Hiddink, Troussier invited to party with Kim, Koizumi: report
Hiddink, Troussier invited to party with Kim, Koizumi: report
TOKYO: Japan's premier has invited South Korean soccer coach
Guus Hiddink and Japan coach Philippe Troussier to a dinner party
in honor of South Korean President Kim Dae-jung on Monday, a
report said.
"As I understand, coach Hiddink was invited along with Chung
Mong-joon and Lee Yun-yaek, co-chairmen of the Korean World Cup
organizing committee," a South Korean government source told
Yonhap-Kyodo news Sunday.
"Japan's World Cup organizing committee chairman Shoh Nasu and
outgoing Japan coach Philippe Troussier also received (an)
invitation," the source was quoted as saying.
Also attending the match are Japan's Emperor Akihito and
Empress Michiko, Germany's Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and
President Johannes Rau, and Jordan's King Abdullah II, who is
also on a three-day visit to Japan. -- AFP
;AFP;
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Extra-Belgia-fairplay
Belgium win World Cup Fair Play award
JP/12/EXTRA
Belgium win World Cup Fair Play award
YOKOHAMA, Japan: Belgium has won the award for the World Cup's
fairest team, FIFA announced on Sunday.
Belgium was beaten by Brazil in the second round of the
tournament but was awarded the Fair Play Award after picking up
relatively few yellow cards and making sporting gestures during
its four matches.
The Belgians will receive a trophy and a US$50,000 prize to be
used on sporting equipment for youth team development.
Only Brazil has won the award three times since its inception
in 1978, taking home the prize in 1982, 1986 and 1994.
Argentina is the only host nation ever to have claimed the
prize, in 1978, and England has won the prize twice, once in 1990
and then shared the honor with France in 1998. -- AFP
;REUTERS;
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Extra-Korea-Navy
South Korean navy dead had wished team well
JP/12/EXTRA
S.Korean navy dead had wished team well
SEOUL: The crew of a frigate sunk in a battle with North
Korea's navy were filmed two weeks ago cheering South Korea in a
World Cup match against Portugal.
Four South Korean sailors, including the captain, were killed
in the battle, which took place off the west coast in disputed
waters just hours before South Korea's 3-2 third-place play-off
defeat against Turkey in Taegu.
"Like we in the navy have done our best to prepare for (the
security of) this World Cup, I think our players will do their
best at their last game today," Yoon Young-ha, the commander of
the 125-tonne frigate, said in comments broadcast on June 14.
Two weeks ago, the ship's crew were shown cheering as they
watched the co-hosts on a widescreen television set up on deck.--
Reuters
;REUTERS;
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Bhutan-Montserrat-lowlies
Bhutan whips Monsterrat in clash of lowest
JP/12/EXTRA
Bhutan whips Monsterrat in clash of lowest
THIMPU: Bhutan routed Montserrat 4-0 in "the other final",
played between the two lowest ranked soccer countries in the
world on Sunday, just hours before the World Cup final in Japan
between Brazil and Germany.
Captain Wangyel Dorji struck a hat-trick to clinch it for the
Himalayan country at the Changlimithang stadium, located at an
altitude of 2250 metres (7500 ft) in the Bhutan capital.
Dorji, who recovered from an eye infection to lead his side,
scored in the third minute to put Bhutan 1-0 ahead at halftime.
He added the second in the 67th minute and completed Bhutan's
domination over their Caribbean rivals in the 77th, two minutes
after striker Dinesh Chhetri had made it 3-0.
Bhutan, the youngest members of world soccer's governing body
FIFA, is ranked 202nd and only ahead of the tiny Caribbean island
of Montserrat.
The game, recognized by FIFA as an official international, was
played in a festive atmosphere before a cheering audience of
around 15,000 fans as a romantic prelude to the World Cup final.
-- Reuters