Inland Waterways » Sports Minister Aldo Rebelo visited Curitiba this

SAO PAULO - World Cup organizers want to increase the number of workers at the delayed stadium in Curitiba which is at risk of being dropped. A FIFA consultant and a technical team from the local World Cup organizing committee made the assessment after a visit to Arena da Baixada on Thursday, an official in the southern city said. Reginaldo Cordeiro told The Associated Press the technical team was happy with the improvements made at the construction site, but advised local officials that the workforce must be increased soon to give the city a better chance of hosting its four scheduled matches in footballs showcase event that begins in less than five months. "It was a good visit because they saw that things progressed," Cordeiro, the citys urban planning secretary, said in a telephone interview. "But at the same time it wasnt that good because they asked for an increase in the workforce to speed up the construction." FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke visited Curitiba last month and told local officials they have until Feb. 18 to show the city will be able to finish the stadium in time for the World Cup. Charles Botta, who compiles regular reports to FIFAs top management after visiting the World Cup stadiums, was among those who said the addition of more workers would be ideal to make sure the venue can remain a host city, according to Cordeiro. State and city engineers also participated in Thursdays meeting and agreed. Dropping Curitiba as a host city would be an embarrassment to Brazil and a major headache for FIFA, which has already sold more than one million tickets for the tournament. Brazilian club Atletico Paranaense, which is building the stadium, said it can add workers only if it gets a federal loan, according to Cordeiro. A meeting is scheduled for Friday to try to guarantee the needed financing. Brazils Sports Minister Aldo Rebelo visited Curitiba this week and said everything would be done to try to guarantee the loan. "There is a need for more workers so there is a need for the loan," Cordeiro said. There were nearly 900 workers at the construction site when Valcke visited, he said, and since then the number has increased to about 1,100. With the loan, it could be possible to have nearly 1,400 on site in the next two weeks. Since Valckes visit, the pitch installation has been finalized and nearly 15,000 seats have been installed, Cordeiro said. The roof is expected to be completed in the next few weeks. The Arena da Baixada is scheduled to host Iran-Nigeria on June 16, Australia-Spain on June 23, Algeria-Russia on June 26, and Honduras-Ecuador on June 30. Brazil promised to finish all 12 World Cup stadiums by the end of last year as wanted by FIFA, but five remain under construction. Mike Wallace Eagles Jersey . Paul, MN (SportsNetwork. Markus Wheaton Jersey .A. 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WELLINGTON, New Zealand -- Mexico qualified for the World Cup after beating New Zealand 4-2 in the second leg of an inter-continental playoff Wednesday, bringing an end to one of its most troubled and divisive qualifying campaigns. Striker Oribe Peralta followed his double in the opening leg with a hat trick at Wellington to send his team to Brazil with an emphatic performance that left memories of recent difficulties at least partly erased. Mexico advanced with an aggregate score of 9-3 over the two legs. Mexico shed three coaches during a 10-match campaign in the CONCACAF confederation, during which it won only two games and scored just seven goals to finish fourth and to face the trial of a playoff with Oceania champions New Zealand for a World Cup spot. Under Miguel Herrera, loaned to the national team by the Mexican Leagues Club America, El Tri convincingly beat New Zealand both home and away to keep up its record as one of the most consistent of World Cup qualifiers. "We were expecting to be in the World Cup a long time ago but it wasnt like that," Mexican keeper Moise Munoz said. "So we had to play a couple of games more to be there. It was really tough and we expected it to be tough here in New Zealand. "They fought like warriors to the last minute and they deserve the credit also." Herrera chose not to select players based in Europe or elsewhere for his playoff against New Zealand, naming a starting lineup of locally-based players which included seven players from his own club. His team justified that policy and Herrera, having endedd a period of instability in Mexico soccer, now hopes to be rewarded with a longer-term contract.dddddddddddd Peralta had a hat trick before halftime as Mexico cut to pieces New Zealands defence which, after being too deep in Mexico, pushed too far forward Wednesday and was consistently exposed. Mexico opened up New Zealand on the flanks and, when it centred possession, found Peralta unopposed. Peralta scored in the 14th minute after taking a pass from Juan-Carlos Medina and chipping over oncoming goalkeeper Glen Moss. He scored again in the 28th minute when New Zealand was exposed on the left flank and for a third time in the 33rd minute. New Zealand pulled a goal back when Chris James scored from the penalty spot in the 79th minute. Striker Rory Fallon, whose goal against Bahrain on the same ground almost exactly a year ago sent New Zealand to the 2010 World Cup, scored four minutes later when he side-footed a close-range shot wide of Munoz. Carlos Pena then sealed the win for Mexico with a goal five minutes from fulltime. "Were just a bit disappointed we couldnt get that equalizer," New Zealand captain Tommy Smith said. "Obviously we strung a few more passes together tonight and hopefully that bodes well for the future." New Zealand had one scoring chance in the first half from a penalty in the 38th minute when striker Jeremy Brockie hurled himself to the ground at the feet of Munoz. The goalkeeper calmly picked himself up and saved Brockies shot, leaving the New Zealand striker without a goal in 41 international appearances. 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