- News>
- Football
Foe tragedy brings world football together in grief
London, Dec 19: Spain had to beat Norway in a playoff to make the cut, suggesting their poor record in major championships is set to continue.
London, Dec 19: Spain had to beat Norway in a playoff to make the cut, suggesting their poor record in major championships is set to continue.
Brazil turned to a familiar face, Carlos Alberto Parreira, to take over from Portugal-bound Luiz Felipe Scolari and, following a rule change scrapping automatic entry for the holders, the World Cup winners began the marathon South American qualifying campaign with two wins and two draws.
When Marc Vivien-Foe (28) slumped lifeless to the turf in Lyon during Cameroon's semi-final victory over Colombia in the Confederations Cup, the football world was unusually united in mourning.
The midfielder's death from a hereditary heart complaint left three children fatherless and produced an emotional final which no one will remember for France's victory.
In Asia, it was a tough year for South Korea and Japan. Korea found life without inspirational coach Guus Hiddink tough as the side he led to the semi-finals of the World Cup finals struggled to qualify for next year's Asian Cup finals in China.
Hiddink's replacement, Portuguese coach Humberto Coelho, faced calls to resign after a weakened Korea lost qualifiers to Oman and lowly Vietnam.
Korea eventually went through behind Oman and Coelho strengthened his cause when his side edged out Japan to win the East Asian Football Championship in December.
The qualifying is over - next year the real competition begins, with the African Nations Cup first up, in Tunisia in January.
Bureau Report
Brazil turned to a familiar face, Carlos Alberto Parreira, to take over from Portugal-bound Luiz Felipe Scolari and, following a rule change scrapping automatic entry for the holders, the World Cup winners began the marathon South American qualifying campaign with two wins and two draws.
When Marc Vivien-Foe (28) slumped lifeless to the turf in Lyon during Cameroon's semi-final victory over Colombia in the Confederations Cup, the football world was unusually united in mourning.
The midfielder's death from a hereditary heart complaint left three children fatherless and produced an emotional final which no one will remember for France's victory.
In Asia, it was a tough year for South Korea and Japan. Korea found life without inspirational coach Guus Hiddink tough as the side he led to the semi-finals of the World Cup finals struggled to qualify for next year's Asian Cup finals in China.
Hiddink's replacement, Portuguese coach Humberto Coelho, faced calls to resign after a weakened Korea lost qualifiers to Oman and lowly Vietnam.
Korea eventually went through behind Oman and Coelho strengthened his cause when his side edged out Japan to win the East Asian Football Championship in December.
The qualifying is over - next year the real competition begins, with the African Nations Cup first up, in Tunisia in January.
Bureau Report