BIERHOFF CHALLENGES RONALDO GERMAN striker Oliver Bierhoff has told Ronaldo he will outscore him at the World Cup having done the same to him in Serie A last season. Bierhoff, who hit 27 goals in Italy for Udinese beat the Brazilian World Player of the Year, who plays for Inter Milan, by two goals. And Bierhoff, who netted both goals in the final of Euro 96 to beat the Czech Republic, is confident of doing the double over Ronaldo before joining AC Milan for �8million in July. He said: I've always looked for a rival as a point of reference, ever since I was a boy. It gave me the motivation I needed to get going. Perhaps I'll be able to beat Ronaldo again - at the World Cup as well as in the league." But while all is rosy in the German squad, there is still some concern among the Brazilians. And the focus of that concern is Romario. The 32-year-old striker has played down rumours that he could miss the finals through injury, but has admitted he will not be completely fit when they play the opening match, against Scotland in eight days' time. He has been out of action for almost a month since injuring himself in a Brazilian league game, but even though he has been unable to train with his team-mates in the last three weeks ago, he has told Zagallo he will be ready to play. I have faith in God that I will be available for the coach to pick me if he wants although I can't guarantee that I will be one 100% match fit . I'm virtually cured. I'm not feeling pain any more. The thought of missing the World Cup has never entered my head. BRESCIA KEEN ON GORAM World Cup walk-out keeper Andy Goram could carry on walking - all the way to Italy. The out-of-contract Rangers star is wanted by Serie B side Brescia, who have been hot on 34-year-old Goram's trail since new Ibrox boss Dick Advocaat made it clear he was not part of his Rangers revolution, and they have already held preliminary talks with his agent, Catherine Robertson. She is now set for further discussion with the club and said: "I am going out to Italy to have talks with Brescia. At this stage I don't know if Andy will be in on them as well. But we have already talked briefly with them about personal terms and I will have more in-depth discussions when I meet them." Goram hit the headlines after his sudden departure from the Scotland camp in America last week amid allegations of an affair with a Celtic executive, but Robertson denied his actions had put clubs off signing him. She said: "The interest in Andy is still the same, even after the stories. He is still a wanted footballer." STRIKE FOILS FIFA'S FLIGHTS FIFA officials were left grounded by a pilots' strike on Monday. A large delegation of officials from the Zurich headquarters of world soccer's governing body were due to fly to Paris on Air France, but their travel plans were hit as Air France pilots began a strike that may disrupt the 33-day tournament. Airport sources reported that between 75 and 90% of the airline's scheduled flights were cancelled, although foreign flights into France were not affected. The FIFA officials were transferred to other airlines. SAVO MAKES WORLD CUP SQUAD YUGOSLAVIA coach Slobodan Santrac yesterday included former Aston Villa striker Savo Milosevic and ex-Sheffield Wednesday forward Darko Kovacevic in his 22-man squad for the World Cup finals. Full squad: Goalkeepers: Ivica Kralj (Partizan Belgrade), Dragoje Lekovic (Sporting Gijon); Defenders: Zoran Mirkovic (Juventus), Goran Djorovic (Celta Vigo), Miroslav Djukic (Valencia), Sinisa Mihajlovic (Sampdoria), Nisa Saveljic (Bordeaux), Slobodan Komljenovic (MSV Duisburg), Zeljko Petrovic (Urava); Midfielders: Dragan Stojkovic (Grampus Eight), Dejan Savicevic (AC Milan), Slavisa Jokanovic (Tenerife), Dejan Govedarica (Lecce), Vladimir Jugovic (Lazio), Branko Brnovic (Espanyol), Dejan Stankovic (Crvena Zvezda Belgrade), Ljubinko Drulovic (Porto), Miroslav Stevic (TSV Munich 1860); Forwards: Strikers: Predrag Mijatovic (Real Madrid), Savo Milosevic (Real Zaragoza), Darko Kovacevic (Real Sociedad), Perica Ognjenovic (Crvena Zvezda). RAUL WORRY FOR SPAIN REAL MADRID striker Raul has been hit by a recurrence of a long-standing groin injury. It's another blow for manager Javier Clemente after veteran goalkeeper Andoni Zubizaretta strained a leg muscle during a training session. The Spanish golden boy has played with the injury for most of this season, but it's unlikely to threaten his place at the finals in France. Indeed, Clemente is set to play him against Northern Ireland in Spain's final warm-up match tomorrow in Santander, although that could backfire if the injury flares up again. Zubizaretta, though, almost won't play against as he tries to regain full fitness in time for the World Cup kick-off. SAUDI STOPPER REWARDED Mohammed Al-Daeya, the Saudi Arabia goalkeeper who helped defy England at Wembley 10 days ago, leads coach Carlos Alberto Parreira's final 22 for France. Full squad: Goalkeepers: Mohammed Al-Daeya (al-Tae), Hussein Sadoq (Qadissiya), Taysir al-Natif (al-Nasr); Defenders: Mohammed Chliya (al-Ahli), Ahmed Doukhi (al-Hilal), Mohammed Khlaiwi (al-Ittihad), Ahmed Jamil (al-Ittihad), Abdallah Souleiman (al- Ahli), Hussein Abdel Ghani (al-Ahli), Abdel Aziz al-Janoubi (al-Nasr); Midfielders: Fouad Anwar (al-Chabaab), Khamis al-Ouairan (al-Hilal), Ibrahim Mater (al-Nasr), Khaled Messaed (al-Ahli), Hamza Saleh (al-Ahli); Forwards: Nawaf al-Timiyat (al-Hilal), Sami al-Jaber (al-Hilal), Fahd al- Mhallel (al-Chabaab), Youssef Thounayan (al-Hilal), Sayed al-Owairan (al- Chabaab), Oubeid al-Doussari (al-Wehda), Ibrahim Soueid (al-Ahli). 'WE'VE GOT NO CHANCE' ADMITS USA SUPREMO USA football federation president Alan Rothenberg has admitted his country have no hope in the World Cup and fears they might win only one match. "The goal is to make the second round," he said. "Realistically, I don't expect to achieve that goal. We're in a very tough group. Against teams like Yugoslavia and Germany, you have to be realistic. NAKED TRUTH WILL EMERGE ABOUT ITALY Nude pictures of Italy's World Cup squad are expected to appear in the country's tabloid news magazines over the coming weeks. The squad were caught unawares by a paparazzi photographer after a training session on Sunday. He made it to a glass door which looked onto the changing rooms where the players were showering and changing. Midfielder Angelo Di Livio was the first to raise the alarm, telling the photographer in no uncertain terms where to go, quickly followed by a completely nude skipper Paolo Maldini. However, the snapper was quicker off the mark than the Italian team minders and was able to make a speedy getaway. Now the team are wondering which of Italy's many lurid weekly magazines is going to print the pictures.

WORLD CUP WARM-UPS: TUNISIA FIRE WARNING TO ENGLAND   CHILE 3 TUNISIA 2 England's first World Cup opponents Tunisia sent out a warning to Glenn Hoddle's men on Sunday night by twice taking the lead against Chile. The predicted Group G whipping boys, who face a Paul Gascoigne-free England on 15 June in Marseille, bounced back from a lacklustre 2-0 defeat against Austria last week in which they failed to get a shot on target. Sami Trabelsi gave Tunisia the lead early in the second half against the South Americans, who beat 2-0 England at Wembley in February. But former Manchester United target Marcelo Salas, who scored both goals in that game, put Chile level. A lapse in the Chile defence on 67 minutes let in Tunisia's star player Adel Sellimi and they held the lead until five minutes before the end, when Jose Luis Sierra equalised. Inter Milan's Ivan Zamorano then hit a last-minute winner to spare Chilean blushes. BRAZIL 1 ATHLETICO BILBAO 1 The holders looked hugely unimpressive in their penultimate friendly before meeting Scotland on 10 June. Brazil created little, although they did have a 10th minute strike by Giovanni disallowed for offside. Bilbao went ahead on 20 minutes when Claudio Taffarel palmed Javi Gonzalez's free kick straight to Carlos Garcia, who converted from six yards. Ronaldo then missed an excellent opportunity before Rivaldo equalised three minutes into the second half, latching on to a through ball from Giovanni and finishing coolly past keeper Juan Jose Valencia. Admitted Ronaldo: "Athletic defended well. It was difficult to get past them." JAMAICA 1 CARIBBEAN ALL-STARS 2 Aston Villa's Dwight Yorke hit two goals in three minutes as Jamaica's dismal World Cup preparations continued. Chelsea's Frank Sinclair hit a brilliant opener for the Reggae Boyz after an intelligent through ball by Portsmouth's Paul Hall. But then Yorke converted crosses from David Nakhid on 52 minutes and Jerren Nixon on 65 to stun Jamaican fans in New York's Giants Stadium. CAMEROON 2 LUXEMBOURG 0 Italia 90 World Cup hero Francois Omam-Biyik repaid new coach Claude Le Roy's faith in recalling him. The man who scored the famous goal which beat Argentina in the opening game eight years ago hit a first-half opener, but Cameroon failed to score again until 18 minutes from the end, when sub Alphonse Tchami fired home. Mexico beat Japan 2-1 in Sunday's other friendly.

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