US Meets China in 2001 Soccer OpenerThe US men's soccer national team will play China on January 27 in Oakland, California to open the 2001 season for the start of the final round of the World Cup qualifying in the CONCACAF region.The exhibition is a tuneup for the 10-game final qualifying round for the 2002 World Cup and the United States is also likely to play Colombia on February 3 in Miami before it plays its first World Cup qualifier against Mexico on February 28 in Columbus, Ohio. The teams last met in January and February 1997, with the United States losing 2-1 and tying 1-1. China is being coached by Bora Milutinovic, who took the helm of the U.S. squad during the 1994 World Cup, and has improved its world ranking from 88th to 71st in the last year. Milutinovic has led Mexico, Costa Rica, United States and Nigeria to the second round of the World Cups. |
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