1978 World Women's Soccer Championship

From Oct. 7 to 22, Taipei played host to 12 foreign soccer teams taking part in the 1978 World Women's championship. Participating teams came from Denmark, Switzerland, Australia, the United States, Austria, Sweden, France, Finland, Polynesia, Thailand, Canada and England, to join the host Republic of China. With the exception of the U.S., all the teams were from countries with which the Republic of China has no diplomatic relations. The fact that such a tournament could be held in Taipei was regarded as a triumph for the Republic of China Soccer Association. The bad weather which plagued the games right from the start failed to detract from the enthusiasm of the competitors or the capacity crowds which watched the opening few encounters. The arrival of typhoon Ora on Oct. 12, however, put a temporary stop to the competition. But the players were not at a loss for things to do. A flood of invitations poured in, allowing participants to see such wonders as the treasures at the National Palace Museum or a performance of Chinese opera. When the games resumed on Oct. 14, the teams were in top form, and unperturbed by the thick mud which covered the pitch at the Taipei City Stadium. By the end of each game, it was usually impossible to distinguish which player belonged to which team, so thoroughly covered was everyone by the mire. But enthusiastic spectators who braved the strong winds and rain were treated to a display of exciting soccer of the highest caliber. And they responded by cheering the competitors, no matter what team they belonged to. Throughout the preliminary round, the top-seeded French team consistently drew applause for skillful footwork and teamwork. The less experienced but plucky U.S. team also won praise for its never-say-die approach. For the final games, the teams were divided into two groups, with the top ones playing in Taipei and those at the bottom in Taichung. As the tournament drew to a close, excitement grew as all the teams vied for the lead, which changed hands constantly. Surprise followed surprise as the U.S. team from Texas showed the Alamo spirit in defeating the Republic of China 2-0, and the ROC team in turn held Finland, second only to France in the rankings, to 0-0 draw. The needle game was the final one between France and the Republic of China. If the French team triumphed, it would win the trophy outright; a defeat would rob it of the title. A victory for the ROC would give it a chance to share first place. The atmosphere was electric with tension as both teams pushed attacks but were unable to score. With less than 30 seconds to go, the Chinese team was in an excellent position, but a brilliant save by French goalkeeper Marie-Louise Butzig ended the game, with the result a scoreless draw. The crowd went wild as Butzig fell to the ground, clutching the ball in relief. The gold cup for first place went jointly to France and Finland, the second place silver cup to the Republic of China.