TUNISIAN TUNEUP: Tunisia will play a final warmup game against a team of
players from Germany's lower leagues on Wednesday, a week before its World Cup
opener against Saudi Arabia.
German soccer officials are scrambling to put together a squad on short
notice after Kuwait, then Iraq withdrew from the planned game at Tunisia's
training camp.
"A Bavarian team will play," Juergen Igelsbacher of the Bavarian Soccer
Association told The Associated Press on Tuesday. "I don't know which players it
will be yet, because many of them are on vacation, but we are sure we will field
a strong side."
Tunisian officials asked for help finding an opponent when they arrived in
Germany on Monday.
Tunisia, coached by Frenchman Roger Lemerre, will also
play Spain and Ukraine in Group H. It is aiming to reach the second round for
the first time in its fourth World Cup appearance. The Tunisians won a World Cup
match in 1978 against Mexico, but have failed to win since.
North Africa's only qualifier at this year's tournament had sought an
opponent from the Persian Gulf region to prepare for the June 14 game against
Saudi Arabia in Munich.
Last week in Tunis, a Tunisia team including many of its Europe-based
regulars beat Belarus 3-0. A team made up mainly of reserves tied 0-0 against
Uruguay.
LIFE IN THE FAST LANE: U.S. goalkeeper Kasey Keller tied on what he said was
an honorary police cap he was given after Tuesday's practice at Norderstedt.
"I'm really hoping this gets me out of a few tickets," said Keller, who lives
in the northwest German town of Toenisvorst. "It's going to be on the passenger
seat of the Porsche, and hopefully when they kind of come in, they're going to
think twice about writing me a ticket. I'll wear it so the speed cameras see
that, and then they just turn it away."
TOGO PAYMENT: Togo's World Cup players, who have been bickering with the
national soccer federation over bonuses and pay, reached a settlement just a
week before their opening match against South Korea.
Players had demanded $200,000 each to play in the tournament, plus $39,000
each per win and $20,000 per tie. The federation said the demands were far too
high for the poor West African nation.
Togo spokesman Messan Attolou said Tuesday a deal was reached following talks
between the players and federation president Rock Gnassingbe.
"We have found a consensus," Attolou told The Associated Press. He said full
details would be disclosed Wednesday.
Togo is a rank outsider at the tournament, having failed to score a goal at
the African Cup of Nations in Egypt earlier this year. Togo struggled to defeat
Liechtenstein, one of Europe's weakest teams, 1-0 on Friday, and lost an
exhibition game against Saudi Arabia in May. It is ranked 61st in the world, the
lowest of any of the qualifiers for Germany.
The team's first Group G match is against South Korea on June 13, followed by
Switzerland on June 19 and France on June 23.
