Bookies bet on Spain as Asians get tough draw
Source: Agencies |
December 6, 2009, Sunday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
EUROPEAN champion Spain was installed as the World Cup favorite on Friday after the draw was made for next year's finals in South Africa.
British bookmaker William Hill had Spain at odds of 4-1 to lift the trophy, with England second best at 5-1 after Fabio Capello's side was handed a favorable draw.
Spain will play Honduras, Chile and Switzerland in Group H while England is in Group C with the United States, Algeria and Slovenia.
Brazil is third favorite at 11-2 after the five-time champion landed a tough group alongside Portugal, Ivory Coast and North Korea.
Spain strikers Fernando Torres and David Villa, at 9-1, are joint favorites to be top scorer.
The finals are expected to break the one billion pounds (US$1.66 billion) barrier in British betting turnover, William Hill spokesman Graham Sharpe revealed in a news release.
South Korea and Japan, meanwhile, remain confident of reaching the knockout stages of the finals despite being handed tricky draws.
South Korea, fourth at the 2002 World Cup, was drawn in Group B with former winner Argentina, Euro 2004 winner Greece and Nigeria.
"I believe that we have a chance," South Korean coach Huh Jung-moo told reporters after the draw.
"All groups seem difficult and I've been ready to face a tough group. I will prepare well to achieve our goal to advance to the last 16 on foreign soil," the coach added.
Japan was drawn in Group E with the Netherlands, Euro 92 winner Denmark and four-time African Nations Cup winner Cameroon.
Despite the tricky draw, and Japan's failure to win a World Cup finals match on foreign soil, coach Takeshi Okada was confident it could make the semifinals.
"It will be the fourth World Cup finals for Japan and we are aiming for a top-four spot," Okada said.
"We don't intend to change our goal and we continue to aim for a top-four spot."
Australia, the fourth team to qualify from the Asia zone, was drawn in a difficult Group D with Germany, Ghana and Serbia.
The 2010 finals run from June 11 to July 11.
British bookmaker William Hill had Spain at odds of 4-1 to lift the trophy, with England second best at 5-1 after Fabio Capello's side was handed a favorable draw.
Spain will play Honduras, Chile and Switzerland in Group H while England is in Group C with the United States, Algeria and Slovenia.
Brazil is third favorite at 11-2 after the five-time champion landed a tough group alongside Portugal, Ivory Coast and North Korea.
Spain strikers Fernando Torres and David Villa, at 9-1, are joint favorites to be top scorer.
The finals are expected to break the one billion pounds (US$1.66 billion) barrier in British betting turnover, William Hill spokesman Graham Sharpe revealed in a news release.
South Korea and Japan, meanwhile, remain confident of reaching the knockout stages of the finals despite being handed tricky draws.
South Korea, fourth at the 2002 World Cup, was drawn in Group B with former winner Argentina, Euro 2004 winner Greece and Nigeria.
"I believe that we have a chance," South Korean coach Huh Jung-moo told reporters after the draw.
"All groups seem difficult and I've been ready to face a tough group. I will prepare well to achieve our goal to advance to the last 16 on foreign soil," the coach added.
Japan was drawn in Group E with the Netherlands, Euro 92 winner Denmark and four-time African Nations Cup winner Cameroon.
Despite the tricky draw, and Japan's failure to win a World Cup finals match on foreign soil, coach Takeshi Okada was confident it could make the semifinals.
"It will be the fourth World Cup finals for Japan and we are aiming for a top-four spot," Okada said.
"We don't intend to change our goal and we continue to aim for a top-four spot."
Australia, the fourth team to qualify from the Asia zone, was drawn in a difficult Group D with Germany, Ghana and Serbia.
The 2010 finals run from June 11 to July 11.
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