-footed Mullinix. The USA attacked furiously during the time remaining, but even four minutes of stoppage time were not enough in which to
manufacture an equalizer. Still, the USA came close as Cindy Parlow put Tiffeny Milbrett through alone in the 90th minute, but while Milbrett's shot from an angle in the left side of the penalty box
beat goalkeeper Han Wenxia, it slipped just inches wide of the right post. It was Milbrett that got the game's first chance when she picked off a Chinese square pass in just the 10th minute and
raced in on a breakaway. Her driven shot was well saved by Wenxia with a dive to her left. China's only other true dangerous chance besides the goal game in the 28th minute when Zhao Lihong
penetrated U.S. defense on left side and hit a screamer over the crossbar. "I thought it was a bit of a sloppy game offensively with the field and the cold," said U.S. captain Julie Foudy. "But
China is always good and it always seems to come down to the last minutes with them. Unfortunately we were on the wrong side tonight." U.S. substitutes Slaton and Parlow added a spark to the U.S.
attack in the second half. In the 61st minute, Slaton streaked down the left flank and crossed to Parlow, but her bullet header went straight to Wenxia. One minute later Slaton ran down a cleared ball
on the left side and played a precise cross the far post, but Fair slammed her half-volley wide of the goal. "Neither China or the United States was at their best," said China head coach Ma Yuanan.
"But we must be happy with the result." The loss means that China will probably win the tournament. If the USA wins the rest of the way, it will need another team to upset China to win the Pacific
Cup. But none of the remaining opponents -- host Australia, Japan, Canada or New Zealand -- in the round-robin competition figures to do that. "China is one of those teams that is going to
technically dominate play," said U.S. forward Mia Hamm, who was substituted out of the game in the 81st minute. "You have to try not to get frustrated and make the most of your opportunities. We had
some great chances, but China got the penalty kick. Of course, we are frustrated, but we have another game in two days and we just have to learn from this one and move onto Canada. We're going to play
China again, probably more times than we want, but you have to play the best teams in the world to prepare yourself for a tournament like the Olympics." The USA may return to Bruce Stadium as it
will be the site of the Olympic semifinal should the U.S. women win its first-round group. The U.S. team travels to Sydney tomorrow and will face Canada at the Sydney Football Stadium on Friday, June
2. The SFS is the site of the women's soccer gold medal game for the 2000 Olympics. In other matches, Canada scored twice in the last five minutes, including the winning goal with under 30 seconds
left, to complete a come-from-behind, 2-1, victory over New Zealand. Host Australia used a second half goal to defeat Japan, 1-0.
Pacific Cup May 31 in Canberra, Australia United
States 0, China 1. Goal: Sun Wen (pen.) 86. USA -- Mullinix, Chastain (Slaton, 46), Sobrero, Fawcett, Pearce, Lilly, Fair, Foudy, MacMillan (Parlow, 56), Hamm (Serlenga, 81), Milbrett. China -- Han
Wenxia, Fan Yunjie, Wen Lirong, Bai Jie, Wang Liping, Zhao Lihong, Liu Ailing, Liu Ying (Shui Gingxia, 30), Zhang Ouying (Fan Chunling, 39), Jin Yan (Qiu Haiyan, 60), Sun Wen. Ref.: Tammy Ogston
(Australia). Att.: 550.
2000 Pacific Cup Standings | Team | GP | W | L | T
| GF | GA | P |
| Canada | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1
| 3 |
| China | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3
|
| Australia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| USA
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Japan | 1 | 0
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| New Zealand | 1 | 0 | 1
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
2000 Pacific Cup Results May 31 Canada 2, New Zealand 1 USA 0, China 1 Australia 1,
Japan 0 June 2 Japan vs. New Zealand USA vs. Canada Australia vs. China June 4 Japan vs. China USA vs. New Zealand Australia vs. Canada June 7 Australia vs. New Zealand
June 8 China vs. Canada USA vs. Japan June 10 Canada vs. Japan China vs. New Zealand June 11 USA vs. Australia
