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'Something special' Chile's hopes to end 104-year wait for Olympic gold
SYDNEY (Reuters) -- Chile's 104-year wait for Olympic gold could end this week if strikers Ivan Zamorano and Reinaldo Navia maintain the scoring form that has swept them into the soccer semifinals for the first time. Chile has won only six silver and two bronze medals since 1896 -- and none since a silver in shooting in 1988. Now the sharp-shooting in front of goal of Inter Milan's Zamorano and Navia of Santiago Wanderers, has made gold a real possibility. But Cameroon will have its own ideas about that when it meets the Chileans on Tuesday in front of an expected 75,000 crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Chile has scored 11 goals in four matches with Zamorano (4) and Navia (3) getting seven between them in wins over Morocco (4-1), Spain (3-1), and 1996 Olympic champion Nigeria (4-1). Their only slip was when they lost their final group match 1-0 to South Korea, although they still finished top of their group. Coach Nelson Acosta admitted before the tournament that he was worried his team lacked match practice after only one warm-up game. But Chile has been inspired by Zamorano -- and the support of around 30,000 expatriate Chileans in Melbourne who have turned the MCG into a home-from-home for the South Americans. "The country has been getting more and more excited about the prospect of an Olympic gold," said goalkeeper Nelson Tapia, one of the three over-age players in the side. "You must keep things in perspective and concentrate only on the next match, but of course, the thought you might be making Olympic history is in your mind." Cameroon, competing in the Olympics since 1964, has never won an Olympic gold medal either, and proved with an unlikely 2-1 golden goal win over hot favorite Brazil in the quarterfinals that it cannot be discounted. However, Cameroon will be without skipper Geremi Njitap and defender Aaron Nguimbat, who were both sent off against Brazil. Cameroon has won only two medals in the Olympics -- a boxing silver (1968) and a boxing bronze (1984) -- but believes it has the players to change that. The nucleus of the side won the African Nations Cup earlier this year and although some key players like Rigobert Song and Joseph Desire-Job are missing, coach Jean-Paul Akono has plenty of talent to choose from including Lauren (Arsenal), Samuel Eto'o (Real Madrid) and Patrick Mboma (Parma), who all played a major part in the victory over Brazil. And unlike Chile, Cameroon go into the semifinals unbeaten, after a first round win over Kuwait (3-2) and draws against the United States (1-1) and the Czech Republic (1-1). Carlos Kameni, the 16-year-old goalkeeper who starred on his debut in Cameroon's dramatic victory over Brazil, might not face Chile. Thought delighted with Kameni's saves, catching and awareness in the penalty area against stars such as Ronaldinho, Geovanni and Alex, Cameroon coach Akono hinted that he might recall the more experienced Daniel Bekono to face Ivan Zamorano and Reinaldo Navia. Spain closing in on second goldSpain, which wore down Italy by a single goal in a battle of attrition in Saturday's quarterfinal in Sydney, returns to the same venue for what should be a livelier match against the United States in the other semifinal. Spain's greatest Olympic soccer moment came when it beat Poland 3-2 to win the 1992 gold in Barcelona -- and coach Inaki Saez is optimistic his young team here can repeat that success. The side that beat Italy 1-0 included three players who won the World Under-20 championship 18 months ago -- defender Marchena (Benfica), and Barcelona teammates Xavi and goalscorer Gabri. Overall, Spain does look to have the class and experience to beat the Americans, who needed a penalty shootout victory to beat Japan on Saturday. The United States has done better than ever at these Games, reaching the semifinals for the first time in 12 attempts, thanks to their dramatic victory over Japan. The United States will be no pushover and in 18-year-old Landon Donovan of Bayer Leverkusen they have a potential world star. However -- discounting the penalty shootout victory over Japan -- the U.S. has drawn three of their four matches in the competition, only beating the all-amateur Kuwaiti team inside 90 minutes. Spain might be just a step too far for them now. Cameroon plans 'something special' for ChileMELBOURNE -- Cameroon planned "something special" to counter Chile's deadly attack in Tuesday's Olympic soccer semifinal, the African team's coach Jean-Paul Akono said on Monday. Chile has topped the competition scoring with 11 goals in four matches, led by Inter Milan's Ivan Zamorano (4) and Reinaldo Navia (3) who have scored seven between them. "We know they have two strikers, very quick, very fast for counter attacks and we have prepared something special for them," Akono told a news conference, suggesting changes in tactics and personnel. Akono said he had watched video of Chile that showed the paradox of a team which played defensively yet scored many goals. "I think Chile play defensive football and try to counter-attack. It is not positive football," he said. "It is not spectacular for the crowds to see." Akono promised Cameroon would come to the Melbourne Cricket Ground playing attacking football and hoping to win support from a crowd that has been dominated by Chile's vocal supporters during the South American team's three appearances at the ground. He was also philosophical about the absence of his captain and Nguimbat. "When we come to a competition like this we have 18 players so we have to manage all the situations, even this kind of bad situation where you lose a captain and a key player," he said. Cameroon goes into the semifinals unbeaten, after a first round win over Kuwait (3-2) and draws against the United States (1-1) and Czech Republic. With defending Olympic champion Nigeria knocked out by Chile on Saturday night, Cameroon have taken over as the soccer gold medal hope for Africa. "That is what we intend to do, win gold like Nigeria did four years ago," Akono said.
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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