Tang Jiali among three candidates for Young Player Award

The world soccer body announced shortlists for FIFA Women's World Cup 2015 awards Thursday as 20-year-old Chinese midfielder Tang Jiali was one of three candidates for the "Young Player Award".

Tang had played 214 minutes in four matches at the WWC. Although she didn't score for China, she hit the crossbar with a stunning strike, just one of 10 shots she fired at the Netherlands' goal, which were more than the entire Dutch attempts.

"Tang played her role very well," China's manager Hao Wei commented. "She has the inner strength and we have high hopes for her."

China is the youngest of the 24 teams at the WWC with average age of 23.5. The team returned to a hero's welcome despite the quarter-final loss to the United States.

"Jiali Tang is one of the leading figures of a new generation that has reinvigorated the Steel Roses, who had not performed with such verve since their exploits at USA 1999, where they reached the final." FIFA said in its official website.

The Chinese star dreams to be a Chinese version of Marta Vieira da Silva. The other competitors for the award were Canadian Kadeisha Buchanan and Norway's Ada Hegerberg.

The list of candidates for the Golden Ball at the WWC includes Carli Lloyd, Megan Rapinoe and Julie Johnston, all of the United States, Japanese Aya Miyama and Saori Ariyoshi, France's Amandine Henry, Germany' s Celia Sasic and Lucy Bronze of England.

German Nadine Aangerer, Japanese Ayumi Kaihori and American Hope Solo are in the contention for the "Golden Glove" award as the best goalkeeper. Endi