Odd

ZAGREB (Reuters) - Croatian soccer fans rushed to donate blood this week in exchange for tickets for the national team's decisive World Cup qualifying game against Sweden, the Vecernji List daily reported Friday.

The game's organizers set aside 300 tickets for the occasion but the number of volunteer blood donors in Zagreb was several times higher. Students cut classes and employees used their lunch breaks to queue in the hospital, the daily said.

"I have always been afraid of syringes, but for Croatia I found the courage," student Ivica Brnadic told the daily.

Croatia play Sweden in Zagreb Saturday, in a match that could decide the winner of their qualifying group. All 35,000 tickets have been sold.