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SOCCER MEDIA REPORTS:

SQUAD HOPES TO REBOUND from adversity after being ignored by its own national association

10th September 2007 by Randy Starkman of the Toronto Sun

The Canadian women's soccer team has faced their own Great Wall of China en route to the women's World Cup that starts today.

Among the obstacles: Three key players leaving the team in a dispute; their own soccer association pretty much ignoring them; and a disastrous performance at the Pan Am Games.

As they prepare for their opener on Wednesday against No. 4-ranked Norway in Hangzhou, China, the question hovering over the ninth-ranked squad is whether all the adversity will pull the team together.

"We'll soon find out," said head coach Even Pellerud in an interview from China.

Veteran midfielder Andrea Neil of Vancouver marvels at the unity amid all the chaos. "It can either completely tear you apart or it can pull you together," said Neil, who has played in all the World Cups (this is the fourth). "In this case, I think it has pulled us together."

Neil said that was evident at the Pan Ams in Rio de Janeiro in July, where they were shredded 7-0 by Brazil and were then humiliated 2-1 by a U.S. under-20 team.

"I sat there when we just had a players' only meetings down at the Pan Ams and I said that at this point you would expect people to be at each other's throats, questioning themselves, questioning each other, wanting to blame each other," she said. "That's never happened. Not once were people pointing fingers.

"Through Pan Ams, the arbitration, the CSA (Canadian Soccer Association) lack of support, this group of players still wants to play for their country, wants to play for each other and the coaching staff. It honestly is a unique and incredible group."

One person impressed by their resolve is three-time Olympic rowing gold medalist Marnie McBean, who worked with them through her job at the Canadian Olympic Committee. She's been shocked by the CSA's treatment of the team, which didn't get to play a single game at home this year.

"If you look at where all the successes have come for soccer in Canada, it's been the women's team," said McBean. "And yet they get completely disrespected by their board pretty regularly."

An impressive fourth at the last World Cup in 2003, Canada opens against Norway, an opponent they've never defeated. Norway thumped Canada 7-0 and 7-1 in their previous two World Cup meetings.

A native of Norway, Pellerud coached the Norwegians to the World Cup title in 1995.

"Norway has developed a very strong passing team," said Pellerud, who won't be behind the bench for the opening game because of a previous suspension. "And if we allow them to pass the ball through us, we will face problems in the end. That's the main challenge for us, to be defensively well organized."

Canada's other Group C opponents are Ghana, No. 47 in the world, and Australia, rated 15th. The top two advance.

The Canadians will be looking to captain Christine Sinclair of Burnaby, B.C., to key their offence. One of the best players in the world, Sinclair has scored 81 goals in 100 international matches. She'll be helped out by the likes of Oakville's Kara Lang who has been showing good form following reconstructive knee surgery.