YAOUNDE, 6 July 2003 — Thousands of mournful fans lined the streets of Cameroon’s capital yesterday, waving palm fronds and branches as the body of Cameroonian international Marc-Vivien Foe was brought home for burial.

Some fans wore black and others were dressed in the No. 17 national team jersey worn by Foe, who collapsed during his team’s Confederations Cup semifinal win over Colombia nine days ago and died shortly later.

On occasions, mourners thronged into the road, blocking the cavalcade of 300 vehicles as they tried to pay last respects to the midfielder who died at the age of 28.

Fans waved placards reading “Marco, go in peace,” or “Marco, a lion never dies, he is resting” - the latter a reference to the national team’s nickname, the Indomitable Lions. Grieving women fell to the ground as the coffin passed.

Foe’s body arrived at the airport on a special Cameroon Airlines flight, accompanied by his family and the national team.

After a brief religious ceremony and military honors, his body was taken on the 23-km (14-mile) memorial drive through the city.

Thousands had gathered at the airport to pay tribute. Mourners wailed as Foe’s wife, Marie Louise, stepped off the plane with her children and other family members.

“Marc, so it is true that you are dead,” said his father Martin Amougou Foe, tears rolling down his cheeks. “It is God’s will.”

Foe, who had 65 caps, featured at two World Cups, 1994 and 2002, and twice won the African Nations Cup, in 2000 and 2002.

“He was a sportsman full of talent, generosity and humanity. We all miss him very dearly,” said Kalkaba Malboum, head of the Cameroon’s national Olympic committee and the African Athletics Federation.

Foe will be buried with full official honors tomorrow, following a mass at Yaounde’s cathedral. The burial will take place at the player’s home.

The exact cause of his death is not yet known. The results of the autopsy are due next week and toxicology tests have been sent for analysis in Geneva. FIFA President Sepp Blatter, thousands of soccer fans and a host of players paid tribute to Foe at a memorial service in Lyons, France on Thursday.

Foe had played for French clubs RC Lens and Olympique Lyon, as well as West Ham United and Manchester City in England.

Italy-Bound Yanagisawa

Scores in Farewell Game

In Tokyo, Sampdoria-bound Atsushi Yanagisawa was on target in his farewell game as Kashima Antlers thrashed champions Jubilo Iwata 5-2 to go second in the J-League yesterday.

Unfashionable JEF United Ichihara reclaimed top spot with a 2-0 victory at local rivals Kashiwa Reysol as the Japanese first division resumed after a six-week break. Midfielder Yuto Sato opened the scoring for Ichihara in the 22nd minute and playmaker Yuki Abe added a brilliant second 10 minutes after the break as JEF United improved to 23 points from 11 matches in the J-League first stage.

Jubilo goalkeeper Arno van Zwan was sent off after just 12 minutes as the visitors were beaten for the first time in 27 away matches in the J-League with their defeat by Kashima.