SOUTH AFRICA: SOCCER / FOOTBALL - Croatia and England meet again in World Cup

Croatia, who knocked England out of Euro 2008, were drawn to play their victims once more in the preliminary draw for the World Cup on Sunday (November 25). There were gasps in the audience at Durban's International Convention Centre when Croatia, 3-2 winners at Wembley in the biggest shock of the Euro 2008 qualifiers, were drawn in the top spot in European Group 6. Brian Barwick, English football chief, said he had a feeling the draw could go that way. "We've got a point to prove against Croatia, our new coach will be installed by then and I'm sure he'll look at the two games we played and we'll take it from there. It's an interesting group a lot of travel, some teams we have never played so we are fascinated by and looking forward to it," Barwick said. He added he will concentrate on finding a new manager after returning from South Africa. Steve McClaren was dismissed on Thursday after Croatia eliminated England from Euro 2008. "We've got to do the job right, we've got to get the right person and we'll take our time to get the right person. We know it's a fundamentally important appointment for the future for English football and English team," Barwick said. The group 6 will be completed by Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Andorra. 2006 hosts and semi-finalists Germany come up against Russia, Finland and Wales in Group 4. Germany, who have lost only two of the 64 World Cup qualifiers they have played, should top the group. Germany team manager, Oliver Bierhoff said the draw could have been tougher on Germany. "At the end in Europe we don't have any week teams anymore but if you see other groups you can think we can be satisfied. It is reachable, we have a lot of respect for our opponents but we have also the self confidence that we have to win this group," he said. Germany beat Wales 2-0 and drew 0-0 with them in their Euro 2008 qualifying group. John Toshack, coach of Wales, said his team is young and is still developing. "We are developing all the time if we keep our fingers cross and our main players are available when games come around then I think we can push Russians and the Finns certainly for second place," he said. Scotland have been paired in a Group 9 with Holland Norway, macedonia and Iceland. The Dutch should win the only five-team group, but Scotland pushed Italy and France all the way in their Euro 2008 qualifying group. Scots have risen from 88th to 14th in the world rankings over the last two years. "We are now seen as a scalp from the other nations that are ranked bellow us so bring it on," said Scottish coach Alexander Mcleish. Winners of each of nine European groups qualify for the 2010 finals in South Africa. The eight best runners-up compete in playoffs for four further European places in the finals. World champions Italy were drawn in Group 8 with their main rivals Bulgaria and Ireland. France, losing finalists last year at the Germany World Cup, face Romania and Serbia in Group 7. Political and ideological rivals North and South Korea were drawn together in the Asian section. South Korea are top seeds in Group 3 which also includes Jordan and Turkmenistan. Two teams from each group go into the final Asian qualifying stage. The two Koreas have met three times in the past with South Korea winning on each occasion. They beat North Korea 2-1 in the Asian Cup in Kuwait in 1980 and then beat them 1-0 in a World Cup qualifier played in Singapore in 1989 and won their last match 3-0 in a World Cup qualifier played in Doha in 1993. Australia, playing in the Asian section for the first time since switching from Oceania meet China, Iraq and Qatar in group 1. Thirty-one nations will join hosts South Africa in the 2010 finals. The draw, attended by South African president Thabo Mbeki and a host of soccer dignitaries, was staged as part of a 90-minute television spectacular beamed to more than 170 countries worldwide.

ITN Source | November 26, 2007

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