The Chinese Olympic team and women's side face tough challenges this year as they fight for berths at the 2012 London Olympic Games.

The Olympic team, which lost to Japan 3-0 in its opening group match and then by the same margin again to South Korea in the round of 16 at last year's Asian Games on home soil, will play its Olympic qualifiers in June under 74-year-old coach Miroslav Blazevic, who took charge of the team last December.

The women's team, which for the first time failed to qualify for the World Cup in 2011 and finished a worst-ever fourth at last year's Asian Games, will attempt to bounce back and secure a ticket to the Olympics during September's qualification competitions.

After finishing third in a four-nation tournament held in Chongqing, the Chinese women will have another Olympic rehearsal at the Algarve Cup, which starts on March 2 in Portugal.

Known as the "second World Cup" of women's soccer, it will serve as a significant tune-up for head coach Li Xiaopeng.

(China Daily 02/15/2011 page23)