World Cup Update

Teams:

North and Central America, Caribbean: Antonio Carbajal Mexico, Marcelo Balboa United States, Gilberto Yearwood Honduras, Bruce Wilson Canada, Gustavo Pena Mexico, Ramon Ramirez Mexico, Jorge Gonzalez El Salvador, Tab Ramos United States, Julio Cesar, Dely Valdes Panama, Hugo Sanchez Mexico, Hernan Medford Costa Rica.

Europe: Lev Yashin Soviet Union, Franz Beckenbauer Germany, Bobby Moore England, Paolo Maldini Italy, Franco Baresi Italy, Johan Cruyff Netherlands, Michel PlatiniFrance, Bobby Charlton England Eusebio Portugal, Ferenc Puskas Hungary, Marco Van Basten Netherlands.

South America: Ubaldo Fillol Argentina, Daniel Passarella Argentina, Nilton Santos Brazil, Elias Figueroa Chile, Carlos Alberto Brazil, Alfredo Di Stefano Argentina, Rivelino Brazil, Didi Brazil Pele Brazil, Diego Maradona Argentina, Garrincha Brazil.

Africa: Thomas N8217;Kono Cameroon, Ali Shehata Egypt, Ibrahim Youssef Egypt, Emmanuel Kunde Cameroon, Illunga Mwepu Zaire, Segun Odegbami Nigeria, Theophile Abega Cameroon, Abedi Pele Ghana, Laurent Pokou Ivory Coast, Roger Milla Cameroon, Rabah Madjer Algeria.

Asia-Oceania: Chow Chee Keong Malaysia, Kim Ho Kon South Korea, Masami Ihara Japan, Soh Chi Aum Malaysia, Chen Chi Doi Taiwan, Karim Bagheri Iran, Kim Joo Sang South Korea, Majeed Abdullah Saudi Arabia, Kunishige Kamamoto Japan, Khodadad Azizi Iran, Cha Bum Kun South Korea.

Zamorano heads fornational duty
SANTIAGO, CHILE: Ivan Zamorano8217;s performance in the 3-0 win by Internazionale over Lazio in the all-Italian final of the Uefa Cup left Chileans enthusiastic about the striker who now heads home to report for the national World Cup squad.

Zamorano said he will be here on Saturday to immediately join his team-mates at the team8217;s training camp in Puerto Valero, an oceanside resort north of Santiago.

8220;I know Inter still has two matches before the end of the Italian league, but Chile needs me,8221; Zamorano wrote on Thursday in his weekly column for Las Ultimas Noticias.

Savicevic to play despite injuries
BELGRADE: Dejan Savicevic will be on Yugoslavia8217;s World Cup squad despite injuries and poor form, according to team officials.Last week, the mid-fielder suffered yet another in a string of injuries when he hurt his knee ligaments playing for AC Milan in the Italian Cup finals against Lazio, Rome.

After playing only a few matches for AC Milan this season, Savicevicannounced that he is leaving the Italian club next season.

SA face Romania in final warm-up tie
JOHANNESBURG: South Africa will play Romania on June 6 in Bucharest in its final World Cup tuneup.

Danny Jordaan, chief executive of the South African Football Association, said Romania was chosen over Slovakia for the last of three exhibition matches before the start of the World Cup.

South Africa will also face Zambia in Johannesburg on May 20 and travel to Buenos Aires to take on Argentina on May 25.

South Africa opens its first World Cup campaign against host France in Marseilles on June 12.

Morientes, Raul Spain8217;s strike force
MADRID: Real Madrid youngsters Raul Gonzalez and Fernando Morientes look set to form the forward line for the Spanish World Cup team whose 22 members were officially announced by coach Javier Clemente yesterday.

Squad: Goalkeepers: Andoni Zubizarreta Valencia, Santiago Canizares Real Madrid, Francisco Molina Atletico de Madrid. Defenders: FernandoHierro Real Madrid, Albert Ferrer, Sergi Barjuan, Miguel Angel Nadal and Abelardo Fernandez FC Barcelona, Carlos Aguilera Atletico de Madrid, Rafael Alkorta Athletic de Bilbao, Ivan Campo Mallorca, Agustin Aranzabal Real Sociedad. Mid-fielders: Luis Enrique Martinez, Albert Celades and Guillermo Amor FC Barcelona, Julen Guerrero Athletic de Bilbao. Forwards: Alfonso Perez Betis, Francisco Kiko8217; Narvaez Atletico de Madrid, Raul Gonzalez and Fernando Morientes Real Madrid, Juan Antonio Pizzi FC Barcelona, Joseba Etxeberria Athletic Bilbao.

Doctor clears Romario of thigh injury
RIO DE JANEIRO: All-star forward Romario strained a thigh muscle but his doctor said on Thursday the injury was not serious, putting to rest fears the play would sit out this year8217;s World Cup.

Dr Jose Luis Runco said the results of MRI testing showed the 32-year-old suffered only a contraction of the back thigh muscle and should be able to play again within 10 days.

Runco said that becauseRomario had stopped playing as soon as he felt the pain had prevented a more serious injury.

Sold out: Last ticket goes via hotline
PARIS: The last ticket for the World Cup 8212; which begins in just five weeks 8212; was sold yesterday at 1800 hrs local time 1600 GMT on a hotline set up by the French organisers.

French organisers said 170,000 tickets had been sold since April 22 when the telephone hotline opened for residents of France and other European nations.

French officials said no fewer than 20 million phone calls were received on the France Telecom Network, field by 90 operators 8212; 60 handling non-french language calls.

History in favour of European winner
PARIS: History dictates that a European country should snatch back the World Cup from Brazil in July.

Only once have the Brazilians taken the trophy back from Europe to South America, upsetting an otherwise perfect balance in the competition in 1958.But Inter Milan8217;s 3-0 victory over Lazio in the Uefa Cup final in Paris onWednesday night and the part played by South Americans including Brazil8217;s Ronaldo serves as a reminder that Europe have a tough task on their hands.

Paris to welcome everyone8217;
PARIS: Paris will welcome visitors this summer whether they like soccer or not.

City mayor Jean Tiberi said the French capital could accommodate everyone during the World Cup but prices would be higher than usual. 8220;The primary objective of the city is to welcome as best we can journalists and tourists, those coming for the World Cup and others,8221; he said.

Fifteen of the 64 scheduled matches take place in Paris, including the opening game on June 10 and the final on July 12 8220;There are still rooms available in Paris during this period,8221; Tiberi said.

Get off shearer8217;s back, says Hoddle
LONDON: England coach Glenn Hoddle defended his under-fire captain Alan Shearer, urging 8220;everyone who wants World Cup success to get off his back8221;.Hoddle8217;s plea came 24 hours after the Newcastle and England striker wascharged with misconduct by the Football Association FA. Shearer has been summoned to an FA disciplinary hearing after television pictures appeared to show him kicking Leicester8217;s Neil Lennon in the face following a tackle in a Premier League match last week.

8220;I have watched the incident he was involved in during last week8217;s match at Leicester on several occasions. As a result, I am 100 per cent sure what happened was accidental.8221;