Animal’s antics fail to stop Brazil squeaking win

Ecuador pulled a goal back when substitute Ariel Graziani found the mark with five minutes remaining. In Montevideo, Uruguay gained a hard fought 2-1 victory over Chile which left the beaten visitors on one point.

Euro countdown begins

BRUSSELS: The 16 participating nations in the Euro 2000 football finals made final preparations for their arrival at their respective bases as the buildup to the June 10 kickoff in Brussels reaches its climax. The Swedes who play Belgium in the opening match in Brussels joined Spain as the first participants to take possession of their hotel keys when they arrived on Saturday.

Zidane rescues France

CASABLANCA: France ’98 talisman Zinedine Zidane ensured World champions France avoided an embarrassing pre-Euro 2000 defeat at the hands of Japan, scoring one equaliser and having a big hand in the other to ensure a 2-2 draw. France eventually prevailed 4-2 in a penalty shoot-out after efforts from Japan’s Junichi Inamoto and Hiroshi Nanami struck the woodwork and will play Morocco or Jamaica in the final of the Hassan II Tournament.

First Zidane’s neatly-taken goal on the hour cancelled out a first-half opener from Hiroaki Morishima. Then, Zidane linked up well with Nicolas Anelka to set up an easy goal for Youri Djorkaeff after 73 minutes just three minutes after a superb volley from Akinori Nishizara had given Japan a 2-1 lead.

Kluivert shows class

LAUSANNE: The Netherlands tuned up nicely for Euro 2000 here on Sunday with a 3-1 victory over Poland at their Swiss training camp. The star of the show was undoubtedly Barcelona striker Patrick Kluivert whose two second half goals clinched the match for the Euro 2000 co-hosts after the teams had gone in level 1-1 at the interval.

His teammate for club and country Frank de Boer had given the `Oranje’ a lead from a freekick after 29 minutes before Pavel Kryszalowicz squared the match nine minutes later after good work from Piotr Swierczewski. But the introduction of Juventus midfielder Edgar Davids, dubbed The Pitbull, after the interval gave the Dutch new impetus.

Raul still unfit

BARCELONA: Spain coach Jose Antonio Camacho said his leading striker Raul Gonzalez would not be fully fit before the Euro 2000.

Raul was forced to miss training last week after straining a thigh muscle during Real Madrid’s 3-0 Champions League final victory over Valencia.

He did not play in Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Sweden when a first-half pep guardiola penalty was cancelled out by another spot kick from Roland Nilsson 15 minutes from time.

Camacho expects Raul to play a part in Spain’s final warm-up game against Luxembourg on Wednesday but accepts he will still be some way short of full fitness when Spain open their campaign against Norway on June 13 in Rotterdam.