Havelange Upstages World Cup ’98 : Soccer: FIFA president’s promise of 2006 tournament to South Africa is bigger surprise than the draw in Paris.
A power play Tuesday by FIFA President Joao Havelange all but upstaged the preliminary draw for the 1998 World Cup in France.
The draw to divide 172 countries into groups for qualifying play took place at the Louvre in Paris, providing more than a few surprises.
But it was Havelange’s out-of-the-blue comment that the 2006 World Cup will be played in South Africa that caused the most astonishment.
The remark, made to the French newspaper Le Monde, came despite the fact that the vote will not take place until 2000 and was a direct challenge to Lennart Johansson, president of UEFA, European soccer’s governing body.
Johansson, tired of Havelange’s increasingly autocratic reign, has said he will run for the FIFA presidency in 1998 to try to oust the Brazilian who has ruled world soccer for more than 20 years.
Havelange was to have retired after his current term but has indicated he might run again. Tuesday’s comment was a slap at Europe and a ploy to gain Africa’s support.
The World Cup has never been played in Africa, and while South Africa is a logical and not-unpopular choice, Germany is a candidate to stage the 2006 World Cup and had been seen as the front-runner.
World Cup 2002 will be awarded next year to either Japan or South Korea.
Meanwhile, the draw ceremony at the world’s most celebrated museum produced enough noteworthy matchups to keep fans debating the possibilities for several months. A few highlights:
--Bosnia-Herzogovina, Croatia and Slovenia, only now untangling themselves from a ruinous Balkan war, were drawn together in Europe’s Group 1, along with Denmark and Greece.
“The situation is a bit bizarre,” acknowledged Bosnian spokesman Faruk Hadzibegic. Added Croatia’s Brnko Miksa: “It does have symbolic significance. But this is great luck for us.”
--Former World Cup winners Italy and England were drawn together into Group 2, along with Poland, Georgia and Moldova.
“Italy will have to play at its best, otherwise we are done for,” said Coach Arrigo Sacchi, whose team lost the 1994 final to Brazil at the Rose Bowl.
Brazil, as champion, and France, as host, are automatic qualifiers. The 172 countries will be competing over the next two years for the remaining 30 spots in the 32-nation tournament, to be played June 10-July 12, 1998, in nine French cities.
--Three-time winner Germany, with only Portugal as a real threat in its group, already has taken on a swagger.
“The group is certainly winnable,” said Juergen Klinsmann, national team striker and 1990 World Cup winner. “We don’t have to fear anyone.”
--The United States will have to get past Costa Rica, which eliminated the American team in qualifying play for the 1986 World Cup, as well as either Guatemala or Nicaragua, and a Caribbean team to be determined.
Despite Costa Rica’s giant-killing acts in the 1990 World Cup in Italy, where it beat Scotland and Sweden in the opening round, it is not now the team it was then.
In fact, a 2-1 loss to El Salvador on Sunday ended the Costa Ricans’ hopes of a place in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, to be played in Southern California next month. Honduras would have been a much more difficult opponent.
U.S. Coach Steve Sampson, in Paris for the draw, said: “I feel confident with any match in CONCACAF.”
The United States begins qualifying play next fall. Three teams will qualify for France ’98 from the North and Central American and Caribbean (CONCACAF) region. Europe will have 15 teams in the finals, South America and Africa five apiece, Asia three or four and Oceania one or none.
Soccer Notes
Speaking in Paris, Hank Steinbrecher, U.S. Soccer’s executive director, said the financial squabble between the federation and nine leading members of the U.S. women’s national team is near to being settled. Because both sides have imposed a news blackout, Steinbrecher declined to elaborate. . . . Bobby Houghton, a former professional player in England and successful coach in England, Sweden, Greece, Saudi Arabia and the North American Soccer League, was named coach of Major League Soccer’s Colorado Rapids. . . . Diego Maradona was acquitted of drug-trafficking charges by a Rome court, which also ruled that there was insufficient evidence against Maradona’s former manager, Guillermo Coppola. The latter had been accused of shipping several pounds of cocaine from Argentina to Maradona when he played for Naples.
A second-half goal by Paulo Alves canceled out a first-half effort by Steve Stone as Portugal and England played to a 1-1 tie in a friendly at Wembley. . . . The Netherlands and Ireland face each other tonight in Liverpool, with the winner gaining the 16th and final place in Euro ’96. . . . South African national team midfielder Doctor Khumalo was the most prominent of 42 players added to the MLS roster Tuesday. Among the others were former U.S. national team players Ted Eck and Steve Trittschuh and former Jamaican and Venezuela national team players Altimont Butler and Roberto Cavallo.
* COMPLETE QUALIFYING DRAW: C7
