Northwest Herald from Woodstock, Illinois • Page 19

SPORTS NORTHWEST HERALD Saturday. June 19, 19S9 Page 3 Vc.id Cu? Women's tic? VllVHtUlt I I i j- QUALIFYING GROUPS First round Sat June 19 0 USA vs. Denmark Brazil vs. Mexico Japan vs. Canada China vs.

Sweden Delayed broadcast Sit Giants Stadium Giants Stadium Spartan Stadium Spartan Stadium Time TV 2p.m. ABC 4:30 p.m. ESPN 7 p.m. ESPN2 9:30 p.m. ESPN2 sizes' i mxf Foxboro Stadium Stadium RccsCowl pi Norway vs.

Russia Australia vs. Ghana I Csrmany vs. Italy N. Korea vs. Nigeria Wed.

June 23 RoeaBowl Norway vs. Canada Australia vs. Sweden China vs. Ghana Japan vs. Russia Jack Kent Jack Kent Civic Stadium Civic Stadium Soldier Field Soldier Reld Civic Stadium Civic Stadium Giants Stadium Giants Stadium Soldier Field Soldier Field Thurt.June24 Crazil vs.

haJy USA vs. Nigeria H. Korea vs. Denmark Germany vs. Mexico Sat June 26 Canada vs.

Russia China vs. Australia Ghana vs. Sweden Norway vs. Japan -Sun. June 27 Not since the 1996 Summer Olympics has U.S.

women's soccer garnered this much attention. Germany vs. Brazil Jack Kent Cooke Stadium 3 p.m. Nigeria vs. Denmark Jack Kent Cooke Stadium 1 2:30 p.m.

Mexico vs. Italy Foxboro Stadium EC. USA vs. N. Korea Foxboro Stadium 6 p.m.

Women's tournament kicks off today Quarterfinals Wed June 30 Group winner vs. Group 2nd place Group winner vs. Group 2nd place Spartan Spartan Thurs. July! Ahum A utlnMtftr Mk Jack Kent Jack Kent Group 2nd place Group winner vs. Group A 2nd place Semiflnals Sun.

July 4 Quarterfinal 3 winner Stanford vs. Quarterfinal 4 winner Quarterfinal 1 winner Foxboro vs. Quarterfinal 2 winner Finals Sat July 10 Semifinal losers Semifinal winners Rose Bowl Rose Bowl Source: FIFA United States The champions of the inaugural Women's vyorld Cup in 1991 Automatically qualified for their third WWC as host country. No. 1 seed.

Korea DPR First Women's World "Cup. Finished 2nd at the Xlth Asian Cup and Jhe 1998 Asian Games. Nigeria Third Women's World Cup. Won 1998 African Women's Soccer Championship. DD Denmark Their third straight Wqmen's World Cup.

Went undefeated in European Group 4 play to earn a berth in 1999 WWC. Germany Third Women's World Cup. Defeated Ukraine in two-game playoff for final European confederation (UEFA) berth to WWC99. No. 1 seed.

Brazil TLZZry Third straight Women's MifSfVI World Cup. Finished 9th in both the 1995 and 1991 FIFA WWC. Mexico First Women's World Cup. Defeated Argentina in two-game EH playoff for final WWC99 berth. Italy Second Women's World Cup.

Finished 6th in their only WWC appearance in 1991. LTD Norway Third Women's World Clip. Defending World Champion. No. 1 seed.

'Japan Third Women's World Cup. Finished 7th at the 1996 Olympics. dcond Women's World Cup. Finished '10th in 1995. 1998 North and Central American and Caribbean body (CONCACAF) Women's Champion.

'Russia First Women's World Defeated Finland jn two-game playoff for final UEFA berth. China PR 'Third Women's World Cup. Won 1998 Asian Games. No. 1 seed.

Australia Second Women's World Cup. Host 'country and automatic qualifier for 2000 Olympics. Ghana i-irsi women wona Cup. Finished second at the 1998 African Soccer Championships. Sweden Third Women's World Cup.

Finished 5th in "1995 and 3rd at the 1991 WWC. AP 3 pm. 6 p.m. Cooke Stadium 5 p.m. Cooke Stadium 7:30 p.m.

ESPN2 ESPN2 ESPN2 8 p.m. 10:30 p.m. ESPN2 5 p.m. 7-3 p.m. 10:33 p.m.

11 a.m. 1:30 p.m. 4 p.m. 6:30 p.m. ESPN ESPN ESPN2 ESPN2 Stadium Stadium 7 p.m.

9:30 p.m. ESPN2 ESPN2 Cooke Stadium 6 p.m. Cooke Stadium 8:30 pm 1 i Stadium Stadium 3:30 p.m. ESPN 6:30 p.m. ESPN2 IZ-SOpjn.

ccr.i 3 p.m. (- ACC AP fThe Women1 Worid Cup is a famSy-oriefited event" Katey Kennedy llewtett Packard eiefUw And, by tournament's end, younger viewers undoubtedly will be pestering parents for shoes and apparel like that worn by the top players The tournament also has attracted financial support from Coca-Cola Co. and McDonald's which use sports sponsorships to reach their customers. Corporations that opted to invest in women's soccer say they are attracted by the wide appeal that the sport has carved out among men and women, boys and girls. "The Women's World Cup is a family-oriented event," said Katey Kennedy, sponsorship marketing manager for Hewlett Packard Co, a WWC sponsor.

"You get them all -the soccer moms, the dads who are soccer coaches and the daughters who play the game." AP photo Foxboro, Mass. -Chicago -Pasadena, Calif. -New YorkNew Jersey -Portland, Ore. -San Jose, Calif. -Palo Alto, Calif.

-Raljon, MD. Foxboro Stadium Soldier Field Rose Bowl Giants Stadium Civic Stadium Spartan Stadium Stanford Stadium Jack Kent Cooke Stadium as experienced a core as the United States. Players such as Hamm, Michelle Akers, Brandi Chastain, Julie Foudy, Kristine Lilly, Joy Fawcett and Carla Overbeck were regulars in 1991, when the Americans took the inaugural World Cup crown. "With all of our vets," said MacMillan, a star in the Olympics who will be making her World Cup debut, "they know how to keep things in check. They can relax the others and settle the team down.

We're no stranger to big games." The last week could have been the most difficult for the Americans, even though coach Tony DiCicco eased up on the practice routine as the opener got closer. That did not help much, however, in dealing with the anxiety. But the players' camaraderie and closeness made the final buildup easier to handle. "Since Sunday, we've been here in Jersey and we've been ready for it to start," MacMillan said. "The other night, I said to Julie, who was my roommate this Week, 'I can't believe it's only I think we'll be ready to explode when we get on the field.

"I don't think we have to worry about peaking too soon. It's actually been really relaxing the last couple of days. We went to see 'Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged and we've all been repeating the lines all through practice. It's been a fun environment, sort of like dorm life. We're all like sisters on this team.

We mesh and flow along together." Shoe companies stage owe battle By GREG JOHNSON Los Angeles Times Looking for proof that the 1999 Women's World Cup tournament that kicks off today at Giants Stadium in New Jersey is a bona fide sporting event? Pay no attention to the talented players running up and down the field during 32 upcoming games, including the championship match on July 10 at the Rose Bowl. Keep your eyes on the battle between Adidas Inc. and Nike Inc. for the hearts and pocketbooks of female soccer players. Adidas, the long-time soccer force, weighs in as an official sponsor of the WWC, which is being billed as the world's largest women's sporting event.

Nike is the proud sponsor of the U.S. team, which is the odds-on favorite to do what the men have not been able to do win the World Cup. No matter which team wins on the field, such companies as Nike and Adidas are building bridges to soccer in hopes of building brand loyalty among young soccer players By BARRY WILNER The Associated Press EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. Not since the gold medal at the Atlanta Olympics has the U.S. women's soccer team gotten so much attention and so much acclaim.

Today, a probable sellout at Giants Stadium for the opener of the Women's World Cup should bring back memories of 1996. "I just hope at the end of it, we're walking off with the same feeling," U.S. star Mia Hamm said. "And with that trophy." The Americans are favored to do just that. As hosts, they should get a huge boost from the crowds, beginning with a sellout in excess of 78,000 for the opening game against Denmark.

"With a packed house and everyone and shouting, it will be awesome," Shannon MacMillan said. "We'll get that extra edge and little push from the home crowd. "When they asked us if we thought the World Cup should be in big stadiums or smaller ones, we said, 'We'll pack the large "When we were practicing in Orlando, they'd pipe crowd noise into the Citrus Bowl to give us a feel for playing in front of huge crowds. But it's hard for anyone to understand what it is like, even after the Olympics. We're so fired up for it." So are the Danes.

And the Brazilians and Mexicans, who meet in the second game of the doubleheader as the 16-team, three-week event gets rolling. Also today, China, considered a co-favorite to win the third Women's World Cup tournament, plays Sweden, and Japan faces Canada at San Jose, Calif Oddly, the United States opened against Denmark in the 1995 World Cup and the '96 Olympics. Facing the Americans onship tournament that begins today with the United States' first-round opener against Denmark at Giants Stadium. Since January, Milbrett has scored 12 goals, including four in one game against Japan. Hamm has eight "She's so creative," said Cindy Parlow, one of the US.

team's three starting forwards. "She does things out there I wouldn't even think of doing. That I MILBRETT wouldn't even think of trying. No defender can read her. I cant read her." The best tactic against Mil-! brett? Guessing? Closing your eyes? 1 "She's unbelievable when she has the ball at her feet, running at 8 CT1 yf" rv AP photo Mia Hamm, the all-time international scoring leader, and the U.S.

team open World Cup play today against Denmark. in what could be an intimidating stadium does not seem to faze the Danes. "I don't think any of us have played in front of 75,000," said Mikka Hansen, an American native playing for Denmark -her father is Danish. "Maybe it will be to the U.S. advantage, but there also is a lot of pressure attached for them." The U.S.

players concede there might be some nervousness early in today's game, which will be televised by ABC. But they believe there is enough veteran leadership on the team to ensure a quick start. Indeed, no other nation has producing you," U.S. defender Carla Over-beck said. "As a defender, you're scared to death.

She is playing the best I have ever seen her play." Milbrett's teammates and U.S. coach Tony DiCicco say she could be the hottest story of the tournament, perhaps as quickly as today, When a sellout crowd of more than 78,000 is likely to be at Giants Stadium one of eight venues for the 32-game tournament DiCicco called Milbrett "the epitome of loving the game of soccer," saying she exudes a "joy on thefield." Milbrett has been involved with the national team since 1991, and she scored the deciding goal against China in the gold-medal game of the 1996 Summer Olympics. In the past four years, she and Hamm have become an incredible offensive tandem. They have combined for 102 goals (47 by Milbrett) and 91 assists (36 by Milbrett) in 85 games since 1995. i 1 Unsung player keeps Milbrett displays a knack for scoring By AMY SHIPLEY The Washington Post i MARTINSVILLE, N.J.

To fher teammates, U.S. women's National soccer team forward fTtffeny Milbrett's personality pre-jjcisely mirrors her game, which is to jsay no one knows where she is rgoing with either her train of thought or the ball. On the field, Milbrett expresses iherself through a delightfully dizzying stylecharacterized by an uncanny ability to wiggle out of tight places and put the ball into 4hegoal. She has scored more goals than ianyone on the U.S. team including her offensive sidekick Mia Hamm during the five-month 3ead-up to the Women's World up, the 16-team world champi Chris Sports.

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