The Province from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada • 83

The Province Sports Sunday, June 20, 1999 sipdls) pons dftlfo a 'tin i- an ankle fnjuryliring a eight-foot- er past a fallen Wright. Canada fates a much tougher test In their second game when they travel to Washington, D.C. to take oh defending champions Norway on Wednesday. The Canadian women then play what will likely be a must-win game on Saturday against the relatively unknown Russian team in New Jersey. players, engineered Burtini strike when she flicked oft," Morneau long pass with Burtini using her strength to get past a Japanese defender and slot a right-footer into the right corner past a charging Nozomi Yamago.

The Canadians defence cracked in the 61st minute when Tamaki Uchiyama's shot hit the crossbar with the rebound falling to Nami Otake who showed no effects of Japan's premier player HomareSawa. "i To make matters worse, Canadian keeper Nicci Wright of Duncan mishandled a few balls early on and was fortunate when Otake's rising shot went off the crossbar after the striker intercepted a pass by Isabelle Morneau. Hooper, a Nepean, 'native considered one of the world's best drenched San Jose State University Spartan Stadium. Vancouver striker Silvana Bur-tini scored In the 32nd minute to give Canada the lead with Japan's Nami Otake evening the game in the 61st minute. The match started on an ominous note for Canada with star midfielder Charmaine Hooper being awarded a yellow card in the fifth minute after a dust-up CANADA 1 JAPAN 1 By Stuart Hunter Sportstfeportet; i.

SAl JdjsEi Calif. They rede-fined harCdrtve In the Silicon Valley Sfjr night. A hafji-driving Canadian side openeYtth 999 Women's World Cup a' hard-fought 1-1 tie against spirited Japanese side befoifi 0Gp vocal fans at a sun- 8fcan't weather JG If tX: the Storm The Vancouver 86ers lost their second straight road game on FrU day, a 3-2 overtime setback to the New jOrleans Storm. With two minutes of OT remaining, Patrick Beech broke in on Paul Shepherd and chipped a shot past the 86ers goalie, who was making just his second start of the year. Vancouver had several good chances in the overtime, but the Storm's Stephen Hoog-erwerf was strong in net.

Domenic Mo-bilio and Jeff Skinner had the 86ers goals. Vancouver is i Soccer ft mi ri i if i.i.ir., i i nn-tr Reuters U.S. fans, part of a contingent of 79,000, cheer their team prior to opening cermemonies for the Women's World Cup Saturday. Crowded Inoyse makes history in fifth place in the A-League's Pacific Division with a 4-5 record and 17 points. New Orleans improved to 5-5 and 22 points.

Shmeichel to Lisbon Veteran Danish goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel, who helped Manchester United to a unique triple triumph this season, is headed to Sporting Lisbon, according to published reports. The 35-year-old Schmeichel, who is rated as one of the world's top 'keepers, will sign a two-year contract with Portugal's third largest club this weekend after eight years with Man United. Clarke to England Vancouver defender Jeff Clarke appears headed to Darlington of the English Third Division. Clarke scored the goal that won St. Patrick's Athletic the Irish title last season but wasn't happy at the club.

News SarvlcM NEW YORK The first thing you noticed on Saturday at Giants Stadium the whole idea of the World Cup tournament, really was that this was a different sort of crowd. The girls were dressed in a thousand colors, their hair flopping around in braids, pony-tails and swirls. The girls were everywhere in the stands, and they were supposed to be sitting. But they were always moving around, squirming with excitement, trying to get a better view, doing the wave, smiling through silvery teeth. There were 78,972 fans in East Rutherford, probably the largest crowd ever to watch a women's sports event in the history of the world, and they filled the place with the highest pitch ever produced in a football building.

It was a noise Bill Parcells has never heard. "You couldn't hear from one side of the field to the other," Mia Hamm said. "This is what we always dreamed a World Cup should be. "To see the emotion, I can't tell you how proud it makes you feel." The opening ceremonies came and went, more girls unrolled a giant banner on the field that said, "Watch Me Play," and then the MS. women's national soccer team kept the celebration going by defeating Denmark, 3-0.

The Americans did this according to script, with Hamm lashing a brilliant, left-footed shot past the Danish goalkeeper in the 17th minute, her record 110th goal in international play. This single score matched the total number of goals produced by the U.S. men's team during its entire, ruinous performance at the last World Cup in France. The Danes gave Hamm plenty of space during the whole match, a surprising mistake by coach Jor-gen Hvidemose that probably won't happen again in this tournament. Every time she touched the ball, Hamm did something wonderful and the cheering started again.

Hamm is the sort of player the men's team doesn't have, somebody who can finish what she starts. It is nice when a superstar plays up to the hype. Hamm did that, and more. On her biggest stage ever, she scored the breakthrough goal and assisted with a cross on Julie Foudy's score in the 73rd minute. Hamm regularly set up teammates on dangerous, unfinished runs.

Once, she flicked a fanciful back-heel pass, just for fun. "She wanted the responsibility," Hamm's coach, Tony DiCicco said. "She wanted the ball. Mia was awesome." Hamm, her calf cramping, went out in the 88th minute to a great round of applause. She clapped her hands above her head, cheering the crowd right back.

"We will ali remember this day Hamm said. Knight RMdw.