WUHAN - Song Xiaoli scored the winning goal with less than two minutes left in regulation, lifting China to a 3-2 win over Denmark in its World Cup opener Wednesday in Group D.
Song, who came off bench in the 58th minute, sealed a game that saw two pairs of back-to-back goals. Her soaring, long-range shot sent Danish players crumpling to the ground in anguish, just seconds after they had pulled even on Cathrine Paaske Sorensen's header.
The win heightens the home crowd's expectations ahead of China's upcoming game against Brazil, which is favored to win Group D.
Brazil beat an overmatched New Zealand 5-0 earlier Wednesday in the other group game.
China struck first in the 30th on a free kick after Bi Yan was tripped up at the top of the box. Denmark keeper Heidi Johansen was not able to see Li Jie's shot through the wall and couldn't react until the ball was in the net.
Bi made it 2-0 in the 50th, firing off a long shot on the run. But the widening margin distracted the Chinese players, and they allowed Denmark to answer just one minute later when Anne Dot Eggers Nielsen drilled in a header off a corner kick.
By spreading the ball onto the sides of the field, the No. 6-ranked Danes kept the Chinese on the run. They were in possession of the ball more than half the time, 54 percent, but were outshot 16-11.
Despite the win, the game revealed weaknesses in China's offense. Striker Han Duan created several plays using her speed and some crowd-pleasing fakes and backheel passes, but her 19-year-old counterpart Ma Xiaoxu was a disappointment.
In the second half the hyped "Hanma" duo (Hanma means "Humvee" in Chinese) played a sloppy game, frequently losing the ball to Danish players and showing bad judgment.
China was once one of the world's top teams but has slipped to No. 11. following four consecutive losses at this year's Algarve Cup, the "Steel Roses" turned to a foreign coach for the first time, hiring Marika Domanski-Lyfors from Sweden.
The home crowd of 50,800 cheered and sang tirelessly throughout the match, accompanied by drums, cymbals and horns. At one end, fans passed around a giant replica of the Chinese jersey, and it fluttered from one side of the section to the other.
The Danes have beaten China only once, back in 2001.