China to Begin Women's Soccer Campaign Thursday Afternoon

China will kick off its Olympic women's soccer campaign Thursday afternoon, one day before the formal opening ceremony of the Sydney Games.

The World Cup runner-up Chinese team will take on Nigeria in Canberra while China's arch-rivals reigning champions the United States, inspired by Mia Hamm, will play in Melbourne against Norway, which is considered by many as dark horses for the women's title.

The men's tournament sees favourites Brazil kick-off their quest for a first Olympic gold at the Brisbane Cricket Ground with what should be a routine opener against Slovakia.

Organisers will be praying the remainder of the Games goes as smoothly as Wednesday' opening matches.

There have been fears the event could be targeted by terror groups and protestors who have disrupted the World Economic Forum, but officials reported no major security-related incidents at Wednesday's opening.

While the men's and women's events football gets into full swing, Sydney is eagerly bracing itself for the official opening of the games.

The city has been swept up in a frenzy of flame fever as the Olympic Torch nears the end of its globe-trotting journey which climaxes at Friday night's opening extravaganza at Stadium Australia.

More than 70,000 people poured onto streets on Wednesday to wish the flame on its way, as a succession of stars including Australian rugby legend David Campese took part in the relay.

Organisers are tipping a bigger turnout Thursday as the flame winds its way past the city's world-famous Opera house and through Sydney's business district, before being officially welcomed in the Olympic City.

Australian tennis star Pat Rafter is expected to take part in the torch relay Thursday before scuttling off to prepare for the Olympic tennis tournament which starts next week.

Rafter's bid for Olympic gold has been made slightly easier by a spate of pullouts from the event.

The latest to tumble from the reckoning were Morocco's Hicham Arazi and Younes El Aynaoui, who joined Switzerland's 1992 Olympic gold medallist Marc Rosset and 1996 winner Andre Agassi on the missing list.



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