Millennium Cup: Yugoslavia meets Iraq in opener

By Our Sports Reporter

KOCHI, DEC. 31. The Millennium Super Soccer Cup, which will be held in Kochi, Calcutta and Goa, beginning January 10, will be watched keenly by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

``The successful conduct of the event will bring in some major tournaments to the country,'' said the All India Football Federation president, Mr. Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi, here on Saturday evening. ``The AFC is looking at India as an important venue,'' he added.

The 16-team Millennium Cup, one of Asia's biggest events, kicks off in Calcutta on January 10 afternoon with the match between Chile and Bahrain. Three matches will be played on the opening day. The two-group, eight-team Kochi leg also begins on the same day with the Group I match between the favourite, Yugoslavia, and Iraq.

To promote the sport among school children, nearly 3,000 tickets will be given free every day, added the AIFF chief who is in Kochi along with the AIFF secretary Alberto Colaco and AIFF executive president P.P. Lakshmanan to release the fixtures of the premier tournament. Ms. Henna Juneja, CEO, Studio 2100, the promoter of the event, Mr. Shyam Sunder Ghosh of AIFF's media committee, the Kerala Football Association president, Mr. K.M.I. Mather, and the secretary, Mr. G. Sugunan, also spoke at the function.

The fixtures:

Group I, in Kochi (Yugoslavia, Bosnia, Iraq, Bangladesh): January 10, 2001: Yugoslavia vs. Iraq (7 p.m.), Jan. 12: Bosnia vs. Bangladesh (7.30 p.m.), Jan. 14: Yugoslavia vs. Bangladesh (5.30 p.m.) and Iraq vs. Bosnia (7.30 p.m.), Jan. 16: Iraq vs. Bangladesh (5 p.m.) and Yugoslavia vs. Bosnia (7 p.m.).

Group II, in Kochi (Uruguay, Iceland, Indonesia, India): Jan. 11: Uruguay vs. Iceland (5.30 p.m.), Indonesia vs. India (7.30 p.m.). Jan. 13: India vs. Iceland (3 p.m.), Uruguay vs. Indonesia (5 p.m.). Jan. 15: Iceland vs. Indonesia (5.30 p.m.), India vs. Uruguay (7.30 p.m.).

Group III, in Goa (Romania, Cameroon, Jordan, Hong Kong): Jan. 11: Romania vs. Jordan (3.45 p.m.). Jan. 12: Cameroon vs. Hong Kong (5.30 p.m.). Jan. 14: Romania vs. Hong Kong (3.30 p.m.). Jan. 15: Cameroon vs. Jordan (5 p.m.). Jan. 17: Cameroon vs. Romania (5 p.m.). Jan. 18: Jordon vs. Hong Kong (5 p.m.).

Group IV, in Calcutta (Chile, Uzbekistan, Japan, Bahrain): Jan. 10: Chile vs. Bahrain (2.45 p.m.), Uzbekistan vs. Japan (5 p.m.). Jan. 12: Chile vs. Japan (3.30 p.m.). Jan. 13: Uzbekistan vs. Bahrain (7 p.m.). Jan. 15: Chile vs. Uzbekistan (3 p.m.). Jan. 17: Bahrain vs. Japan (7 p.m.).

Quarterfinals: Winner of Group II vs. Runner-up of Group I (Jan. 18, 7 p.m., in Kochi); Winner of Group I vs. Runner-up of Group III (Jan. 20, 4.30 p.m., Goa); Winner of Group IV vs. Runner-up of Group II (Jan. 20, 6.30 p.m., Calcutta); Winner of Group III vs. Runner-up of Group IV (Jan. 21, 5 p.m., Calcutta).

Semifinals (both in Calcutta): Winner of quarterfinals 1 vs. winner of quarterfinals 2 (Jan. 22, 5 p.m.); winner of quarterfinals 3 vs. winner of quarterfinals 4 (Jan. 23, 5 p.m.).

Third place match (Calcutta): Jan. 25, 3 p.m.

Final (Calcutta): Jan. 25, 5 p.m.

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