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FIFA U-20 Women's World Championship
<SPAN class=art-title2>Ma Xiaoxu's teenage kicks</SPAN> <TABLE cellSpacing=5 cellPadding=5 width=150 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
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<SPAN class=textblack11px_normal>China's Ma Xiaoxu celebrates her goal against Australia during their Women's Asian Cup final soccer match in Adelaide.
</SPAN><SPAN class=textblack11px_bold>(REUTERS)</SPAN> <SPAN class=textblack11px_bold>STRINGER/AUSTRALIA
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<SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10px; FONT-FAMILY: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">(FIFA.com)</SPAN> <SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10px; FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">09 Aug 2006</SPAN>
<SPAN class=art-text>China are seeking to prolong a love affair with the FIFA U-20 Women's World Championship which began with their participation in Thailand two years ago.
There, they surprised many by reaching the final only to lose to eventual champions Germany. For the current crop of Steel Rosebuds under the guidance of veteran coach Shang Ruihua, it will not be easy to emulate China's previous showing, but the emergence of teenager striking sensation Ma Xiaoxu has given them a real glimmer of hope.
One of four U-20 players who have also made impact with the senior women's team along with Yuan Fan, midfielder Weng Xinzhi and goalkeeper Zhang Yanru, the 18-year-old rose to fame when she found the net ten times to help China win the AFC U-19 Women's Championship in April and, in doing so, qualify for Russia 2006. More recently, she scored five times in the AFC Women's Asian Cup to help ensure that her compatriots won the continental crown.<TABLE id=IMGTAB height=150 cellSpacing=3 cellPadding=0 width=150 align=left summary="" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR id=TRCAP><TD vAlign=bottom align=left><SPAN class=textblack11px_normal>"I still have a great amount to learn from her," Ma Xiaoxu gives her verdict on Chinese striking legend Sun Wen.</SPAN></TD></TR><TR id=TRAUTHOR><TD align=left><SPAN class=textblack11px_bold>Courtesy of the CFA</SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
FIFA.com: You were named as the Player of the Tournament at the AFC Women's Asian Cup. How do you feel going into Russia?
Ma Xiaoxu: It was a great experience to play with the senior side. Personally, it gave me a great lift. Now I feel more self-confident, especially when I'm in the box. I hope I can show that in Russia.
Is it difficult to play with two national teams?
Of course, it requires a lot of time, energy and fitness. But it is a tremendous honour and I'm happy to play my part.
What has been your most memorable game?
It would have to be the final against Australia in the AFC Women's Asian Cup.I scored the equaliser and we went on to win the game. That's been my biggest achievement in football so far.
You went into the second half of that match two goals down. You then set up Han Duan for the first goal and scored China's second goal. Did you believe the team could turn the game around?
Yes, because we had tremendous confidence in ourselves.We were playing well and were creating more chances, even though Australia had scored twice. Therefore, we never lost hope.<TABLE id=IMGTAB height=150 cellSpacing=3 cellPadding=0 width=150 align=right summary="" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR id=TRCAP><TD vAlign=bottom align=left><SPAN class=
<SPAN class=art-title2>Ma Xiaoxu's teenage kicks</SPAN> <TABLE cellSpacing=5 cellPadding=5 width=150 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR class=paddingall><TD vAlign=top>
<SPAN class=textblack11px_normal>China's Ma Xiaoxu celebrates her goal against Australia during their Women's Asian Cup final soccer match in Adelaide.</SPAN><SPAN class=textblack11px_bold>(REUTERS)</SPAN> <SPAN class=textblack11px_bold>STRINGER/AUSTRALIA
</SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10px; FONT-FAMILY: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">(FIFA.com)</SPAN> <SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10px; FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">09 Aug 2006</SPAN>
<SPAN class=art-text>China are seeking to prolong a love affair with the FIFA U-20 Women's World Championship which began with their participation in Thailand two years ago.
There, they surprised many by reaching the final only to lose to eventual champions Germany. For the current crop of Steel Rosebuds under the guidance of veteran coach Shang Ruihua, it will not be easy to emulate China's previous showing, but the emergence of teenager striking sensation Ma Xiaoxu has given them a real glimmer of hope.
One of four U-20 players who have also made impact with the senior women's team along with Yuan Fan, midfielder Weng Xinzhi and goalkeeper Zhang Yanru, the 18-year-old rose to fame when she found the net ten times to help China win the AFC U-19 Women's Championship in April and, in doing so, qualify for Russia 2006. More recently, she scored five times in the AFC Women's Asian Cup to help ensure that her compatriots won the continental crown.<TABLE id=IMGTAB height=150 cellSpacing=3 cellPadding=0 width=150 align=left summary="" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR id=TRCAP><TD vAlign=bottom align=left><SPAN class=textblack11px_normal>"I still have a great amount to learn from her," Ma Xiaoxu gives her verdict on Chinese striking legend Sun Wen.</SPAN></TD></TR><TR id=TRAUTHOR><TD align=left><SPAN class=textblack11px_bold>Courtesy of the CFA</SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>FIFA.com: You were named as the Player of the Tournament at the AFC Women's Asian Cup. How do you feel going into Russia?
Ma Xiaoxu: It was a great experience to play with the senior side. Personally, it gave me a great lift. Now I feel more self-confident, especially when I'm in the box. I hope I can show that in Russia.
Is it difficult to play with two national teams?
Of course, it requires a lot of time, energy and fitness. But it is a tremendous honour and I'm happy to play my part.
What has been your most memorable game?
It would have to be the final against Australia in the AFC Women's Asian Cup.I scored the equaliser and we went on to win the game. That's been my biggest achievement in football so far.
You went into the second half of that match two goals down. You then set up Han Duan for the first goal and scored China's second goal. Did you believe the team could turn the game around?
Yes, because we had tremendous confidence in ourselves.We were playing well and were creating more chances, even though Australia had scored twice. Therefore, we never lost hope.<TABLE id=IMGTAB height=150 cellSpacing=3 cellPadding=0 width=150 align=right summary="" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR id=TRCAP><TD vAlign=bottom align=left><SPAN class=