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Club World Championship Details
Posted: Tuesday January 04, 2000 09:07 AM ATLANTA (CNN/SI) -- Manchester United travels to Brazil for the inaugural FIFA Club World Championship looking to pick up a fifth major trophy in less than a year's time. United is placed in Group B of the eight-team tournament with Mexico's Necaxa, Australia's South Melbourne and host squad Vasco da Gama. All Group B matches are played in Rio. Group A plays in Sao Paulo and features Real Madrid, Africa's Raja Casablanca, Saudi Arabia's Al-Nassr and home club Corinthians. Real Madrid and Al-Nassr open the tournament on Wednesday. The two group winners square off in the final on Jan. 14. The winner takes home US$6 million, with the rest of the teams splitting an additional US$22 million.
Group A Al-Nassr (Saudi Arabia) Path to Brazil 2000: 1998 Asian Super Cup winner Prospects: Poor. The Saudis -- despite coming from a nation where the game is bankrolled by wealthy sheikhs -- are without world-class talent, with just a single Saudi international, Ibrahim Mater. Raja faces a battle to avoid late place with Morocco's Raja Casablanca. Al-Nassr won the 1998 Asian Super Cup behind Bulgarian star Hristo Stoichkov, who had signed a temporary contract; the team was replaced as Asian champ in 1999 by Japan's Jubilo Iwata. Raja lost to Vasco 4-1 in a pre-tournament friendly. Keep an eye on: Moroccan forward Ahmad Bahja Coach: Milan Zivadinovic
Corinthians (Brazil) Path to Brazil 2000: national champion of host nation Brazil in 1998 Prospects: Strong. Corinthians has won two-straight league titles after facing relegation two years ago. The Sao Paulo club's strong point is its attack, with one of the continent's best crews -- Edilson, Marcelinho and Luizao. Real Madrid's primary competition in the race for the final, the club must hope that the home-field advantage at Sao Paulo's Morumbi stadium can overcome defensive weakness. Keep an eye on: Colombian captain Freddy Rincon, a World Cup-veteran who once played at Real Madrid Coach: Oswaldo de Oliveira
Raja Casablanca (Morocco) Path to Brazil 2000: African Champions League winner in 1999 Prospects: Not good. Raja advanced to the tournament last month by upsetting Tunisia's Esperance on penalty kicks after a scoreless, two-leg African Champions League final -- its second African championship in three years. With Morocco's World Cup '98 goalkeeper Mustapha Chadli, the unseasoned but sometimes crafty club should be favored to finish ahead of Al-Nassr. Keep an eye on: Captain Abdellatif Jrindrou Coach: Oscar-Luis Fullone
Real Madrid (Spain) Path to Brazil 2000: Intercontinental (Toyota) Cup winners in 1998 Prospects: In the running. One of the most successful clubs of all-time, Real has suffered throughh a year far below its usual form. Welshman John Toshack was fired as coach, while expensive signing Nicolas Anelka has only recently shown any promise since joining from Arsenal. After allowing the second-highest goal total in the Spanish league, Real will rely on its attack if it hopes to make the final. The club expects to be without striker Fernando Morientes at least for the opener; he will likely be replaced in the lineup by Anelka. Keep an eye on: Forward Raul Coach: Vicente del Bosque
Group B Manchester United (England) Path to Brazil 2000: Champions League winner in 1999 Prospects: The favorite, after a 1999 that saw the club take the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup and Intercontinental Cup. Accustomed to the English winter, the team could suffer in the heat of the South American summer. Man United will be without injured attacker Paul Scholes, but there is plenty of firepower to make up for his absence, with Ryan Giggs and David Beckham running the flanks and Dwight Yorke scoring up top with Andy Cole. Keep an eye on: Leading scorer Cole Coach: Sir Alex Ferguson
Necaxa (Mexico) Path to Brazil 2000: CONCACAF Champions Cup winner in 1999 Prospects: Less than fair. The biggest fish in one of world soccer's small ponds, Mexico has been unable to translate its dominance of CONCACAF into greater success on the world stage. Necaxa is the strongest of the four sides not hailing from South America or Europe, and could offer some surprises. The well-organized squad could be dangerous on the counter-attack. Keep an eye on: Ecuadoran midfielder Alex Aguinaga Coach: Raul Arias
South Melbourne (Australia) Path to Brazil 2000: Oceania Club Champions in 1999 Prospects: Nil. The club's participation could help raise the profile of soccer in Australia, where the sport was long absent from the mainstream. However, the club -- with ties to the city's Greek community -- will have to rely on extraordinary effort to achieve any success in the tournament. The club's form has suffered somewhat since it began its title defense in October. Keep an eye on: Forward Paul Trimboli Coach: Angelos Postekos
Vasco da Gama (Brazil) Path to Brazil 2000: Copa Libertadores winners in 1998 Prospects: A legitimate contender. Vasco has recently been hailed as Brazil's latest "super team." It signed former Brazil and Barcelona forward Romario, who will partner with the tempermental but talented Edmundo; the two share an adversarial past. World Cup veterans Jorginho and Junior Baiano also joined. However, the team could exposed in the defense, which is anchored by 38-year-old captain Mauro Galvao. The club hopes Edmundo recovers from injury in time for the opener. Vasco was beaten by Real Madrid in the 1998 Intercontinental Cup. Keep an eye on: Newly signed forward Romario Coach: Antonio Lopes
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