BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP)?World champion Spain will play an exhibition
against Argentina at River Plates stadium in Buenos Aires on Sept. 7.

Spanish federation head Angel Maria Villa made the announcement Friday.

If top players are selected, it would create a brutal travel schedule for
the Barcelona base of the Spanish team and for Argentina and Barca star Lionel
Messi.

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Spains first game after winning its first World Cup title will be an Aug.
11 exhibition at Mexico City, and the Spanish play their opening European
Championship qualifier on Sept. 3 at Liechtenstein.

Barcelona opens its La Liga title defense Aug. 29 at Racing Santander, plays
its home opener Sept. 12 against Hercules and starts European Champions League
play Sept. 14 or 15.

Spains starting lineup for the World Cup final included seven players
currently on Barcelona: defenders Gerard Pique and Carles Puyol; midfielders
Sergio Busquets, Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez; and forwards Pedro Rodriguez
and David Villa. Spains roster also include Barcas starting goalkeeper, Victor
Valdes.

Argentina coach Diego Maradona is expected to discuss a new contract next
week with Argentine federation president Julio Grondona. Argentina also plays
Ireland in an exhibition on Aug. 11 in Dublin.

With the final 16 set at the World Cup, Brazil has been installed a 7-2
favorite to win its sixth title by BetUS.

The Brazilians won Group G and will play Chile on Monday in the knockout
round. Chile is 30-1.

Spain and Argentina both are 4-1 as second favorites. The European champion
Spaniards won Group H and face Iberian neighbor Portugal (12-1) on Tuesday,
while Argentina has a Sunday game against Mexico (50-1).

The United States, which faces Ghana on Saturday, is 40-1, the same as the
Africans, the only team from the continent to advance.

The Netherlands (6-1) meets Slovakia (80-1) on Monday. Germany (8-1) plays
England (9-1) on Sunday. Uruguay (10-1) takes on South Korea (125-1) on
Saturday. Paraguay (20-1) faces Japan (50-1) on Tuesday.

World Cup betting has been brisk in the United States, according to BetUS
spokesman Reed Richards.

?The World Cup has exhibited some really heart stopping action so far?
particularly in the case of the U.S. squad, Richards said. ?It was apparent
that this World Cup showing was a big one for the sport of soccer in the U.S.
before the tournament started, but has been backed up by the amount of interest
people have shown in our site long before and even more so since the tournament
has begun.

ETOO READY FOR MORE: Cameroon striker Samuel Etoo pledges to continue
playing for the west African nation despite its poor performance at the World
Cup.

The 29-year-old striker scored twice in Cameroons three group defeats in
South Africa. Early elimination was a massive disappointment for a player so
prominent in promotional material for the first World Cup in Africa.

It also was a letdown by the country that put Africa on the soccer map with
its stunning run to the quarterfinals in 1990, beating defending champion
Argentina and Diego Maradona along the way.

Two decades later, it was the first team to leave the tournament and went
out without a single point.

?Theres no point blaming one person or another, Etoo said. ?We have to
focus on the future, and we dont have much time to build it.

The captain was one of the few who acquitted himself well in South Africa.
He gave Cameroon the lead against Denmark before the team succumbed to a 2-1
defeat, and equalized the match against the Netherlands with a penalty kick.

Still, there were missed opportunities.

Etoos touch betrayed him on a couple of occasions against the Dutch, and
he hung his head after moments when he was a step short of catching up to the
ball.

Etoo urged Cameroons federation to focus immediately on the future.

?Everyone has to join together on this project, and we shouldnt have to do
everything last minute, Etoo said. ?Its not good for our people, for our
team or for our football.

Etoo said he would remain a part of the team, regardless of personnel
decisions.

?Im ready to continue with whatever coach we get, he said.

NOT ENOUGH BANG FOR THE BUCK: South Africa failed to justify the money
pumped into the team with its opening-round exit from the first World Cup to be
held in Africa, former national coach Jomo Sono said Friday.

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Sono said its a real loss to the tournament that South Africa exited the
World Cup stage at the first hurdle. South Africa was the first host not to get
out of the group round.

?I strongly believe we could have done better with the preparations we put
in, with the money we put in, with a highly qualified coach as well, Sono
said. ?For any tournamentthe host country must not go out too early
because it can affect the competition.

Sono ruled himself out for a return as South Africa coach now that Brazilian
Carlos Alberto Parreira has resigned, saying its time for someone younger to
take the reins.

?I wouldnt consider going back. I think I had my timeit would be
advisable to get somebody younger, the 54-year-old Sono said.

Sono couldnt lead South Africa out of the group stage at the 2002 World
Cup, noted its been a disappointing tournament for Africa as a whole. Ghana is
the only African team to land a berth in the round of 16.

The biggest African disappointments were Cameroon, which lost all three
games, and Nigeria, which managed one point.

?If you look at Ghana, Ghana dont have big-name players, they dont have
television playersits a unit, theyre working as a unit, theyre working
for each other, theyre fighting for each other, same as Algeria, Sono said..

?Sometimes, we Africans tend to be more individual than being collective,
Sono said. ?I think we should learn from this World Cup that collective is more
important than relying on the individuals.

QATAR DEBATE: Qatars bid to host the 2022 World Cup is provoking a heated
debate in South Africa.

?Ultimately, everybody asks about the weather??What is your solution
towards the weather? bid chief executive Hassan Al Thawadi told The
Associated Press on Friday.

Football officials are curious because a Qatari World Cup would be played
from June 3-July 3, when temperatures can reach 122 Fahrenheit.

Daytime temperatures this week hit 109, with the heat easing to 95 at 9:30
p.m. local time, when late matches?including the final?would kick off.

Al Thawadi has heard the concerns this month, especially from European and
South American officials who want to know what kind of World Cup their national
team might face in 2022.

?Previously it was curiosity or it was more of an astonishment, Al
Thawadi said. ?Now I believe people are genuinely interested.

Qatar proposes to combat searing heat by a system of solar-powered,
air-cooled stadiums with roofs designed to shelter fans and players.

A scaled-down prototype is being built around a five-a-side field in Doha to
showcase the technology, and will be unveiled to FIFA in September during an
official inspection visit.

Qatar proposes playing World Cup matches in 12 stadiums equipped with the
technology. Development plans for five are under way.

The bid claims venues would be regulated at 80.6 degrees.

Organizers also will need to cool each training camp provided for 32
competing teams.

?Technology evolves. Youve got 12 years from now, he said.

Qatars intended gift to the world is the cooling technology. It also would
donate parts of some dismantled stadiums to developing nations because a country
of about 1.4 million people has little need of so many 40,000-seat stadiums.

Also bidding for 2022 are the United States, Australia, and 2002 co-hosts
Japan and South Korea, this time in separate bids.