Killers Seek Most Scores

World-renowned `goal-getters` are all sharpening their knives. Big scorers are especially waiting impatiently for the opening of the World Cup matches.

In order to claim the World Cup’s score-championship, individual capability is important, but the team’s strength is to be counted first. More games mean more chance for goals. Big scorers will most probably come from the teams that advance to the very finals. In order to play at least one more game than other teams, semifinals is required.

There are many championship candidates, such as Argentina, England, and Italy, among those who play the preliminaries in Japan. Although some say Germany has weakened recently, the team is still certainly a powerful competitor. Northern Europe’s Sweden and Africa’s Nigeria are also not very yielding.

Argentineans Gabriel Bastituta and Herman Crespo are both possible score-champions, but first of all, they must beat the rival in the team start-up competition.

As he is aiming to break the historical record of a single player’s most score (6 goals), Bastituta made 4 goals alone recently during the practice match with Japan’s J-League Kashima. In contrary, Crespo has nothing. However, that is not the end of story. While letting Crespo train with most of the starting members, Argentinean coach Marcelo Bielsa made Bastituta work with back-up members. It seems that Crespo is winning more of the coach’s confidence.

England possesses a prominent star, named Michael Owen. To him, cross passes from right midfielder David Beckham can be a big support. Owen would be happy, more than any other person, to hear Beckham declaring `possible 90-minute full participation`.

Sweden’s Henrik Larsson is another `scoring machine`. He displayed brilliant performance in 10 preliminaries by scoring 8 goals alone. However, there is a setback that Larsson’s helper, midfielder Freddie Ljungberg, is not in good shape, as he injured his waist.

Nigeria has Nwankwo Kanu and his supporter Augustine Okocha. Misfortune is that two out of Argentina, England, Sweden, and Nigeria can only 3 games and no more, since they are all in the `Deadly Group` F.

If that is the situation, spotlight is to shine upon Italy’s Christian Vieri. He is the most powerful score-championship candidate in this tournament. As his two-top partner Filippo Inzaghi is injured, Italian coach Giovanni Trapattoni is expecting more from him. What is more fortunate than anything is that Group G competitors are all inferior to Italy. Besides, Italy has a world-class `chance maker` called Francesco Totti.

Among the teams to play in Korea, David Trezeguet, Thierry Henry (both France), Ronaldo, Rivaldo (both Brazil), Gonzales Raul, and Diego Tristan are after the most goals

Seung-Eob Cho swon@donga.com