Extra Spot Sought for CONCACAF
Jack Warner, the Trinidadian president of CONCACAF, said Monday that soccer’s North and Central American and Caribbean region deserves an extra berth at the next World Cup in Germany four years from now.
“I have let it be known, at all the levels that count, that we shall make every possible effort to obtain a fourth place for CONCACAF in the World Cup in 2006,” said Warner, a FIFA vice president.
“It is only right and proper that we should be able to send our best four [teams], because who in the world can argue that our best three did not stand up to the best the other confederations had to offer? And who can argue that our best four cannot do the same?”
The region’s three participants at Korea/Japan ‘02--Costa Rica, Mexico and the United States--had a combined record of 5-4-3 and were outscored, 17 goals to 16. They were a combined 2-2-2 against European opposition, and it is Europe that probably would have to give up one place for CONCACAF to get an additional spot.
Complicating Warner’s task is the fact that CONCACAF is not the only region trying to get another World Cup place. Also trying are Asia and Oceania, and Europe is not about to give up three of its places.
“Asia’s spots will have to be increased, considering the population and the number of television viewers on the continent,” Malaysia’s Peter Velappan, general secretary of the Asian Football Confederation [AFC], told Japan’s Kyodo News agency last month.
Asia was represented by China, Japan, Saudi Arabia and South Korea at the 2002 tournament and the four teams had a combined record of 5-8-4 and were outscored, 28 goals to 13.
Oceania also has been clamoring for one full place at the World Cup without having to go through an additional playoff.
U.S. Roster Shapes Up
Tracey Leone, coach of the United States women’s under-19 national team, has brought 27 players into camp in Chula Vista for 13 days of training, after which she will name the 18 players to take part in the first FIFA Under-19 Women’s World Championship in Canada next month.
The 27 include six Californians: goalkeeper Kim Bingham of San Ramon; defender Rachel Buehler of Del Mar; midfielder Jill Oakes of West Hills, and forwards Megan Kakadelas of Carlsbad, Natalie Sanderson of Ventura and Angela Woznuk of El Cajon.
The U.S. will play England, Australia and Taiwan in the first round of the Aug. 17-Sept. 1 world championship.
MLS Gets Garcia
Major League Soccer’s Columbus Crew completed the acquisition of Guatemalan national team midfielder Freddy Garcia from CSD Comunicaciones for an undisclosed fee.
Garcia, 25, scored five goals in 10 qualifying games as Guatemala narrowly failed to reach the 2002 World Cup.
