Editorial

Security

Politics

World

Letters

Sports

Obituaries

Archives

by LESLIE FERNANDO

The World Cup 2002 co-hosted by Japan and Korea will be kicked off with defending champions France meeting Senegal in the opening match (Group 'A') at the Seoul International Stadium, Capital of Korea on May 31 at 8.30 p.m. Korean time. Sri Lanka time at 5.30 p.m.

The FIFA World Cup will be the first to be held in Asia, the first in the new millennium and the first to be co-hosted. Both Japan and Korea are proud to have been entrusted with the great responsibility to make this greatest sporting event on earth a success.

France as underdogs made history, beating defending champions Brazil 3-0 to win the 16th World Cup final 1998 before a delirious crowed of 80,000 people. In the qualifying round games France put up a splendid performance to remain unbeaten and book a berth in the final round. Senegal will be making their debut in the World Cup final round.

A total of 64 matches will be held throughout Japan and Korea. 32 in each country. In the final round 32 teams are divided into 8 groups and each group has 4 teams. The teams compete on a round robin basis and the top two seeds of each group advance to the round of 16. Matches from the round of 16 to the final match will be completed on a knockout basis. The opening and third place matches will be held in Seoul and Daegu (Korea) respectively. While the final match will be held in Yokohama.

The first round matches will be from May 31 to June 14 and the second round games from June 15 to June 30.

Before FIFA World Cup final round matches begining, football teams from around the world qualified for the final round, will arrive at cities in Japan and Korea and set up training camps to adjust themselves to time difference, carry out training and check their strategies.

The match fixtures:

May 31 - Opening match - France vs Senegal (Group 'A') at World Cup Stadium, Korea at 8.30 p.m.

June 1 - Uruguay vs Denmark (Group 'A') at Munsu Football Stadium, Ulsan, Korea 3.00 p.m.

Germany vs Saudi Arbiaa (Group 'E') at Sapporo Stadium, Japan at 8.30 p.m.

Ireland vs Cameroon (Group 'E') at Niigata Stadium, Japan at 3.30 p.m.

June 2 Spain vs Slovenia (Group 'B') at Gwangju Stadium, Korea at 8.30 p.m.

Paraguay vs South Africa (Group 'B') at Busan Stadium, Korea at 4.30 p.m.

Argentina vs Nigeria (Group 'F") at Kashima Stadium, Ibraki, Japan 2.30 p.m.

England vs Sweden (Group 'F') at Saitama Stadium, Japan at 6.30 p.m.

June 3 - Brazil vs Turkey (Group 'C') at Ulsan Stadium, Korea at 6.00 p.m.

Italy vs Ecuador (Group 'G') at Sapporo Stadium, Japan at 8.30 p.m.

Mexico vs Croatia (Group 'G') at Niigata Stadium, Japan at 3.30 p.m.

June 4 - China vs Costa Rica (Group 'C') at Gwangju Stadium, Korea at 6.30 p.m.

Korea vs Poland (Group 'D') at Busan Stadium, Korea at 8.30 p.m.

Japan vs Belgium (Group 'H') at Saitama Stadium, Japan at 6.00 p.m.

June 5 - Untied States vs Portugal (Group 'D') at Suwan Stadium, Korea at 6.30 p.m.

Germany vs Ireland (Group 'E') at Ibaraki Stadium, Japan at 8.30 p.m.

Russia vs Tunisia (Group 'H') at Kobe Stadium, Japan at 3.30 p.m.

June 6 - Denmark vs Senegal (Group 'A') at Daegu Stadium, Korea at 3.30 p.m.

France vs Uruguay (Group 'A') at Busan Stadium, Korea at 8.30 p.m.

Cameroon vs Saudi Arabia (Group 'E') at Saitama Stadium, Japan at 6.00 p.m.

June 7 - Spain vs Paragua (Group 'B') at Jranju Stadium, Korea at 6.00 p.m.

Argentina vs England (Group 'F') at Sappora Stadium, Japan at 8.30 p.m.

Sweden vs Nigeria (Group 'F') at Kobe Stadium, Japan at 3.30 p.m.

June 8 - South Africa vs Slovenia (Group 'B') at Daegu Stadium, Korea at 3.30 p.m.

Brazil vs China (Group 'C') at Seogwipu Stadium, Korea at 8.30 p.m.

Italy vs Croatia (Group 'G') at Ibaraki Stadium, Japan at 6.00 p.m.

June 9 - Costa Rica vs Turkey (Group 'C') at Incheon Stadium, Korea at 6.00 p.m.

Mexico vs Ecuador (Group 'G') at Miyagi Stadium, Japan at 3.30 p.m.

Japan vs Russia (Group 'H') at Yokohama Stadium, Japan at 8.30 p.m.

June 10 - Portugal vs Poland (Group 'D') at Jeonju Stadium, Korea at 8.30 p.m.

Korea vs United States (Group 'D') at Daegu Stadium, Korea at 3.30 p.m.

Tunisia vs Belgium (Group 'H') at Oita Stadium, Japan at 6.00 p.m.

June 11 - Denmark vs France (Group 'A') at Incheon Stadium, Korea at 3.30 p.m.

Senegal vs Uruguay (Group 'A') at Suwan Stadium, Korea at 3.30 p.m.

Saudi Arabia vs Ireland (Group 'E') at Yokohama Stadium, Japan at 8.30 p.m.

Cameroon vs Germany (Group 'E') at Shizuoka Stadium, Japan at 8.30 p.m.

June 12 - South Africa vs Spain (Group 'B') at Daejeon Stadium, Korea at 8.30 p.m.

Slovenia vs Paraguay (Group 'B') at Seogwipo Stadium, Korea at 8.30 p.m.

Sweden vs Argentina (Group 'F') at Miyagi Stadium, Japan at 3.30 p.m.

Nigeria vs England (Group 'F') at Osaka Stadium, Japan at 3.30 p.m.

June 13 - Turkey vs China (Group 'C') at Seoul Stadium, Korea at 3.30 p.m.

Costa Rica vs Brazil (Group 'C') at Suwan Stadium, Korea at 3.30 p.m.

Ecuador vs Croatia (Group 'G') at Yokohama Stadium, Japan at 8.30 p.m.

Mexico vs Italy (Group 'G') at Oita Stadium, Japan at 8.40 p.m.

June 14 - Portugal vs Korea (Group 'D') at Incheon Stadium, Korea at 8.30 p.m.

Poland vs Untied States (Group 'D') at Daejeon Stadium, Korea at 8.30 p.m.

Belgium vs Russia (Group 'H') at Shizuoka Stadium, Japan at 3.30 p.m.

Tunisia vs Japan (Group 'H') at Osaka Stadium, Japan at 3.30 p.m.

June 15 - Winner (Group 'E') vs runner-up Group 'B' at Seogwipo Stadium, Korea at 3.30 p.m.

Winner 'A' vs runner-up 'F' at Nigata Stadium, Japan at 8.30 p.m.

June 16 - Winner 'B' vs runner-up 'E' at Suwan Stadium, Japan at 8.30 p.m.

Winner 'F' vs runner-up 'A' at Oita Stadium, Japan at 3.30 p.m.

June 17 - Winner 'G' vs runner-up 'D' at Jeonju Stadium, Korea at 3.30 p.m.

Winner 'C' vs runner-up 'H' at Kobe Stadium, Japan at 8.30 p.m.

June 18 - Winner 'D' vs runner-up 'G' at Daejeon Stadium, Korea at 8.30 p.m.

Winner 'H' runner-up 'C' at Miyagi Stadium, Japan at 3.30 p.m.

June 21 - Quarter-finals at Ulsan Stadium, Korea at 3.30 p.m. and Shizuoka Stadium, Japan at 8.30 p.m.

June 22 - Quarter-finals at Gwangju Stadium, Korea at 3.30 p.m. and at Osaka Stadium, Japan at 8.30 p.m.

June 25 - First semi-final at Seoul Stadium, Korea at 8.30 p.m.

June 26 - Second semi-final at Saitama Stadium, Japan at 8.30 p.m.

June 29 - Match to decide the third place at Daegu Stadium, Korea at 8.00 p.m.

June 30 - Final at Yokohama Stadium, Japan at 8.00 p.m.

* The time difference Japan and Korea are ahead of Sri Lanka standard time of 3 hours.

News | Business | Features | Editorial | Security
Politics | World | Letters | Sports | Obituaries

Produced by Lake House
Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
Comments and suggestions to :Web Manager