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Five American, Seven Chinese Selected World Cup All-Stars
1999-07-09
CLAREMONT, Calif. - Five Americans, including veteran stars Mia Hamm and Michelle Akers, were chosen for the 1999 Women's World Cup All-Star team Thursday, with seven Chinese players also selected. The United States and China, which meet in Saturday's championship game at the Rose Bowl, dominated the team, chosen by the FIFA Technical Study Group. It is the first team ever chosen during a Women's World Cup. U.S. goalkeeper Briana Scurry and defenders Brandi Chastain and Carla Overbeck joined Hamm, a forward, and Akers, a midfielder, on the elite team. ``That's awesome,'' Hamm said. ``With all the great players, that's a real honor.'' She looked down the all-star roster and seemed surprised that other of her teammates didn't make it. ``They're missing Kristine Lilly, who's one of the very best, and Tiffeny Milbrett,'' Hamm noted. ``But you look at the players who are on there, and it would have been hard to leave any of them off. ``I'm sure it was difficult to decide.'' The technical study group analyzed each player's strengths and all-around game. The FIFA group described Hamm as an ``explosive, strong team player.'' Akers was assessed as ``charismatic, excellent header, powerful.'' Scurry was seen as ``composed, good positional sense and excellent shot-stopper.'' Chastain was described as ``strong, good in the air, dominates left side.'' Overbeck was picked because of her ``good vision and covering of the defense.'' Akers, 33, a mainstay of the American team for 14 years, was excited to learn she was on the all-star team. ``That's great. My dad will be very happy,'' she said. Akers has two goals in the tournament, as does Hamm. China's all-stars include forward Sun Wen, the tournament's leading scorer with seven goals, and goalkeeper Gao Hong, who has allowed only two goals in five games. Chinese forward Jin Yan also was selected, as were midfielders Liu Ailing and Zhao Lihong, and defenders Wang Liping and Wen Lirong. The only all-stars from other countries were forward Ann Kristin Aarones of Norway, midfielders Sissi of Brazil and Bettina Wiegmann of Germany, and defender Doris Fitschen of Germany. Scurry, who called her shutout against Brazil in the semifinals the best game of her career, has yielded only three goals. One of them was put into the American net by Chastain. ``I've been playing well at this tournament,'' she said, ``and working hard the last six months. I have more confidence as a player and I'm a better goalie.'' MasterCard will donate $16,000 in the players' names to the SOS Children's Village, an official charity of FIFA, the world governing body for soccer.
Sun Wen is first woman to be nominated for Asian soccer award (2000-03-21)Coach: China Still the Better Team (1999-07-11)Five American, Seven Chinese Selected World Cup All-Stars (1999-07-09)China Soccer Star Has Many Talents (1999-07-07)Women Soccer World Cup: China Crushed Norway 5:0 to Enter Final (1999-07-05)
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