SPORTS
Page 8 n THE ASIAN REPORTER
April 6, 2015
China aims to see its soccer
teams among world’s best
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RAISING EXPECTATIONS. China’s Ying Liu (#13, right) battles
with Tiffeny Milbrett (#16) of the United States during the Women’s
World Cup championship match at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California,
in this July 10, 1999 file photo. China’s cabinet has released a reform
plan aimed at raising the level of soccer in the country, where poor inter-
national showings have been blamed on a history of corruption and a lack
of youth programs. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian, File)
corruption, overly bureaucratic government supervision,
and a weak youth training system that has seen the
numbers of registered youngsters playing the game fall
year by year.
Matsui teams up with Jeter at baseball charity in Japan
By Jim Armstrong
AP Sports Writer
OKYO — Hideki Matsui went to bat for children
affected by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami and
hit a home run.
The 2009 World Series MVP teamed up with former
New York Yankees teammate Derek Jeter to raise funds
for children from Japan’s disaster-stricken Tohoku
region.
“Jeter played a big role in all of this,” Matsui said. “The
kids had a magnificent day. Hopefully, when they go back
to their everyday lives tomorrow, they’ll have new dreams
to sustain them.”
Jeter and Matsui conducted a youth baseball clinic then
managed middle school teams in a three-inning contest,
won 2-0 by Matsui’s squad.
The day’s final event was a home run derby between the
U.S. and Japanese students. Matsui thrilled the fans
when he stepped up to the plate and hit a towering homer
over the right-field wall at the Tokyo Dome, where he
spent 10 seasons with the Yomiuri Giants before heading
to the U.S.
During his four-day visit to Japan, Jeter also took in a
sumo tournament and visited Matsui’s hometown.
“It was a wonderful few days,” Jeter said. “Hideki
showed me around, I got a chance to go see his hometown,
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BEIJING (AP) — China’s cabinet has released a reform
plan aimed at raising the level of soccer in the country.
Medium-term goals in the plan issued by the State
Council include substantially increasing the number of
young people playing soccer and seeing the women’s team
return to the top of the rankings.
In the long term, China wants to bid to host the World
Cup and improve its men’s team.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has led the drive to
improve the quality of Chinese soccer, both to boost
popular participation in sports and burnish China’s
reputation as an international sporting power.
The cabinet’s 50-point plan includes instructions to
promote soccer on school campuses, create schools
dedicated to training aspiring professional players, and
expand the number of stadiums.
It also gives the China Football Association the power to
independently decide its own staffing and financing,
rather than being run by China’s sporting administrative
body.
Authorities will also look at putting a cap on players’
salaries in order to increase competition between rich and
poor teams and avoid financially destabilizing bidding
wars. The plan said research will also be done into further
restricting the use of foreign players, only five of whom are
currently permitted per team.
China’s lack of success in men’s soccer has consistently
perplexed the country’s sporting authorities, who’ve made
the country a global power in sports such as gymnastics,
swimming, and volleyball.
China’s men are currently ranked 83rd by the
Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA),
one rung below Honduras. They’ve qualified for only one
World Cup, in 2002, when they were eliminated in the
group stage without scoring a goal.
The team’s poor performance is blamed on a history of
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A HOME RUN FOR CHARITY. Former New York Yankees slug-
ger Hideki Matsui hits a home run in front of his team players during a
home-run derby at a charity baseball game at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo.
Matsui went to bat for children affected by the 2011 earthquake and tsu-
nami and hit a home run. The 2009 World Series Most Valuable Player
teamed up with former Yankee star Derek Jeter to raise funds for the chil-
dren from Japan’s disaster-stricken northeastern regions. (AP Photo/Toru
Takahashi)
I got a chance to see sumo wrestling, and to top it off today
was this great charity event. I’m grateful Hideki invited
me and it’s all for a great cause.”
Fiji reclaims Hong Kong 7s title beating NZ 33-19 in final
HONG KONG (AP) — Fiji reclaimed the Hong Kong
Sevens rugby title when it routed defending champion
New Zealand 33-19 in the final.
Fiji blasted to a 21-0 lead in the first half, taking the
tension out of the 12th final matchup between the
tournament’s most successful sides.
Each time New Zealand rallied, Fiji had a reply, and
even denied New Zealand the last say when Fiji’s Vatemo
Ravouvou and Apisai Domolailai bundled out Rieko Ioane
just shy of the left corner flag.
“Tactically, we were really astute,” Fiji coach Ben Ryan
said. “I’m really pleased with the way they managed the
final.”
The win was Fiji’s third in four years in the Hong Kong
Sevens, and a record-extending 13th in the tournament it
prizes above all others.
Great support play set up Savenaca Rawaca for the
opening try, then Semi Kunitani stole ruck ball from New
Zealand and sent in Jerry Tuwai. New Zealand tried a
five-man attacking lineout, but then trying to back up the
sole player out wide ended up giving an intercept try to
Rawaca.
Beaudine Waaka’s try just before halftime put New
HONG KONG SEVENS. Fiji’s Jasa Veremalua, left, runs in to score
a try while Joe Webber of New Zealand attempts to tackle him during the
final match of the Hong Kong Sevens rugby tournament in Hong Kong.
(AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Zealand on the board, and Scott Curry’s immediately after
raised hope. But it was dampened by a try by Jasa
Veremalua for 28-12 with seven minutes to go.
Curry scored his second try after Sam Dickson took in
three defenders, but Ravouvou swept around the left and
Continued on page 13