Day One

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Day One

Not Exactly Your Typical First Day In Shanghai!

by Jeremy Ruane

You draw the curtains in your hotel room, and sitting there, as large as life just five minutes walk away, is the stadium which will host the World Cup Final on September 30.

Can it get any better than this for a football fanatic?

Er, yes it can!! Finding all sorts of football gear at a place called 520 Sports, as well as in Adidas gear stores, where All Blacks gear was conspicuous by its absence, meant the proverbial kid in the sweet shop story came to real life.

And then there was the football itself, which was something else again.

Being en route to Shanghai when the opening match of the FIFA Women's World Cup Finals took place at the venue for the final, the Hongkou Football Stadium, meant that a TV replay of Germany's encounter with Argentina was keenly sought after upon arrival - the lunch-time screening couldn't come soon enough!!

It was worth the wait! The reigning champions put on a clinic, exploiting poor Argentine defending at every opportunity. The South Americans had some good moments on an individual basis, but their lack of experience was ruthlessly exposed by the relentless Germans, who could have won by more than the 11-0 scoreline they recorded.

The scoring was topped and tailed by Argentina's goalkeeper, Vanina Correa, who had the misfortune to twice put through her own net upon failing to deal with Renate Lingor's viciously inswinging corners.

Kerstin Garefrekes superbly volleyed home the second goal of the game, and after Melanie Behringer had struck, former FIFA Women's World Player of the Year, Birgit Prinz, opened her account for the tournament, the first two goals of her hat-trick bringing up the 5-0 half-time scoreline.

Lingor bagged a goal before Sandra Smisek struck a hat-trick, although Prinz concluded her three goal haul before her strike partner in a match which saw a record scoreline in a Women's World Cup Finals recorded.

The second game of the tournament was one which was keenly awaited, the clash of the reigning champions of the CONCACAF and Asian Confederations, the first game in “The Group of Death”.

Despite the driving rain in Chengdu, these giants of the women's game went at it hammer and tongs, and at half-time, the USA was ahead on points, Abby Wambach having hit the crossbar with a header in a match in which the Americans had enjoyed the better openings, the Koreans tending to rely on the long ball a little too much for this writer's liking.

They didn't half change their tune in the second spell, but only after the talismanic figure of Wambach had put the reigning Olympic champions ahead five minutes into the half. It was while she was having a head wound attended to off the pitch eight minutes later that the Koreans scored. Twice. In five minutes. Against the USA. Which simply doesn't happen!

Happen it did, though, Kil Son Hui and Kim Yong Ae scoring the goals which gave them the advantage, the former's effort being allowed to go through her hands by Hope Solo - goalkeeping howler of the tournament number three!!!

Once Wambach returned, complete with stitches, the USA got back on level terms through Heather O'Reilly. It was thanks to Solo that they were able to preserve their unbeaten record, however, the `keeper making two super stops deep in stoppage time to

Hongkou Football Stadium

A display in the stadium forecourt

The Sony stand, chock-full of TV screens for those who weren't able to get inside the stadium

520 Sports - an Aladdin's cave full of football gear

ensure a 2-2 draw in a match many regarded pre-match as a potential preview of the final. It certainly lived up to its billing, particularly in the second spell, and despite the rain.

The other “Group of Death” duel saw Nigeria and Sweden share the spoils. Victoria Svensson opened the scoring five minutes into the second half for the Europeans, but the African side had Cynthia Uwak to thank for their equaliser, eight minutes from time.

One of the great things about this tournament from this writer's perspective is being able to see such high quality women's football - such spectacles on our TV screens are as rare as New Zealand qualifying for senior level World Cup Finals, gender regardless. As well, seeing in action players whose names are only known from internet reports and such like.

Of even greater importance is that our best players are being exposed to this level of quality via live or delayed TV coverage of all the matches, as well as those in which they're directly involved, throughout at least the first round of action. You cannot underestimate the value that will be to our young squad as their development continues.

So to the live action - the first match covered by a Kiwi-based scribe at a senior World Cup Finals in which New Zealand has been involved in sixteen years.

The protagonists in Shanghai were Japan, whom the Football Ferns played in 2005, and England, a nation New Zealand has yet to face but which introduced the world to women's football in the early 1920s, through the pioneering efforts of the likes of Dick, Kerr's Ladies.

It was a classic contest, made so by a classic clash of styles and a tremendous atmosphere in which it was played. Over 27,000 fans created a real buzz around the stadium, with the rival supporters groups sitting next to each other in a throwback to days gone by, and now, as then, not a hint of ill will in evidence.

Sir Alf Ramsey will be turning in his grave at the idea of England using wingers, but they've a couple of greyhounds in Rachel Yankey and Karen Carney, and, allied with the speed of centre forward Eniola Aluko and the skill and subtlety of Kelly Smith behind them, they had the edge over the Japanese in a scoreless first half, although it shouldn't have been - Aluko missed an open goal late in the piece.

The Japanese approach is more measured - they are a very technical team, whereas England have a more direct manner about their play, particularly on the counter-attack. Nadeshiko (as Japan are known) playmaker, Homare Sawa, wasn't given any opportunity to dominate proceedings as she can, but she still had an influence on the scoring.

The foul committed on her by Katie Chapman presented Aya Miyama with the chance to open the scoring ten minutes into the second half, one duly taken with the help of a deflection.

England simply pounded away, all guns blazing, but it was fast shaping up to be one of those games when try as they might, they just wouldn't score. That was until Kelly Smith deservedly turned the game the Three Lionesses' way with two goals in three minutes just after the eighty minute mark.

Surely England couldn't lose it from here? It certainly felt like a loss to them at the finish, because with the very last kick of the game, Japan equalised in stunning fashion, Miyama sending another twenty-five yard free-kick, taken from almost the same place, soaring past Rachel Brown into the top far corner of the net to bring about a fitting finale to an action-packed 2-2 affair, and an action-packed day.

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