Carson, CA (My Sportsbook) - China, the 1999 FIFA's Women World Cup runner-up, and Ghana, a team that tallied just one point in their first Cup appearance, face off Sunday night at the Home Depot Center in the weekend's final first round match-up.

China must be careful not to overlook a very well-balanced Ghana club. The U.S. beat the Chinese in the 1999 final and knocked them out of the 1995 competition. Clearly China is seeking redemption.

China's front line features the wily Sun Wen and Bai Jie. Both have the ability to turn around a game with their prolific goal-scoring.

Ghana finished second at the African Championships, but it was good enough for them to qualify for USA 2003. Midfielder Alberta Sackey was named Africa's women's soccer player of the year and is the club's best scoring option.

Elizabeth Baidu and Nana Amma can also put the ball in the net for Ghana, but goalkeeper Memunatu Sulemma may hold the key to the country's success. Ghana was outscored 10-1 in the 1999 tournament, and improved play from the 'keeper is a must for the team to advance to the quarterfinals.

Unfortunately for Sulemma, Wen and Jie aren't China's only scoring options. Zhao Lihong and Pu Wei can score from the midfield, while Fan Yunjie can come up from her position in the back to provide another offensive threat.

The pressure in this game falls squarely on China's shoulders as they realize they are capable of beating the powerful U.S. The original hosts of this tournament until the SARS epidemic, China may be able to avoid such pressures on U.S. soil. But first, they've got to get through Ghana.