World Cup Qualifying Schedule Set
The United States, coming off a quarterfinal appearance in the last World Cup in Japan and South Korea, will begin its quest for a berth in Germany 2006 in mid-January, CONCACAF announced.
Soccer’s regional governing body for North and Central America and the Caribbean said the World Cup qualifying schedule for its 34 teams would begin Jan. 17 and 18 and require almost two years to complete.
Unlike in past years, no team will receive a first-round bye, and the region initially will be divided into 10 groups of three and two groups of two. The 12 group winners will then move on to the semifinals, scheduled to begin Aug. 18.
From there, three groups of four will play the semifinal stage to determine the last six teams.
Those six would begin a 10-game schedule Feb. 9, 2005, and complete the process Oct. 12, 2005, with the top three earning automatic World Cup berths.
The fourth-place team would be drawn into a two-game playoff against another confederation Nov. 12 and 16, 2005, with a chance to give CONCACAF a fourth World Cup team for the first time.
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Euro 2004
In preparation for the final qualifying round for Euro 2004 on Oct. 11, teams all over the continent began formulating their rosters. Some notable moves:
* Striker Robbie Keane returns for Ireland against group leader Switzerland after sitting out the last game against Russia because of an ankle injury.
* Midfielder Darren Fletcher, 19, was called up for Scotland’s game against Lithuania. Also Thursday, Fletcher signed a contract extension with Manchester United through 2006-07.
* Midfielder Michael Ballack was included on Germany’s roster for its game against Iceland, but the Bayern Munich star might have to sit out because of an ankle injury.
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Club America
Club America of Mexico celebrated its 87th anniversary Wednesday and delivered a 2-0 victory over Spain’s FC Barcelona in a friendly at Mexico City.
A crowd of 90,000 at Azteca Stadium watched the home team get goals from Hugo Norberto Castillo and Frankie Oviedo in what also served as a farewell game for Mexico international striker Luis Roberto Alves, better known by his nickname “Zague.”
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Quick Passes
Italy and Juventus striker Alessandro Del Piero signed a contract extension with the club through the 2007-08 season worth an average of $9.3 million a year.... Three weeks after the Women’s World Cup final, the U.S. women’s national team will play Mexico in a friendly at Dallas on Nov. 2.
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Times wire services contributed to this report.
