Sports
World Cup favorites Spain arrive in S. Korea
Written: 2002-05-21 00:00:00 / Updated: 0000-00-00 00:00:00
World Cup favorites Spain arrived Tuesday at Gimhae International Airport, marking the first arrival of the 15 foreign soccer squads scheduled to play World Cup elimination matches in South Korea. Upon arrival at 1:30 p.m., the 60-strong Spanish delegation, led by coach Jose Antonio Camacho, left for their training base in Ulsan and will stay at Ulsan Seobu Citizens' Accommodation and hold training sessions at nearby Seobu Citizens' Field. Spain, pitted against Slovenia, Paraguay and South Africa in Group B of the finals, will play first round matches June 2 in Gwangju, June 7 in Jeonju and June 12 in Daejeon, respectively. The European team, believed to be in better shape than in Euro 2000, hope they will make the semifinals in the May 31st-June 30th competition for the first time since the 1950 Brazil World Cup. The squad include Raul Gonzalez Blanco, better known simply as Raul, who had netted 11 times at Euro 2000 and finish the tournament as top scorer. Camacho took up the reins after the 1998 France World Cup debacle, in which Spain failed to advance past the first round. Advance teams of reigning champions France and the United States, opponents of South Korea, are expected arrive in South Korea Wednesday.
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