Wednesday, July 8, 1998                     http://www.HWCI.com/wc98
Issue # 34.4.2 "The best offensive is defense..."

		1998 HWCI WORLD CUP TOURNAMENT POOL
		===================================

   HOST FRANCE STOPS CROATIA'S RUN AND WILL FACE BRAZIL IN FINAL
  MLSBob dethroned from for first time as Le Bix claims top prize

        EL SEGUNDO, CA (smt)-  Defender Liliam Thuram not only
played well defensively, but scored both of France's (5-0-1) two
goals to put the host nation into the World Cup final for the first
time in its history.  Thuram's 70th minute game-winning goal gave
France a 2-1 win over cinderella Croatia (4-2).  In what was 
supposed to be a boring defensive struggle turned out to be quite
a match.  Before this match, both teams have given up a TOTAL of 
just three goals (France's lone goal allowed via the penalty kick).
Today, they combined for three goals.  France still had its scoring
problems as defenders have scored the the team's last three goals
(spanning 3 matches and 358 minutes since midfielder Emmanuel Petit
scored in a 2-1 win over Denmark).  Goalkeeper Fabien Barthez, who
gave up his first goal in play (not via PK), made three brilliant
catch-punches and made an acrobatic tip save at the end of the 
match.  Davor Suker scored his 5th goal in the tourney for Croatia.

	Great game.  But, my beloved France will have to go without
"golden goal" defender Laurent Blanc, who was red-carded for 
slapping a Croatian player late in the match.  Okay, it definitely
deserved a yellow card- you have to keep your composure.  But a red
card??  If Ortega's (ARG) dive was bad, this acting job by Croatian
Slavic Bilic was amazing.  Blanc slapped Bilic in the lower jaw and
Bilic immediately put both hands on his forehead and fell to the
ground.  Obviously, the rules don't change in soccer like they do
in hockey (you could get away with anything less than murder in 
hockey if the game is in its last few minutes or overtime).  Too 
bad there isn't a FIFA red card review board so they could reinstate
Blanc (and keep things equal between superpower Brazil and France)
back into the final.  Or too bad there isn't an appeals process 
like baseball where you could challenge ejections and still play
while a decision has yet to be made.  Maybe Brazil will want a 
fair fight and plead to FIFA to let Blanc play.  Who knows?

	Well, our first HWCI World Cup Pool champion will be 
LE BIX.  He was the only one to pick both Brazil and France into 
the final and thus took away first place from MLSBOB who had held
that position since Day 1.  LE BIX, who also won the inaugural HWCI 
NCAA Basketball Pool, will take home $115 (total earnings: $185)
while MLSBOB will take 2nd and $55.  SOCKER SCOOTER stays alive with
France's win (who along with LE BIX and LUIS ENRIQUE'S ARMADA) were 
the only ones to pick France into the Final) but will need the host
country to win Sunday in order for him to take home 3rd place 
(NAW'DEEN taking 4th place).  SOCCER SPICE will get 4th place if 
Brazil wins (making NAW'DEEN 3rd).  LE BIX has 135 points and 
could set a new HWCI record if Brazil wins with 149 points
(previously 148, set by LE BIX (then BIX PIX) in the '95 NCAA pool).

France can score!...
Scott HW
                                            
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Scott M Tamashiro, HWCI Engineering       \\||//\\||//  /o-o\\ \ \ `
WC98 Pool Administrator                    \  /  \  /  (o-o-o)) ) > > >
Email:    scott@hwci.com                    ||    ||    \`o'// / / ,  
Updates:  http://www.HWCI.com/wc98          ||    ||  WORLD CUP   
----------------------------------------------------  POOL 1998