 |
| |
|
 |
 |
 |
Asian Roundup Officials optimistic of another World Cup berthPosted: Wednesday December 11, 2002 12:52 PMKUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) -- The Asian Football Confederation expressed optimism Wednesday that the continent would have a fifth guaranteed place at the 2006 World Cup finals. Confederation President Mohamed bin Hammam said Asian soccer officials had "lobbied sufficiently hard" for an additional automatic entry slot ahead of a FIFA vote on the issue in Madrid next week. FIFA is word soccer's governing body. "The feedback I have received from members of the FIFA Executive and the other confederations is very positive," Hammam said after a meeting of the Asian soccer body's executive committee in Kuala Lumpur. "They understand the reasons for our request." "I believe that Asia will be given due consideration with its request," Hammam said. "I am also confident that we have a strong case this time based on the performance of Japan and [South] Korea at the 2002 World Cup." AFC fines Pakistan, Yemen for over-aged playersKUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) -- Asian soccer's governing body has slapped fines and sanctions on Pakistan and Yemen for fielding over-aged players in a regional championship, a top official said Wednesday. Eight Pakistani players and four Yemenis selected for the Asian Football Confederation's under-17s competition in September were proven to be over-aged following x-ray examinations, said Confederation President Mohamed bin Hammam. The players were suspended for two years from their national teams, while the Pakistan and Yemeni Football Federations were each fined US$10,000 and barred from competing in the next under-17s tournament in 2004, Hammam said. The team managers of both sides also were suspended for two years. Hammam said the confederation would "not hesitate to come down harder the next time round on those who are caught cheating." "The fact of the matter is that the stern action we have been taking against cheating ... is showing results," Hammam said in a statement after a meeting of the confederation's top committee in Kuala Lumpur. "It is our belief that fewer teams are now resorting to fielding over-aged players." Saying the charges and the fine were a surprise, Pakistan said it would likely appeal. "So far we haven't heard anything. This is the first I have heard, but once we have received an official notification, we will likely appeal," Agha Liaqat Ali, secretary-general of the Pakistan Football Federation told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. "This is a total surprise to me. I don't think any of our players were [over-aged]," he said. Singapore defeats Philippines in final Tiger Cup warmupSINGAPORE (AP) -- Singapore defeated Philippines 2-0 in its final warm-up game Wednesday ahead of Southeast Asia's premier soccer tournament, which begins next week. The city-state, co-hosting the Tiger Cup tournament with Indonesia next week, scored through Croatian-born striker Mirko Grabovac in the 71st minute and Indra Sahdan Daud in the 92nd minute, just before the final whistle. Grabovac, one of three foreign-born players in the side, muscled out Philippine goalkeeper Edmundo Mercado Jr. right in front of goal before spinning around to toe-poke the ball in. The match was littered with fouls with Singapore wasting at least 20 clear chances on goal. Sahdan Daud capitalized on a defensive mix-up for the final goal. The Tiger Cup, which begins on Dec. 15, groups Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, and Laos in preliminary games here while Indonesia is in the other group with Vietnam, Myanmar, the Philippines and Cambodia. |
|
|||||||||
|
|||||||||||
