Football world mourns Zhang

– Football communities in the US and China were yesterday mourning the death of former Chinese international Zhang Ouying who had been fighting cancer. She was 43.

Zhang came agonisingly close with China to winning the 1999 World Cup final, arguably the country’s greatest footballing moment. She scored during the penalty shootout won 5-4 by hosts United States.

Zhang played in two other World Cups and two Olympics. After retiring as a player she became a youth coach in San Diego, California, where she is survived by her American husband and two young children.

She was diagnosed earlier this year with cancer in both lungs. –

Shanghai