Chinese Olympic team defeated Australian rivals 2-0 to reach the
final of the Lunar New Year Cup soccer tournament on Sunday.
The Chinese team never looked in trouble against Australia as an
own-goal by Australian defender Robert Cornthwaite at the eighth
minute gave China the lead. With five minutes remaining, substitute
Jiang Ning had a superb 25-meter strike to seal the win.
China will play the Jamaican Olympic team in the final. Jamaica
defeated the Hong Kong League XI after a penalty shoot-out in an
earlier match.
Chinese team coach Ratomir Dujkovic was more than happy for the
result, saying that "I am very satisfied with the result. The
players put in 100 percent effort and we won the match on proper
merit."
Earlier on Sunday, Jamaica's Olympic squad beat the Hong Kong
League XI 5-3 on penalties after holding the hosts to a 1-1 draw at
the end of 90 minutes.
The Jamaicans, coached by legendary Serbian Bora Milutinovic,
absorbed pressure for much of the game but managed to snatch a
1-0lead in the 42nd minute through striker Fabian Taylor.
Hong Kong's Keith Gumbs equalized in the 79th minute, but the
Jamaicans held their nerve to win the penalty shoot-out 5-3.
(Xinhua News Agency February 19, 2007)
