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CROATIA WANT ENGLAND
Croatia's World Cup squad are hoping to meet England in the second round. The Croatians made virtually certain of progressing from Group H by beating Japan on Saturday. But Argentina's 5-0 hammering of Jamaica means the European side are likely to face the winners of Group G, which will almost certainly be the victors of today's England-Romania match.
I'd prefer to play Romania myself, but my teammates all say they want to have a crack at England, said Everton defender Slaven Bilic. They have a great team and are one of the favourites for this tournament. They would be favourites against us, too, but we wouldn't be afraid of them. If we could slow England down then we would have a real chance. If we allowed them to play at pace we would be finished. The way we are playing, though, we could go into the game with confidence.
Bilic said Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes was the England player who had impressed him most in last week's opening win over Tunisia, but added: Look at their whole team. Alan Shearer. Michael Owen. Phew!
IRANIANS' BORDER BAN
French officials turned back 1000 Iranian fans at their German and Belgian borders this weekend ahead of last night's USA v Iran match in Lyon because they were a threat to public order. The Interior Ministry said the Iranians, who had come from Germany, Austria, Denmark and Sweden, were linked to the exiled Mujahideen opposition group. Most of them admitted they didn't have hotel reservations in Lyon or tickets for the game.
The exiled National Council for Iranian Resistance, based in France, criticised the action, which came after FIFA president Sepp Blatter said he had received anonymous threats of disruption from Iranian exiles. The Council, which is associated with an Iraq-based military wing, denied it planned to cause trouble and claimed the threats Blatter referred to were fakes sent out by the Iranian authorities to create problems for their political opponents based abroad.
ROMARIO'S SO BLUE
Discarded Brazil striker Romario is so depressed at missing out on France 98 that he is taking valium and his behaviour is causing concern among his friends in Rio de Janeiro. He can't relax and he can't sleep, said his trainer and long-time friend Mauricio dos Santos. Romario was dropped from the champions' squad because of a minor calf injury but believes he should have been kept around as he is now fully fit. Knowing that he is fit just makes him more depressed, said the player's physio, Nilton Petrone. It is eating him up.
SCOTS' TRIKI TEST
Morocco midfielder Smahi Triki is convinced Scotland will be going home too soon. Norway, Morocco and the Scots all go into Tuesday's final round of games in Group A with a chance of joining Brazil in the knockout stages and Triki is convinced his North African side can get the result they need against Scotland.
"We are not scared of anyone, and that includes Scotland, he said. We respect them, but this is the World Cup. When you get to this level you cannot afford to be frightened of anyone. Three teams are going for one place, and we believe we can come out with that place. This is our World Cup final, and we know what to do."
MEXICAN HEATWAVE
About 100 fans were treated for heatstroke during Saturday's scorchingly hot Belgium-Mexico match in Bordeaux. A 57-year-old Belgian and 19-year-old Mexican were taken to hospital, but the others were able to return home or to their hotels after being seen by medical staff at the stadium.
GODWIN HUNTING KOP MOVE
Nigeria defender Godwin Okpara wants to play in the Premiership for Liverpool or Arsenal. The 25-year-old wants to leave Strasbourg because of a row with the club over a six figure loyalty bonus. Everything is now very clear to me, he said. I want to play in England next season - at Liverpool or Arsenal. If this drags on, it's not my fault, but Strasbourg's, because they're demanding the crazy amount of �4.5m, which is �1.5m too much. Okpara's wife even claims that Liverpool have already agreed terms with her hubbie.
TO HAVE AND TO HOLDING ROLE
Norwegian Oivind Ekeland will marry Brazilian Rosangela de Souza on the pitch at Marseille's Stade Velodrome on Tuesday, an hour before their two countries play in the World Cup. FIFA spokesman Keith Cooper admitted world football's governing body originally rejected the couple's request but admitted: We always talk about football bringing people together in a spirit of love, friendship and fraternity so we thought: �Why on earth are we saying �No'?
ITALY'S FAN PLEA
Italy's stars have called on their supporters to join them in France. Italian fans were easily outnumbered by Chileans in the first group match in Bordeaux and were outsung by a combination of Cameroon and neutral fans at the next game in Montpellier.
To be honest, I've been disappointed. I expected more of a party atmosphere, said winger Francesco Moriero. Italians have got used to watching football on TV but it would be nice to have more support here. The Chilean fans were fantastic, they totally outnumbered us, even though they had to travel much further than our fans did.
Captain Paolo Maldini predicted that there would be more fans once the team gets beyond the first round. We were a little disappointed at the first match but I think the fans were there at the second game, he said. There'll be more fans the further we go in the tournament.
MALDINI believes Italy can go all the way despite their rocky start. If we play like we know we can play, then there's no goal we can't achieve, he said. We just need to show we've got the conviction, because in terms of technique and condition our players are just extraordinary.
BAFANA BAD BOYS KICKED OUT
South Africa midfielders Brendan Augustine and Naughty Mokoena have been kicked out of the squad after going nightclubbing until dawn. Augustine, who had started both matches so far, and reserve Mokoena will miss the rest of their country's first World Cup Finals for staying out until 5am yesterday in Vichy.
South African FA president Molefi Oliphant said: ''They've been suspended. They won't be part of the team for the duration of the World Cup.'' The two players were in violation of a team curfew and when confronted, admitted their mistake. But Oliphant stressed: ''We said it's not a mistake, it's defiance.''
Coach Philippe Troussier had reached the end of his tether with the pair and said: ''It is the second time these players have done this and I cannot accept it. They have a responsibility to the team and the country, and they have to respect that. I cannot accept that they break the rules.''
SOUTH AFRICA winger Alfred Phiri has revealed he thought his teammates were winding him up when they said he'd been banned for three games after his sending off against Denmark on Thursday.
The 23-year-old insisted: At first I thought they were joking. I did nothing to the player. I never even touched him. He just fell over. This is the worst thing that has ever happened to me.
HRISTO TAUNTS SPAIN
Bulgaria's former Barcelona striker Hristo Stoichkov has started to taunt under-pressure Spain ahead of Wednesday's do-or-die meeting in Lens. Nigeria have already won the group after beating both Spain and Bulgaria, leaving the European sides scrapping for second spot.
The Spanish think they are the best and have underestimated their opponents, Stoichkov claimed. Superiority has to be shown on the field.
DESPERATE DAN
Belgium's midfield playmaker Danny Boffin is out of their must-win final Group E game against South Korea on Thursday. The 32-year-old Metz playmaker was carried off after hurting his left knee during Saturday's 2-2 draw with Mexico and might need surgery. Coach George Leekens faces a further selection headache because Gert Verheyen, who came on for Boffin against Mexico, was later sent off and will be serving his suspension against the Koreans.
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BUM'S RUSH FOR
KOREAN COACH
But Bergkamp Is
Full Of Confidence
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SOUTH KOREA coach Cha Bum-Kun was sacked yesterday, just hours after his team were humiliated 5-0 by Holland, ending their hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages of France 98.
"I did my best, but the results were very poor,'' said Cha, whose team also lost to Mexico 3-1 in their opening match. ''I must agree with the Korean FA technical committee decision. Someone must take the blame."
The proud Asian nation were even more furious that they took a hammering from European opposition on the same day that their traditional rivals Japan, their co-hosts for the 2002 finals, were able to limit Croatia to a 1-0 win. 365 understands that Korean FA officials felt that Cha mismanaged his players ahead of the opening Group E match with Mexico. They were also concerned about his intention to field young players for the Belgium match to prepare for 2002.
Cho Chung Yun, general secretary of the Korean FA, said: "Someone had to take responsibility and Cha agreed that he was the man to shoulder the burden. He said his departure was the best way for the team to move on from the defeat."
The 45-year-old, who joined Saudi Arabia's Carlos Alberto Parreira as coaches fired during the finals, was informed of the decision yesterday morning. His assistant, Kim Pyong-Sok, will call the shots for their remaining game, against Belgium on Thursday, but isn't a genuine contender to get the job full-time.
"This was all very sad, but Cha told me to do the best I can and the players are 100% behind me. We're determined to do our best against Belgium. For one reason or another we've not shown our best yet in France,'' Kim said.
Cha scored 98 goals in 308 games as a left-sided striker with Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen - still a record for a foreigner in the Bundesliga - and represented his country at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. He took over as coach of the national team at the start of last year and guided them to France in style, winning both of their qualifying groups.
The Koreans might have been hanging their heads over the loss, but the Marseille massacre has convinced Holland they can challenge for the world championship. Dennis Bergkamp, who marked his comeback from a pulled hamstring with the third goal, said his team has already overcome the main obstacle to glory by healing the rift that wrecked their chances at Euro 96.
The team spirit is very good, said the Arsenal striker. That's what cost us two years ago and that's normally our main opponent. That was a good game for us and this is how we should play, he said. Philip Cocu and Marc Overmars made it 2-0 at halftime and Bergkamp, Ronald De Boer and Pierre Van Hooijdonk struck in the second half to put the Dutch top of the group on goal difference.
Bergkamp, who is now just two behind the 35 goals Holland's record scorer Faas Wilks netted in the 1950s, believes he needed Saturday night's game to finally shake off the ring rust which had collected during seven weeks of inactivity. And he insisted: ''I can do much better than this. We created a lot of half chances as well as scoring five goals but you have got to finish them all if you can. I have to look at myself and say I could have had two or three. But the hamstring is OK now. I feel good and ready for the next one. And the great thing is that, as a team, we are sure we can grow into the competition.
Central defender Jaap Stam, who is joining Manchester United next season, said: We had to keep the speed of the game very high, by doing that we knew we were going to make chances. We had them and put them away, it could have been more. We want to finish top of Group E because it is important to establish yourself as one of the top teams and send a warning to the others.
Now the Dutch face Mexico to decide the group winners, and they know it will be a much tougher match than Saturday's stroll. Stam warned: ''The Mexicans are dangerous because they have so much experience in the World Cup and have already shown they have great spirit with two great fight backs in their previous games." Asked if Holland can be champions, he said: ''I think so. We have the quality to go very far but you need a bit of luck and for everybody to stay fit.
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News 9 
