The big challenge
WHETHER YOU ARE a real soccer fan or just in love with the China football team, there is something to look forward to next summer at the 2002 FIFA World Cup Finals.
Last week's World Cup draw produced a schedule of matches that gives China a reasonable chance of qualifying for the second stage of the tournament.
Making its debut in the World Cup, China has been drawn to play former champions Brazil in Korea at the finals to be held in June.
Simon Leung Wiu-cheung, from Homantin, had been waiting to hear which teams would elbow their way through to play in the Japanese city of Sapporo, where he and some friends have already booked tickets to see three matches.
He was delighted to hear that one of the matches will be between cup favourites Argentina and England.
'We will get to see Germany, Italy, England and Argentina. It's going to be brilliant,' said Mr Leung, 30.
There are a total of eight groups of four in the first round of competitions. Group F, in which England and Argentina are placed, was instantly labelled the Group of Death.
'We will watch all the China matches on TV while we are there. China against Brazil is going to be fantastic,' Mr Leung said.
After the finals draw on Saturday, head coach of the China national team, Bora Milutinovic, said he was satisfied with the result of the draw.
'The result is fine,' said the Yugoslavian.
China will play three matches in the Korean cities of Gwangju, Seogwipo and the capital Seoul against Costa Rica, Brazil and Turkey. The top two teams will then go into the knockout second round.
The China team are in good hands with Milutinovic at the helm. Milu, as he is affectionately known to Chinese football fans, has coached four different teams at four previous finals.
In 1986, he guided Mexico to the knockout stage and did the same with Costa Rica in 1990 and the United States in 1994. At the 1998 finals in France, he also helped steer Nigeria to the second stage.
It will be the third time that Milu has faced Brazil when China take on the former world champions next June.
With Costa Rica in 1990 he lost 1-0 to Brazil and with the US in 1994 he lost again by the same score. Could it be third time lucky for the well-travelled soccer guru?
Soccer fans in Hong Kong will be able to see all the matches live on Cable TV, which has exclusive broadcasting rights to all the games and will give special coverage to the China team in South Korea.
'We'll have broadcasting teams in Korea and in Japan,' said Cable TV's assistant external affairs manager, Ivy P. K. Ng.
