China face tough group in women's World Cup

Host China, which was seeded at the top of Group D, has been grouped with Brazil, Denmark and New Zealand.

"It is a tough draw, Denmark seem to be unbeatable recently in Europe while Brazil were the runners-up at the Olympic Games three years ago," said Domanski-Lyfors, newly appointed coach of the Chinese team.

"But I think we can make it to the semifinals if we work hard enough before the competition."

Domanski's appointment is aimed at ending a tumultuous periods for Chinese women's soccer, which saw the squad return from Europe last month in disgrace having lost six games in a row, including an embarrassing 4-1 loss to underdog Iceland during the annual Algarve Cup in Portugal.

And Domanski is sure to work under huge pressure when Chinese sport officials have set the squad a minimum target of a semifinal finish.

However, the enemies are ranked China as the main threat at the group stage.

"I was there to watch the all-star game yesterday and China played a fantastic match. They are skillful and technically strong. To beat them, we have a lot of work to do," said Kenneth Heiner-Muller, head coach of Denmark.

In spite of a run of six consecutive Women's World Cup defeats, the team have improved a lot in recent years, finishing second to the United States at the Algarve Cup final where they lost 2-0.

And New Zealand, who have never won a match in a FIFA women's event, also held a conservative view of the clash agaisnt China.

"We have played against China before, technically they are a best team and we hope we could find the way to beat them in September," said Maia Jackman, New Zealand's all-star player who played in the world stars game on Saturday.

The Women's World Cup, a flagship competition of women's football with sixteen teams competing in, will be played in the cities of Shanghai, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Tianjin and Wuhan from 10 to 30 September 2007.

Defending champions Germany are in Group A with Japan, England and Argentina while the United States, DPR. Korea, Sweden and Nigeria are drewn into Group B, dubbed the group of death. Norway are facing an easy draw alongside with Ghana, Australia and Canada in Group C.

The final draw, held at Wuhan's Guanggu Science and Technology Exhibition Centre, attracted more than 800 people, and fused Chinese culture and international style, featuring the bianzhong, a traditional Chinese percussion instrument also known as a bell set, as well as acrobats for which the city of Wuhan is renowned.

The official song of the FIFA Women's World Cup China 2007 was also performed live at the draw.