The Tampa Tribune from Tampa, Florida • 38

7 6-SPORTS THE TAMPA TRIBUNE-TIMES SUNDAY, JUNE 13, 1999 WOMHl'S WORLD CUP SOCCER Quick Facts Worn emoymg attention H'S euprB' racing ever-improving What Third FIFA Women's World Cup. When: Saturday-July 10. Where: Eight U.S. sites Boston (Foxboro Stadium), Chicago (Soldier Field), Los Angeles (Rose Bowl), New YorkNew jersey (Giants Stadium), Portland (Civic Stadium), San Francisco (Stanford Stadium), San Jose (Spartan Stadium) and Washington, D.C. (Jack Kent Cooke Stadium).

Tickets: More than 400,000 have been sold; tickets are still available. Cost is depending on category and round. opponents and the pressure to succeed in their own country, the U.S. women's national team tries to win back the Women's World Cup. By BILL WARD of The Tampa Tribune TAMPA So much is riding on the third Women's World Cup.

And most of it rests squarely on the shoulders of the U.S. women's national team. Just take a look at the numbers and youll get an idea of the pres For information, call 1-800- 992-8457. Television: Nearly all 32 matches will be shown live on ESPN, ESPN2orABC. Format: All matches will be played as doubleheaders, with the semifinal at Foxboro Stadium and the semifinal at Spartan Stadium played as a doubleheader with Major League Soccer.

The 16 nations have been drawn into four groups of four teams, with each nation playing the other nation in its group once during the first round. A victory is worth three points, a tie is worth one. The top two teams in each group advance to the quarterfinals, where play moves to single elimination. f- 1 "-v. V'! s'.

-iir. sure the American women will deal with when the three-week, 32-match tournament begins Saturday: Eleven official Women's Schedule FIRST ROUND World Cup sponsors including multi- Saturday Sj national corpo-1 rations such as I Coca-Cola, Gil United States vs. Denmark, Giants Stadium, 3 p.m., ABC Brazil vs. Mexico, Giants Stadium, 5:30 p.m., ESPN Japan vs. Canada, Spartan Stadium, 8 p.m., ESPN2 China vs.

Sweden, Spartan Stadium, 10:30 p.m., ESPN2 June 20 lette and Hewlett Packard have each paid between $1 million and $4 million to be part of the event Three "marketing partners" have spent between $500,000 to $1 million. Although a fraction of what it costs to stage the Norway vs. Russia, Foxboro Stadium, 1:30 p.m.,, ESPN Australia vs. Ghana, Foxboro Stadium, 4 p.m., ESPN2 Germany vs. Italy, Rose Bowl, 7 p.m., ESPN2 North Korea vs.

Nigeria, Rose Bowl, 9:30 p.m., ESPN2 Ghana vs. Sweden, Soldier Field, 5 p.m., ESPN2 Norway vs. Japan, Soldier Field, 7:30 p.m., ESPN2 June 27 Nigeria vs. Denmark, Jack Kent Cooke Stadium, 1:30 p.m., ESPN2 Germany vs. Brazil, Jack Kent Cooke Stadium, 4 p.m., ESPN2 Mexico vs.

Italy, Foxboro Staidum 4:30 p.m., ESPN2 (12:30 a.m.) United States vs. North Korea, Foxboro Stadium, 7 p.m., ESPN2 QUARTERFINALS June 30 Group winner vs. Group second place, Spartan Stadium, 8 p.m., ESPN2 Group winner vs. Group second place, Spartan Stadium, 10:30 p.m., ESPN2 (12 a.m.) Jutyl Group A winner vs. Group second place.

Jack Kent Cooke Stadium, 7 p.m., ESPN Group winner vs. Group A second place. Jack Kent Cooke Stadium, 9:30 p.m., ESPN2 ii We have a lot of personalities out there, 10 people who can all score goals and a bench that can do the same. June 23 AP photo Mia Hamm (9) Is arguably the world's most recognizable women's soccer player. Norway vs.

Canada, Jack Kent Cooke Stadium, 6 p.m., ESPN2 Australia vs. Sweden, Jack Kent Cooke Stadium, 8:30 p.m., ESPN2 China vs. Ghana, Civic Stadium, 11:30 p.m., ESPN2 (12:30 a.m.) Japan vs. Russia, Civic Stadium, 9 p.m., ESPN2 (10:30 p.m.) men's World Cup, the total women's budget is closing in on $30 million. More than 400,000 tickets already have been Tony DiCicco U.S.

coach gladly deal with the tension of hosting the event She knows the World Cup staged in the United States represents a world of opportunities for the women's game, both from media and marketing standpoints. This is what we've wanted, where we wanted our sport to be and we're all excited about it" said Hamm, the all-. time leading scorer even saw their 50-game domestic unbeaten streak end last April with a 2-1 loss to China. Parity is coming to the World Cup, something that doesn't surprise U.S. coach Tony DiCicco.

"In 1992, our women's Olympic basketball team finished third and in the '93 world championships they were third. And then someone said 'Hey, wait a minute, this is basketball and we're the -f ft. -OT BE ri io etc 3ii 9(1 (10 tofi! 3' June 24 SEMIFINALS July 4 Quarterfinal winners, Stanford Stadium, 4:30 p.m., ESPN Quarterfinal winners, Foxboro Stadium, 7:30 p.m., ESPN2 Brazil vs. Italy, Soldier Field, 6 p.m., ESPN2 United States vs. Nigeria, Soldier Field, 8:30 p.m., ESPN Germany vs.

Mexico, Civic Stadium, 11:30 p.m., ESPN2 (12:30 a.m.) North Korea vs. Denmark, Civic Stadium, 9 p.m., ESPN2 (10:30 p.m.) FINALS July 10 June 26 in the history of international soccer with 109 career goals. Tm an optimist and the way I look at it is whatever the demands are, if well worth the attention and excitement thaf being generated." The Americans' task is not a simple one. Just ask any of the six veterans from 44 This is what we've wanted, where we wanted our sport to be and we're all excited about it. I'm an optimist and the way I look at it is whatever the demands are, it's well worth the attention and excitement that's being generated.

founders of the game and our women need to do DiCicco said. "And then the resources 1 were made available and the U.S. women ran away with the gold medal in '96. That same thought process happened all over the world in soccer why aren't our women doing better? and the resources Third-place game. Rose Bowl, 10 a.m., ESPN Championship game, Rose Bowl, 3:30 p.m., ABC Tape-delayed broadcast Canada vs.

Russia, Giants Stadium, Noon, ESPN China vs. Australia, Giants Stadium, 2:30 p.m., ESPN we all felt after the loss to Norway was that we could've done more as individuals and collectively as a team," Hamm said. "That was what we were disappointed in, that we weren't as secure as we thought we were. When Michelle went out the first game, we weren't prepared for that" At this World Cup, the U.S. team can expect more of the same: stronger, faster teams that are highly motivated to succeed at a highly visible event The women well be facing all have a great pride in representing their country and whether if a friendly or the World Cup, the game seems the same for them," defender Brandi Chastain said.

"It's a chance for them to be taken more seriously when they beat a team like the United States. Yes, these are the teams from Brazil, Holland and Argentina, but they want to be separated and be recognized as the women's team from Brazil." To counter the ever-improving competition, DiCicco believes he has assembled 20 women who are all capable of scoring. There are still some questions surrounding the strength of his defense, but with enough goals the United States can overcome any weakness in the back line. "We have a lot of personalities out there, 10 people who can all score goals and a bench that can do the same," DiCicco said. "Defenders Brandi Chastain, Carta Overbeck and Joy Fawcett can score.

It's a factor every team has to deal with when they play the United States. They can't just zero in on Mia Hamm." Did You Know? sold for the tournament, including 65,000 for the U.S. opener against Denmark at Giants Stadium and 45,000 for the championship game July 10 in the Rose Bowl. If the U.S. women reach the title game, the total tickets sold could exceed one million.

To date, 74 nations have committed to broadcast the entire event, with ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 combining to carry all 32 games all but six live in the United States. The fate of a professional U.S. women's league, slated to begin in 2001, could rest on the success of this tournament's gate receipts and television ratings. U.S. striker Mia Hamm arguably the most recognizable women's soccer player in the world following her recent blitz of Nike commercials admits there is a certain measure of expectations that comes with being the host nation.

After all, organizers are calling the 1999 Women's World Cup "the world's largest women's-only sporting event ever," and part of its success will surely be gauged by the U.S. women's achievements. But after winning the first Women's World Cup in China eight years ago with virtually no recognition from the U.S. media or public, Hamm said she and her teammates will U.S. Starters the 91 champion- ship team and they'll were made avail- tell you the rest of Mia Hamm the world has made Facte, figures and trivia relating to women's soccer and this year's Women's World Cup: In 1998, 7.5 million girls registered to play soccer in the United States.

That's the most registered since 1995's 7.2 million. The U.S. Soccer Federation has commissioned a feasibility study and business plan for a professional women's soccer league that would kick off in 2001. Former U.S. national team forward Wendy Ge-bauer, who is scheduled to do television commentary during the Women's World Cup, recently made history when she played for a men's team in the nation's Division II professional league, the A-League.

At the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, 62,000 In the '95 World Cup in Sweden, the Americans got their first wake-up call. They lost their inspirational leader, Oviedo's Michelle Akers, to an injury in the first game and by the time she returned in the semifinals, the U.S. squad had lost confidence and went down 1-0 to eventual champion Norway. Even a victory in the third-place game against China didn't relieve the disappointment There was definitely a lot of tears, motivated by different ways, but what huge strides in women's soccer since then. Yes, the Americans still boast one of the best women's programs in the world and one of the few residency programs (they've been training full-time for several months in Sanford).

And true, the U.S. team did win the gold medal at the 1996 Atlanta Games. But the Americans are no longer winning every match by the lopsided scores they posted early in the decade. They History fans turned "Watch me play," says Nutmeg, the 1R up for the women's soccer semifinal and more mascot. than 76,000 attended the women's gold medal match.

Scurry OEF DEF Brandi Joy Fawcett DEF Carta Overbeck DEF Chastain Kate Sobrero MF Michelle Afcerv 7 Lilly Foudy Spearheaded by the initiative of former FIFA President Joao Havelange, the First Women's World Cup was staged in the People's Republic of China in November 1991. Attendance at several of the matches exceeded 16,000 but U.S. media attention was limited due to location and lack of global television coverage. Nonetheless, the U.S. topped the 12-team field with a 6-0 record.

The Americans defeated Norway 2-1 in the championship game to establish themselves 89 the dominant power In women's soccer. Television coverage went worldwide when the tournament was held in Sweden in 1995. But the tournament was one of the biggest disappointments ever for the U.S. women's team. It lost to rival Norway 1-0 In the semifinals for its first setback in the Women's World Cup.

The Norwegians went on to capture the tournament with a 2-0 victory against Germany. The 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup will be the first competition contested by 16 nations, once again signaling a growth for women's soccer throughout the world. A total of 73 countries entered qualifying rounds for the tournament and, by the start of the first game of the finals Saturday, more than 130 matches will have been played in FIFA's six global confederations. After almost two years of qualifying matches began, 15 teams have emerged to challenge the host Americans for the third FIFA Women's World Cup. BID Ward While more than 40 percent of the fans at the USA '94 the FIFA Men's World Cup were from overseas, organizers of the Women's World Cup expect 95 percent of their fans will be Americans.

As of June 1, more than 400,000 tickets had been sold to this year's Women's World Cup matches an average of 23,000 for each of the 32 games. At the 1995 Women's World Cup in Sweden, a total of 112,000 were sold. FIFA rules will be in effect for the Women's World Cup, and that means none of those silly tiebreaks used In Major League Soccer called "shootouts." If a match is tied at the end of regulation during first-round games, teams simply earn one point each. Ties during the knockout stage go to two, 15-mlnute overtime periods where the first goal ends the game. If it's still tied after 120 minutes, the match is decided on penalty kicks.

This year FIFA's list of qualified international referees includes more women from more different countries than ever before a total of 53. These women range from 2441 years of age and hail from 39 nations. Look for them to referee a significant number of matches during this summer's Women's World Cup. You haven't seen much of ft yet but the official mascot to this year's Women's World Cup Is a fe- male fox named "Nutmeg." The fox was chosen because It represents speed, agility, guile and resourcefulness. Nutmeg's motto for the World Cup: "This Is my game.

This is my future. Watch me play." The new Women's World Cup trophy was handmade In Italy. A 23carat gold spiral rises to meet a soccer ball made of white gold. It's 37 centimeters high, 12 centimeters wide and weighs 2 kilograms. Total cost $30,000.

Bill Ward FW Tiffeny Milbrett IFW FW Mia andy Hamm yParlov I I I GK Goalkeeper DEF Defender MF Midfielder FW Forward AP photo Hege Rilse, left, of defending Women's World Cup champion Norway, will try to stop the favored Americans. CAfTUN HOPE WRIGHTTribune graphic ttc'.