MALE, Maldives -- Maldives, a tiny Indian Ocean archipelago of 280,000
people, routed Cambodia 6-0 in the opening game of its World Cup qualifying
group, sparking celebrations in this soccer-crazy nation.
It was the first World Cup qualifying win for Maldives, which went 0-6 in
its group for the 1998 tournament as was outscored 59-0, including 17-0 against
Iran. Maldives only began playing soccer in the 1970s, and this is only the
second time it entered World Cup qualifying.
Aki Umar beat goalkeeper Va Vandy to put Maldives ahead in the 40th minute,
and Abdul Latif scored on a header off a pass from Umar in the 70th.
Alo Shiham scored in the 75th, Umar added a goal in the 79th and Ashraf
Lutfi scored in the 82nd. Latif had the final goal in the 86th.
The capacity crowd of 12,000 included President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and his
cabinet.
The winner of Asia Group Nine, which also includes China and Indonesia,
joins Bahrain, Iran, Qatar and Saudi Arabia in the 10-nation Asian finals,
which will produce two qualifiers for the 2002 tournament in Japan and South
Korea.
AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service
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