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Debut spoiled Costa Rica beats China 2-0, joins Brazil atop Group CPosted: Tuesday June 04, 2002 2:33 AMUpdated: Tuesday June 04, 2002 9:25 AM
GWANGJU, South Korea (AP) -- Ronald Gomez and Mauricio Wright scored second-half goals Tuesday as Costa Rica beat World Cup newcomer China 2-0 in the opening match for both teams. Gomez scored in the 61st minute and Wright added another four minutes later as the Costa Ricans grabbed three points to join Brazil atop Group C. (China's World Cup dream crushed by tiny Costa Rica) "It's always good to start the World Cup with a victory," Costa Rica coach Alexandre Guimaraes said. "We showed we can play well in all phases of the game." The Chinese showed discipline but little flair in their first-ever World Cup appearance. China -- the lowest ranked of all the teams in the finals at 57 -- is led by coach Bora Milutinovic, the Yugoslav national who coached five different teams in the tournament. Gomez, who plays professionally at Greece's OFI Crete, picked up a rebound outside the penalty box and flicked a shot over the head of goalkeeper Jiang Jin. Minutes later, Wright used an individual move to beat his defender. (Gomez upstages main strikers)
Gomez had a second opportunity near the end, but his shot was cleared off the line by a Chinese defender. "Bora told us we must be focused for 90 minutes, but we lapsed and received two goals," China captain Ma Mingyu said. "Costa Rica played well throughout the game while we oscillated." Despite the outcome, Milutinovic said he was encouraged by his team's performance. "My players put forth a tremendous effort," he said. "But it wasn't enough." The match at South Korea's Gwagnju stadium pitted Milutinovic against one of his former teams. He led Costa Rica to the World Cup and a second round appearance in Italy in 1990. p>China fielded a slightly more defensive lineup than expected with Milutinovic naming five defenders, drafting Xu Yunlong into the back line at the expense of midfielder Qi Hong, who has been nursing a slight injury. Costa Rica coach Alexandre Guimaraes opted for an attacking line-up, fielding strikers Rolando Fonseca and Ronald Gomez alongside the side's leading light, Paulo Wanchope.
Guimaraes was Costa Rica's captain under Milutinovic. Costa Rica returned to the World Cup after an impressive qualifying run in CONCACAF, finishing first, ahead of the United States and Mexico. In the other Group C match, four-time champion Brazil defeated Turkey 2-1 on Monday. China will next face Brazil, on Saturday, and Costa Rica take on Turkey the following day. Summary China 0 Costa Rica 2 - result World Cup, group C Scorers: Ronald Gomez 61, Mauricio Wright 65 Yellow cards: China - Li Tie 60, Xu Yunlong 72, Li Xiaopeng 90 Costa Rica - Luis Marin 15, Mauricio Solis 17, Ronald Gomez 79, Walter Centeno 85 Halftime: 0-0; Attendance: 27,217 Teams: China (5-3-2) - 22-Jiang Jin; 7-Sun Jihai (16-Qu Bo 26), 5-Fan Zhiyi (11-Yu Genwei 74), 14-Li Weifeng, 4-Wu Chengying, 21-Xu Yunlong; 18-Li Xiaopeng, 8-Li Tie, 9-Ma Mingyu; 10-Hao Haidong, 20-Yang Chen (12-Su Maozhen 66) Costa Rica (5-2-3) - 1-Erick Lonnis; 15-Harold Wallace (16-Steven Bryce 70), 3-Luis Marin, 4-Mauricio Wright, 5-Gilberto Martinez, 22-Carlos Castro; 8-Mauricio Solis, 10-Walter Centeno; 9-Paulo Wanchope (6-Wilmer Lopez 80); 11-Ronald Gomez, 7-Rolando Fonseca (17-Hernan Medford 57). Match referee: Kyros Vassaras (Greece) Linesmen: Carlos Matos (Portugal), Jaap Pool (Netherlands) Empty seats at China's debut gameThousands of Chinese fans cheered on their team in their World Cup debut against Costa Rica on Tuesday but large numbers of stadium seats were empty in another sign of the low-crowd problems dogging the tournament. Kwangju's stadium echoed to the sounds of drums and chants from Chinese fans in red T-shirts. Many of the blue seats in the 43,000-seat stadium, however, were empty and the crowd appeared smaller than at Spain's game against Slovenia in Kwangju on Sunday. The governments of co-hosts South Korea and Japan voiced frustration on Tuesday about the tens of thousands of empty seats which are spoiling the backdrop of soccer's most important stage. Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has ordered his sports minister to tackle world governing body FIFA over ticket muddles that have left blocks of seats empty while Japanese fans failed to get tickets. Korean World Cup organizers (KOWOC) said the Seoul government had expressed "deep concern" about the issue, adding that legal action was also being considered because of the problems. Thousands of fans gather for China's debut With red wigs, face paints, flags and drums, thousands of exuberant Chinese fans gathered on Tuesday to watch their nation make its long-awaited debut in the World Cup finals against Costa Rica. They came from all corners of China -- office workers, students, government officials, even fashion models -- in perhaps the largest gathering of Chinese sports fans outside their homeland in history. "China must win! Go China!" the supporters chanted as they unfurled flags and banners and queued up to have their cheeks painted with China's red flag in front of Kwangju stadium, watched by a small cluster of bemused Costa Rica fans. Until Tuesday, there was little sign of the hordes of Chinese fans expected in South Korea during the World Cup -- officials originally predicted 100,000 would come but later lowered their forecast to 30,000-40,000. That is still the largest contingent of foreign fans by far and enough to make nervous Chinese authorities screen all those going to South Korea for anyone likely to cause violence, protests, or migrate illegally to the co-host country. Expensive packages Most fans said they arrived on Monday night or Tuesday morning, the more thrifty taking day trips from China, while others joined expensive packages, including tickets for China's other two group C matches against Brazil and Turkey. "With so many fans here, China cannot possibly lose," said Zhang Quanhui, dressed in a traditional Chinese red silk jacket and beating a giant bass drum strapped to his chest. "It cost me an arm and a leg to come, but it is worth it," said Zhang, 38, a Chinese flag painted on his forehead. 'This is a milestone in China's soccer history." Zhang led a group of 32 members of a supporters' association from Taiyuan in the northern province of Shanxi, paying some 8,000 yuan (US$1,000) for a package including a return flight, accommodation and three tickets. Travel agents say most Chinese fans have bought packages ranging upwards from 5,000 yuan for one match and one night's accommodation -- a fortune in a country where the average urban income is $758 per year. Best coach Fans said they were hoping China coach Bora Milutinovic could conjure up a place in the second round, as he did when guiding opponents Costa Rica to the finals for the first time in 1990. "Milu is the best coach in the world and he knows everything about Costa Rica," said Gao Yanjun, one of a group of 40 fans from the western province of Sichuan, all dressed in Chinese strips with their faces painted red. "We are sure to win this time but I'm not sure about the next two matches." Another fan, clad in an orange silk suit, was seen carrying a bronze statuette of Milutinovic in the shape of the World Cup. Fans numbers were swollen by supports from Hong Kong, the former British colony that returned to Chinese rule in 1997, overseas Chinese, and students and workers living in South Korea. "Rise up! rise up! Go forward! Go Forward! Score, boys!" read a giant banner unfurled by supporters from Hong Kong. Most fans said they flew direct to Seoul from China on one of several extra flights that Chinese airlines have laid on to cope with the mass exodus of soccer fans. Other supporters took more extreme measures. The official Xinhua news agency said 185 fans from China's western province of Sichuan had chartered a Boeing 757 to fly them to Seoul. Another 200 fans arrived in South Korea on Sunday after crossing China on motorcycles, having started out in April, Xinhua said. Costa Rica fans said they were overwhelmed by the number of Chinese but would make their presence felt. "Sometimes 600 people can make themselves seem like more than 25,000," said Alex Lomez, a travel agent, who paid $4,500 and took a 23-hour flight to get to South Korea.
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. |
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