Brazil Has Tough Draw In Soccer Cup Finals

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30953, 8 January 1966, Page 15

Brazil Has Tough Draw In Soccer Cup Finals

(N.Z.P.A. Reuter— Copyright) LONDON. Brazil, winner of the last two tournaments, in 1958 and 1962, has been given a tough draw for its attempt to complete a World Cup soccer hat-trick. When the draw was made in London yesterday for the 1966 finals, to be played in England in July, Hungary, Portugal and Bulgaria were placed in the same group as Brazil.

The Portuguese competing in the finals for the first time are a team which can play dazzling soccer, while Hungary won the Olympic title in Tokyo. Bulgaria created a surprise in qualifying at the expense of Belgium after a play-off. Brazil is firm favourite to score its third triumph and so win outright the golden Jules Rimet Trophy. England’s Opponents England, rated second favourite mainly on the strength of being host nation with ground advantage, will be opposed by Uruguay, the trophy winner in 1930 and 1950, France and Mexico. The four groups are: Group One: England, Uruguay, France, Mexico (matches to be played at Wembley and the White City). Group Two: Argentina, West Germany, Spain, Switzerland (at Birmingham and Sheffield).

Group Three: Brazil, Hungary. Portugal. Bulgarian (at Liverpool and Manchester). Group Four: Chile, Soviet Union, Italy, North Korea (at Sunderland and Middlebrough). The group matches, which begin on July 11, will be decided on a league basis, each team playing the other three once. The top teams in each group will qualify for the quarterfinals, on July 23. Knock-out Follows The quarter-finals and later rounds will all be decided on a knock-out basis. The lineups for the quarter-finals will be decided as follows: Match 1: Winner of group 1 v. runner-up of group 2; match 2: winner of group 2 v. run-ner-up of group 1; match 3: winner of group 3 v. runnerup of group 4; match: winner of group 4 v, runner-up of group 3. The semi-finals, on July 25 and 26, will be: winner of match 1 v. winner of match

3. Winner of match 2 v. winner of match 4. The final will be at Wembley on July 30. The Soviet Union and Italy appear to dominate group four, although little is known about North Korea, winch qualified by beating Australia. In group two. Argentina and Spain look to be the two strong teams. The teams were segregated on a geographical basis to prevent neighbouring countries clashing in the same group. The draw was the prelude to the most momentous sports event to be staged in England since the 1948 Olympic Games at Wembley.

Thousands of soccer enthusiasts from all over the world are expected to watch the finals, and receipts from ticket sales have already passed the £500,000 mark. About 400,000.000 people throughout the world may eventually, through live coverage and taped recordings, watch the final.