Mbeki asks Spain for easy ride<\/p>\n
ROME: South Africa's president has jokingly asked his Spanish
\ncounterpart to order the national soccer team to give South
\nAfrica an easy ride into the next round of the World Cup when
\nthey meet on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
In Rome to attend a World Food Summit, South African President
\nThabo Mbeki found himself sitting next to Prime Minister Jose
\nMaria Maria Aznar during one of the meetings.<\/p>\n
\"Spain was next to South Africa and Aznar turned to me and
\nsaid, 'You know we meet later this week?'\" Mbeki told Reuters
\nlate on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
\"I said, 'I know. And since you guys are already through,
\nisn't there any way you can ask your people to lose or at least
\ngive draw with us?'\" he jokingly related.<\/p>\n
He did not say what Aznar's reply was.<\/p>\n
South Africa take on Spain in their final group B clash later
\non Wednesday needing a draw to be sure of clinching a place in
\nthe knock-out stages of the World Cup.<\/p>\n
It is only South Africa's second appearance in the finals.
\nThey were knocked out at the group stage in France in 1998. --
\neuters<\/p>",
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