German chancellor has high
hopes
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, hitching a ride to the World Cup
final aboard Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's official plane,
had high hopes his country could beat Brazil.
He added, however, that whatever the outcome Sunday in Yokohama, Japan,
the World Cup already was a "great success."
"I am hoping for Germany's success," Schroeder said shortly after the
plane took off from Calgary.
Celebration plans in
Japan scrapped
German officials scrapped plans for an outdoor party for about 2,000
German fans in Yokohama because they haven't received permission from
local authorities.
German team spokesman Harald Stenger said the federation tried for the
go-ahead for a party before the World Cup final against Brazil, but
local Japanese officials refused it.
As compensation, the federation will organize a fan party before the
Oct. 11 European Championship qualifying match against the Faeroe
Islands in Hanover, Germany, Stenger said.
Just missing a million
dollars
Nils Eie of Oslo, Norway, missed winning $1 million Saturday by inches.
The 25-year-old engineer beat 15 other finalists for the chance to take
home the big prize by kicking a soccer ball through a 30-inch target
from 12 yards away. He barely missed.
Eie, who was coached by former Dutch captain Ruud Gullit, won a $10,000
consolation prize from sponsor Gillette. The finalists were selected
from 70 contestants in 50 countries.
World Cup site makes web
history
With 1.68 billion page viewings before the World Cup championship game,
the official tournament Web site is the most popular sports event site
in Internet history.
Yahoo's
FIFAworldcup.com is expected to surpass 2 billion page views by
the end of the final between Brazil and Germany on Sunday in Yokohama.
Of the total viewings, 51.6 percent were in English, followed by
Japanese with 11.0 percent; German 10.4 percent; Korean 8.8 percent;
French 6 percent; Spanish 5.3 percent; and Chinese 3.9 percent.
Brazil's Marcos calls
Kahn 'the best' goalie
When it comes to goalkeepers, nearly everyone agreed Oliver Kahn gave
Germany an edge over Brazil in Sunday's World Cup final.
Even his adversaries.
"For me, Kahn is the best," Brazilian goalie Marcos said Saturday. "I
have no problem admitting that."
Kahn's numbers were beyond argument. The 33-year-old Bayern Munich
goalkeeper yielded just one goal in six games and was a big reason
Germany's workmanlike team was in the final.
