Friday, July 10, 1998                     http://www.HWCI.com/wc98
Issue # 36.4.4 "Final weekend..."

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

                WORLD CUP ALL-STARS FAVOR FINALISTS
  Will Holland-Croatia matchup provide goals, goals, goals?

        LA MIRADA, CA (smt)-  Sixty-two matches down, two to go. 
And tomorrow's match doesn't even really count, as it's the 3rd Place
match between technically undefeated Holland (3-0-3) and surprise
Croatia (4-2-0).  It should be an entertaining match with Croatia
probably wanting the 3rd place crown more than the Dutch, since it
is Croatia's first World Cup and Holland has already solidified the
title of the best team never to win a World Cup.  Last year, Sweeden
led Bulgaria 4-0 at the half before winning by the same score, so 
hopefully the match will provide some fun end-to-end play with
a lot of goals.

	The FIFA World Cup All-Star team was announced and although
most were expected on the 16-man roster (plus six reserve players),
there were some surprises.  France's Zinedine Zidane, who missed
two matches to a suspension and hasn't scored yet, was named to the
team while fellow teammate Laurent Blanc, despite holding down the
French defense and scoring the game-winner vs Paraguay and the 
winning PK against Italy, wasn't named.  In what amounted to a 
future All-Star reserve team, young up-and-comers dominated the six
man squad, including England's Michael Owens.  I'm surprised Denilson
wasn't named, since personality seemed more important in the 
selections than production.

	The Consolation Match will not affect any of the money 
positions, although it will play a part in breaking some of the ties
as the first leg of the two match "total goals" tiebreaker.  Next
World Cup, this match may be removed from competition, which I think
is a bad idea because it provides some good play (since no pressure)
and could allow some bench players to play in a World Cup and get
some experience.  

----------------------------
3RD PLACE AND FINAL SCHEDULE
----------------------------
   Sat., 7/11: #63.   1E(2ndD1)-Netherlands (HOL) (3-0-3) 
                                    -vs-
                      2H(2ndD2)-Croatia (HRV) (4-2-0)
                      [Noon (PDT), ABC-TV, Univision]

   Sun., 7/12: #64.   1A(1stD1)-Brazil (BRA) (4-1-1) 
                                    -vs- 
                      1C(1stD2)-France (FRA) (5-0-1)
                      [Noon (PDT), ABC-TV, Univision]

Awaitin' Sunday...
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