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AFC to watch Chinese qualifier 'carefully'
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-10-15 15:20
China and Hong Kong were warned on Friday against fixing the result of next
month's key 2006 World Cup qualifier.
China must beat Hong Kong by a wide margin in their last Group Four match on
November 17 to have any chance of advancing to next year's final round of Asian
qualifiers.
Kuwait beat China 1-0 in midweek to go top on goal difference.
The Gulf side, who are two goals better off than China, are at home to
winless Malaysia in their final match and now favourites to claim the one
qualification spot.
"Both FIFA and the AFC (Asian Football Confederation) will be watching the
matches very carefully," AFC general secretary Peter Velappan told Reuters.
"If there is any funny business, they will face the music."
Velappan was responding to media reports in Hong Kong claiming the China
Football Association could put pressure on their "little brother" to roll over
in their final match.
Former British colony Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule in 1997 but retains
sporting independence.
China made their World Cup finals debut in 2002 but lost all three matches
and failed to score a single goal.
However, they have made steady progress under Dutch coach Arie Haan and
failure to qualify for the 2006 World Cup in Germany would be a major blow for
Chinese soccer.
The top team from each of the eight second-round groups progresses to the
final round of Asian qualifiers. Saudi Arabia, Japan, Uzbekistan, Bahrain and
North Korea are already through.
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