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SWANZ Show They Can Foot It With The Best
by Jeremy Ruane
China, runners-up at the Atlanta Olympics, defeated New Zealand 3-1 at West Belconnen, Canberra, on November 21, but it was the SWANZ who once again left the pitch with plaudits and applause ringing in their ears following their performance against one of the world’s elite women’s soccer-playing countries.
Coach Maurice Tillotson opted to play five at the back - a wise move, given the sheer speed of the Chinese team - but it was while the players were familiarising themselves with the numerous duties this formation demands that the Chinese struck, twice.
After Yvonne Vale had saved at the feet of Shi Guihong, the same player struck in the ninth minute. Zhao Lihong intercepted Melissa Ruscoe’s clearance and released speedster Wei Haiying down the right. Her cross picked out Guihong, who slammed the ball home off the underside of the crossbar.
Two minutes later, China extended their lead. Sun Wen’s shot was blocked, but she passed the rebound to Haiying, who coolly slotted home past Vale to confirm China’s place in the final of the tri-nations series.
Vale produced some splendid saves in this match, the first of which she made in the 21st minute, Haiying watching the goalkeeper tip her effort round the post. Three minutes later, a superb raid saw Haiying release Guihong through a spreadeagled defence. Her chip hit the crossbar, with the rebound falling to Wen, whose header flew into Vale’s hands.
The speed of the Chinese attacks was bewildering - the SWANZ needed an extra lung apiece to keep up with them, it seemed - while there were just eleven red shirts on the pitch, the rapidity of China’s off-the-ball movement giving the impression that more were present!
Vale tipped over from Haiying in the 34th minute, five minutes after Guihong had volleyed narrowly over the top. Two minutes before the interval, however, New Zealand went close for the first time in the game.
Michele Cox gathered possession thirty yards out, evaded a challenge then unleashed a dipping twenty-five yard drive which Zhao Yan, China’s goalkeeper, just got her fingertips to.
Early in the second spell, Vale saved at the feet of Liu Ying, after Ruscoe had misjudged a Fan Yunjie cross. Moments later, Jane Simpson’s timely intervention
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foiled Ying, as the Asian champions looked to stretch their lead.
They did so in the 61st minute with a lightning-quick raid. A free-kick taken deep inside their own half saw the ball pass through five players, including Ying and Yunjie, before substitute Jin Yan’s header crashed against the crossbar. Guihong made no mistake with the rebound - a truly breathtaking goal.
China’s 3-0 lead did not last long - eight minutes, in fact. Goalkeeper Yan took the six-second law to extremes, and the referee awarded an indirect free-kick eight yards from goal. Amanda Crawford and Cox stood over the ball while China organised their wall, and eventually all was set.
Tap. Thump. Swish. Yeeesss!! Cox was engulfed by her jubilant team-mates after her shot arrowed into the far corner of the net, New Zealand’s third goal in five internationals and a major fillip for the team’s confidence, Australia having lost 3-0 to the Chinese in the tournament’s opening game.
Ying went close again before, in the 79th minute, Vale got her captain, McCahill, out of jail. The skipped completely missed the ball in attempting to clear, and Guihong raced away, a hat-trick well and truly in her sights. Vale, however, had other ideas, and palmed her effort past the post. From the resulting corner, Jill Corner cleared Guihong’s drive off the line.
In the dying minutes, China were reeling from a SWANZ onslaught. Crawford made inroads down the right and crossed for Kelly Jarden, who, with Jennifer Carlisle, was making her SWANZ debut. Her lob looped goalwards and Maia Jackman went up high, only for the referee to rule that she had infringed against goalkeeper Yan in the shadows of the crossbar.
Moments later, Crawford surged forward again, her low cross just too far ahead of Cox, who couldn’t get any power behind her shot other than to direct the ball at Yan. Within seconds, the SWANZ charged again, Jarden rattling the crossbar after Crawford and Cox had again linked in attack.
The sound of the final whistle brought a large cheer for the beaten team from the sizable crowd present, the SWANZ 3-1 loss to the women’s soccer world’s second-best team earning them yet more credibility and respect from those present, particularly the watching Matildas squad, who had boldly predicted a 7-0 win for China.
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