SGGPO 07/21/2023 23:59

Coach Shui Qingxia hopes the Women's World Cup will help usher in a new dawn for China, starting with a "very important" opening match against Denmark in Perth.

Coach Shui Qingxia of the Chinese national team

China soon established itself as a powerhouse in women's football, finishing fourth in 1995 and then runner-up in 1999 (losing to the United States in the final).

But they have failed to get past the quarter-finals since then and were knocked out in the last 16 at the 2019 World Cup in France. Overtaken by a number of European nations, China’s status as a women’s football powerhouse has declined, but a surprise win at last year’s Asian Cup ended a 16-year title drought.

Qingxia, China’s first female coach, hopes the momentum will spark a new force. “I want this to be a new start for this generation,” she told reporters ahead of China’s opening match on Saturday.

"I hope we can perform our best in this tournament. Everything has a beginning, I think. I think in the past, Chinese players have played under a lot of pressure at World Cups. We need to enjoy the game and our teammates."

The Steel Roses face a tough task in Group D which includes title contenders England, who will play Haiti in their opening match, and a battle between Denmark (ranked 13th) and China (ranked 14th in the world).

"This game will be very important. But we will take it one game at a time to get the results and experience we need," Qingxia said.

However, Denmark coach Lars Sondergaard was keen to downplay the significance of the match. "We don't see it that way. I don't see it as a deciding factor. You have to respect Haiti, they can play a role in the group.

"The importance of this match is obvious because it is the first match of the tournament."

Denmark will end a 16-year absence from the World Cup with their bid to progress seemingly dependent on star striker Pernille Harder, who has returned from hamstring surgery.

Danish star Pernille-Harder

Sondergaard claimed Harder, who recently left Chelsea to join Bayern Munich, was in good health and warned opponents not to focus their attention on her. “We know most opponents will look at her… sometimes she can decide games by herself.”

“We had about six months to play without Pernille when she got injured. Now just blocking Pernille is not enough because other players will find the space that she leaves open."