The Boston Globe from Boston, Massachusetts • 107

E7 Women's World Cup '99 preview -w HK -M -f -k. O. All HA All -M -M -MA -VIA llA -fc. -MA -MA -fc. SJ -M A C-7 JL THE BOSTON GLOBE FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 1999 Oranges, yellows, greens help color the international experience By Shira Springer GLOBE CORRESPONDENT Transportation to game Location: Approximately 45 minutes south of Boston.

By car: From Boston, follow Interstate 93 Norfolk Walnnle M. I The games FIRST ROUND DATE CAME TIME TV June Australia 1:30 p.m. ESPN 20 vs. Ghana June Norway 4 p.m. ESPN2 20 vs.

Russia June Mexico 4:30 p.m. ESPN2 27 vs. Italy June United States 7 p.m. ESPN2 27 vs. North Korea SEMIFINAL July 4 TBD 7:30 p.m.

ESPN2 South to Interstate 95 South, Exit l.Take Exit 9 (Wrentham) onto Route 1 South. Stadium is approximately three miles. From Providence, take Interstate 95 North to Interstate 495 North. Take Exit 14A (Wrentham) onto Route 1 North. Stadium is approximately four miles.

-i. MASSACHUSETTS Qr -i- -r 50 Miles '''JffjTff 55 jX? Sharon YyRKboro Wrent- F0XB0R0UGH ville v.9l Mansfield Ari GLOBE STAFF CHART GLOBE STAFF MAP FOXBOROUGH At Foxboro Stadium, "the look" is nearly compile. Citrus-colored banners with su-pefimposed soccer images front the facility. The graphic display with bright oranges, brilliant yellows, and linje greens continues inside. You carsee "the look" draped beside the scoreboard arid Jumbotron.

The cojorful strips with soccer balls, elected feet, and goal nets also cover advertising space in the stands. jj'or the biggest women's-only sperting event in history, members of jthe 1999 Women's World Cup organizing committee wanted a non-traditional visual theme with an ede. The idea was to convert each venue into a "World Cup stadium," muumizing the feel that the facilities arasimply being borrowed for a few weeks. They got "the look." And Foxboro Stadium, regularly home to the' New England Patriots, New England Revolution, and rock concerts, got a two-week makeover. In addition to cosmetic changes, the Women's World Cup created a set of logistical demands at Foxboro different from those of the men's World Cup in 1994.

Although Foxboro Stadium officials are accustomed to hosting major international soccer matches, the schedule of dou-bleheaders, the presence of a younger audience with more females than usual, and the age of the facility required organizers to blend old and new and draw upon experience and innovation. 'To have the women's game coming at this level is truly an exciting development," said Brian O'Dono-van, general manager of the Revolution and former general manager of BOSTON Foxboro Stadium Location: Halfway between Boston and Providence. Opened: 1970. Capacity: 58,868 (22,385 downsized). Playing surface: Length 1 1 6 yards, width 7 1 yards.

Number of games: 5, including a semifinal. CHICAGO Soldier Field Location: On the shores of Lake Michigan. Opened: 1922. Capacity: 65,080 (24,000 downsized). Playing surface: Length 110 yards, width 68 yards.

Number of games: 4. LOS ANGELES Rose Bowl Location: Pasadena, seven miles from downtown Los Angeles. Opened: 1922. Capacity: 92,542. Playing surface: Length 116 yards, width 72 yards.

Number of games: 4, including championship. NEW YORK NEW JERSEY Giants Stadium Location: East Rutherford, N.J., eight miles from New York City. Opened: 1976. pv Capacity: 77,716 (25,576 downsized). Playing surface: Length 116 yards, width 68 yards.

Number of games: 4. PORTLAND Civic Stadium Location: Downtown Portland, Oregon. Opened: 1926. Capacity: 27,396. Playing surface: Length 120 yards, width 70 yards.

Number of games: 4. SAN FRANCISCO SAN JOSE Spartan Stadium Location: On the campus of San Jose State, pv Opened: 1933. Capacity: 26,000. Playing surface: Length 110 yards, width 70 yards. Number of games: 4.

Stanford Stadium Location: On the campus of Stanford University. Opened: 1921. Capacity: 85,429. Playing surface: Length 120 yards, width 75 yards. Number of games: 1, semifinal game.

WASHINGTON, D.C. Jack Kent Cooke Stadium Location: Located in Raljon, five miles from Washington, D.C. Opened: 1997. Capacity: 80,1 16 (28,167 downsized). Playing surface: Length 110 yards, width 70 yards.

Number of games: 6. Foxboro Stadium. He is supervising stadium operations for Patriots games and concerts, as well as the 1994 World Cup. "I can't think of anything that would be the equivalent of it. With its unpredictability, this is, in some ways, even more significant than the men's World Cup." After a recent review of event records, O'Donovan was amazed at how far Foxborough has come as a soccer site.

Since hosting its first international match in 1991, when the United States met Ireland, many of the world's top teams have visited the stadium. It was regarded as one of the best venues during the 1994 men's World Cup and draws some of the largest crowds in Major League Soccer. Foxboro Stadium will add to its resume three dates of Women's World Cup action expected to draw a total of approximately 75,000 fans. The games will include four first-round matches (two doubleheaders) and one semifinal. Fans will have a chance to see members of all four tournament groups.

As part of Foxboro's current World Cup transformation, field boards displaying advertisers, flags of competing countries, and box-shaped goals complement "the look," providing an international feel. Venue organizers have talked with international groups known for sparking crowds such as drum circles and bangers about adding to the atmosphere. And while tradition-oriented FIFA has limited American-style fanfare inside the stadium, young fans can expect a diverse offering of interactive games, international entertainment, and carnival-like attractions in the parking lot. "In seven short years, the stadium has given us a cultural base for soccer, which we like to think makes it one of the most attractive places. Why do people look at us to host big events? They see that logistically we can pull it off.

We've got a very well-developed marketing system and base that we can appeal to to fill the seats. And we pursue the events with a respect for the international game that they might not find in other facilities in this country." On Sunday, Australia faces Ghana at 1:30 p.m., followed by defending Cup champion Norway against Russia at 4. The largest crowd is expected when the US plays Korea June 27, with Mexico vs. Italy the first game of the doubleheader. On July 4, the semifinal will be paired with a Revolution game against the New YorkNew Jersey MetroStars.

When play begins Sunday, the field should be fully recovered from a string of concerts that left a large brown patch at the south end of the stadium. The area of dead grass marked where the stage was set up for three shows, one starring George Strait and two featuring the Dave Matthews Band. The grounds crew has been hard at work tending to the damaged turf, which earlier this week appeared nearly back to normal. Foxborough director of World Cup operations Joe Cummings said the brown area was as smooth as the greener areas and presented no problem. Norway, Ghana, Russia, and Australia will see for themselves when they practice there tomorrow.

The biggest area of concern for the Foxboro Stadium staff is behind the scenes. With only two soccer locker rooms at Foxboro Stadium, special plans were needed to accommodate all four teams competing on a given day. So, the Patriots' locker room will be divided in half, increasing the number of changing areas from two to four. The logistics become even more complicated when the Revolution play the MetroStars prior to the women's semifinal. Organizers are still finalizing plans and the timing of team access to the changing areas.

In order to efficiently manage the locker rooms, teams, nearly 400 members of the media, 600 VIPs, and crowds, the regular Foxboro Stadium staff will be assisted by 350 volunteers. "FIFA and the world of soccer know that World Cup '94 was held here and that it was an incredible stadium during '94," said venue director Tim Larkin. "So, they don't have a lot of questions. It held a men's World Cup in '94 and they're looking forward to the same quality in this event and that's what they're going to get" Stadium seats A total of 75,000 tickets have been sold for the three Foxboro Stadium dates and officials are expecting cumulative sales to reach lOO.OOO.Tickets for each date are still available. i i For groups of 30 or more, call (877) GET-REVS up to two days before the games you wish to attend.

No group discounts can be given less than two days in advance. Individual tickets can be purchased at the Foxboro Stadium box office and all Ticketmaster outlets. No game-day tickets will be available from Ticketmaster, but will be sold at the stadium starting at 10:30 a.m. Cash, Mastercard, and Visa will be accepted on game days. Individual ticket inquiries also can be made by calling 1- 320 I 220 fj 120 I 1 I 107 207 307 1 sLitJL to, A 800-WWC-TIKS.

There are three price classifications for first-round and semifinal tickets. For trie first round, individual seats cost $20, $28, and $48. For the semifinals, the prices are $30, $50, and $75. I Shira Springer AP PHOTO The spacious Rose Bowl, site of the 1994 men's World Cup final, will host four women's games, including the title game July 10. .1 GLOBE STAFF CHART Kringen is back where it all began Norwegian defender eager for another first, her World Cup debut By Michael Smith GLOBE CORRESPONDENT II The latter replaced Gro Espeseth, once consid: ered one of the world's greatest defenders, at cen-r terback when Espeseth injured her knee in May.Si-: Yet Hogmo has not seen a decline in defensive intensity.

"Kringen has become one of our most impoiv tant defensive players," said Hogmo. "She's one of 1 1 our better technique players. She reads the game very well She has good skills, but she could be a -little better in the air. "Goril and Linda have played well together iaW the middle. It's always like that when you havf new players.

Espeseth had strengths that GorHij doesn't have, and Goril has strengths that Espe seth didn't have. It's been no problem. Tm quite'" happy with our defense. We have a lot of speed in-the backfield." Let's see: first international match, first trip to the World Cup maybe Kringen can find a way. to score her first A-team goal in Massachusetts as -wel "I usually don't get too many shots on she said.

"So it's not very likely. If it comes, Yd delighted. I sure hope so, because this is my luckj her teammates, will be playing in her first World Cup match. Kringen officially joined the team in July 1995, not long after Norway won the World Cup in Sweden. She had practiced with the team prior to the tournament but had not earned a roster spot Instead, she was "one of the sad ones sitting at home watching." Her veteran teammates told her how it feels to win the World Cup.

They've described to her the feeling of being the best in the world. Kringen says she and her other less-experienced teammates want to experience that feeling for themselves. "They won it and they told us how it was," said Kringen, 27. "Now we want to win it again. Me and the other girls are hungry for a title." It's certainly not going to be easy to satisfy that hunger.

The Norwegians return only seven players from the "95 championship team, and should they make it out of Group they could face stiff competition from China and the United States. Furthermore, coach Per-Mathis Hogmo has done some lineup shuffling, moving Norway's all-time leading scorer, Linda Medalen, from for i A ft CONCORD Shame on Goril Kringen! In preparing for this summer's Women's World Cup, the Norwegian defender somehow forgot she played in her first match with the Norwegian national team in Massachusetts. Kringen actually had to be reminded that, in a sense, it all started for her at a tournament right here in 1995. "You know, I hadn't really thought about it," she said yesterday after her team's practice at Middlesex SchooL "It is a bit special It was a great experience to debut on a national team. I'm really looking forward to playing again in Massachusetts.

It was much hotter then; it's cooler now. It's nice to be back." It took only a subtle reminder to jog Kringen's memory. Then she recalled the team Norway defeated that day Australia, 2-0. Talk about deja vu? While Kringen was reminiscing, who but the Australians were practicing on the next field. Now, almost four years and 35 international matches later, Kringen is back to experience another first When the Norwegians take on Russia at Foxboroj Stadium Sunday, Krinpn, like 12 of state." ward to defender alongside Kringen.

GL08 STAFF Rl PHOTO TOM LANDERS Although defender oril Kringen officially joined the national team in 19ila, she watched Norway's World Cup victory that year from home..