CHINA

LEGITIMATE FAVORITE. The 1996 Olympic silver medalist deserves favorite status behind the host, a fact underscored by two 2-1 wins over the United States in 1999, when it also dropped a tight 2-1 match to the Americans. Moreover, the Chinese split a pair of friendlies with Germany in Germany.

OPPONENTS WILL CHASE SUN. China’s emphasis on offense makes it an entertaining and a formidable opponent. And they’ve become more physical under Coach Ma Yuanan since the Olympics.

Sun Wen, whether up front or in midfield, is among the world’s best. She has carved up the U.S. defense frequently. The Shanghai star pairs with Jin Yan, the Beijing forward who scored seven goals in Asian qualifying and struck against the United States and Germany in World Cup warm-ups.

THE MIDFIELD MASTER. World Cup ’91 veteran Liu Ailing is her country’s ballwinner and an offensive threat – she scored nine goals in qualifying. Wen Lirong organizes a solid defense in front of acrobatic goalkeeper Gao Hong.

SWEDEN

A LONG HISTORY. Sweden is looking like a perennial underachiever. A trailblazer in women’s soccer, it played its first international in 1973 – a scoreless tie with Finland. Its first domestic championship came in 1972, a decade before North Carolina won the first NCAA championship.

But the Swedes haven’t won a major tournament since 1984, when they beat England in the first European Championship final.

After finishing third in China ’91, the Swedes could do no better than the quarterfinals as hosts in 1995. They exited in the first round of the inaugural Olympic women’s tournament.

YOUTH MOVEMENT. Alvsjo AIK, the Swedish league’s team of the ’90s with five titles in the decade, brings seven players to the national team, including midfielder Malin Andersson, defenders Cecilia Sandell and Jane Tornqvist, and Victoria Svensson, a 22-year-old dribbling whiz.

Svensson pairs with 20-year-old Hanna Ljungberg up front for Sweden. Ljungberg, of Umea IK, shone during a final-four appearance at the 1997 European Championship, were Sweden initiated a youth movement that included right back Karolina Westberg, now 21.

AUSTRALIA

A MAJOR INVESTMENT. The Australian Sports Commission hopes the Matildas make a big splash this summer to pave the way for a medal finish in the 2000 Olympics it will host. To that end the Australian Women’s Soccer Association’s budget was bumped to $860,000 this year.

Since July 1 of last year, 20 national team pool players have been training and playing on a full-time basis. While not at a residential training camp in Canberra, they played with their club teams in the Ansett Australia Summer Series, the country’s third-year national league.

The government’s support has boosted optimism in ’99 for a nation that finished last in Sweden ’95.

“I think we’ll get to the quarterfinals,” said captain Julie Murray. “From there you can’t really tell.”

UP AND DOWN. The scrappy Aussies are capable of competing with the top teams and playing down to the worst. They showed both sides in the Algarve Cup, getting a respectable tie with Denmark but tying woeful host Portugal.

Coach Greg Brown’s best players are Murray, hard-tackling midfielder Alison Forman, defender Anissa Tann-Darby, midfielder Cheryl Salisbury and Sharon Black, a left-sided midfielder who led her country with 10 goals in qualifying.

Former coach Tom Sermanni dropped Murray, defender Traci Bartlett and Tann-Darby following the 1995 World Cup. Brown brought all three back when he took over in 1997. Since returning, longtime midfielder Murray has become the team’s top striker.

WORTH THE WORK. In a last-ditch effort to rejoin Australia after getting dropped in 1995, Tann-Darby got a job loading trucks at a supermarket to give her more time to train. The 31-year-old, who’s married to former Australia coach Steve Darby, reclaimed her spot and is the key to the Matildas’ four-player backline.

GHANA

SURPRISE OF AFRICA. The Black Queens knocked off more fancied Cameroon and South Africa in qualifying play, before losing to Nigeria. More recently, they lost two close ones to China, both by 2-1.

Vivian Mensah is Ghana’s most talented striker. Fast and skillful, she scored five goals in qualifying. She’ll probably pair with stocky Nana Amma Gyamfuah or 20-year-old Adjoa Bayor in Ghana’s 4-4-2 formation. Gyamfuah scored seven goals in an 11-0 rout of Guinea in qualifying play.

VOLLEYBALL CAPTAIN. Alberta Sackey, adept at stopper or playmaker, played volleyball in the Ivory Coast. She returned to the soccer field in 1990 to be a part of Ghana’s new national team, which lost out to Nigeria for Africa’s lone 1991 World Cup spot.

GROUP D IN BRIEF

CHINA

ò Colors: Red and white.
ò Coach: Ma Yuanan.
ò Past: 1991 – 5th ; 1995 – 4th.

AUSTRALIA

ò Colors: Green and gold.
ò Coach: Greg Brown.
ò Past: 1991 – did not qualify; 1995 – 12th.

GHANA

ò Colors: Yellow.
ò Coach: Emmanuel Afrani.
ò Past: 1991 – did nor qualify; 1995 – did not qualify.

SWEDEN

ò Colors: Yellow and blue.
ò Coach: Marika Domanski Lyfors.
ò Past: 1991 – 3rd; 1995 – 5th.

Scouting report

CHINA: All the Chinese field players are capable attackers, particularly Liu Ailing, Bai Jie and Zhao Lihong. Jin Yan holds the ball well and complements the lightning-quick Wen Sun.

By Soccer America associate editor Dean Caparaz