Beijing 2008: Mission Impossible for China Womens Team at Algarve Cup

China women's team risked a fourth consecutive Algarve Cup calamity when the troubled former world runners-up started the Cup campaign on Wednesday.

Beaten by France national team in Bordeaux on February 28 and a Swedish club three days later in Portugal, China is gazing down the barrel of another Algarve Cup early exit after finishing sixth or further back in the past three editions.

Since finishing second to the United States in the 1999 World Cup, the Chinese women, known as the "Steel Roses", have failed to return to such heights in international competitions.

The team was left high and dry into 2007 when the Chinese Football Association (CFA) failed to appoint the new head coach since former manager Ma Liangxing left the squad ahead of the Four Nations tournament, citing a heart problem late January.

A key official with the CFA was quoted as saying in the China Sports Daily that it was improper to leave the post for a national head coach just ahead of an important tournament, hinting Ma had pretended to be sick.

The team, who have shifted head coach five times since 2002, is now steered by the deputy head coach Wang Haiming.The 49-year-old will be reportedly promoted if the team produces a good result at the Algarve Cup starting on March 7 through to 15.

The team are also under injury cloud after fullback Pu Wei and midfielder Bi Yan sustained new problems in the recent warming-up matches, leaving Wang a young yet inexperienced starting line-up averaging 22 or so.

As if that were not enough, China's forward Ma Xiaoxu, the AFC's Women's Player of the Year, has been confirmed to skip the major women's soccer tournament after joining the Swedish women's soccer champions Umea IK.

China, the former world number two, who has slipped to ninth on the world rankings, will play the United States on Wednesday in Group B,where Sweden and Finland feature in the other clash. (Xinhua)