P W D L F A PTS
Denmark 3 2 1 0 5 2 7
Senegal 3 1 2 0 5 4 5
Uruguay 3 0 1 2 4 5 1
France 3 0 1 2 0 3 1
Qualify For The Second Round
11 JUNE 2002
DENMARK 2-0 FRANCE
Rommedahl 22
Tomasson 67
France should have capitalised on a slip in the Danish defence but Trezeguet
selfishly took a shot from a wide angle with Wiltord unmarked in the centre.
Zidane slipped with the goal at his mercy as he tried to control a pass from
Vieira. Desailly and Thuram made a mess of clearing Tofting's throw in. Tofting
got a second chance to play the ball back into the box and Rommedahl arrived
at the far post with Candela, who should have been picking him up, nowhere
to be seen and volleyed past Barthez. Great finish. Zidane almost equalised
with a superb curling effort from the edge of the box after robbing Helveg of
the ball. Desailly headed a Zidane corner against the crossbar. Barthez,
probably one of the few French player who leaves with any credit, made
an outstanding one handed save from Tomasson. Milan wasn't to be denied
his fourth goal of the tournament. Gravesen knocked a ball into Gronkjaer,
once again Candela's was caught out, and Tomasson tapped in his centre
Desailly slipped in the box. Cisse was the only French player to test Sorensen
with a stinging drive. Trezeguet hammered a shot against the underside of
the crossbar. Bogelund could have scored a third for the Danes but that
would have been too cruel.
Lemerde paid the price for sticking by players who are past their sell by date
and for letting Zidane pick his friends (Dugarry and Djorkaeff amongst others).
Something many others and myself have warned about since Euro 2000.
"All other teams in the group were difficult to play. The last game was
important and we had a good day. The team played with a lot of confidence
and especially a lot of discipline." - Morten Olsen
"Normally for France the confidence of Zidane backing the team was a very
big stimulant for France. We marked him really well. It was very difficult for
him to commit to the game but again I think it was very good for our team."
Morten Olsen
"It is obvious we didn't deserve to progress to the second round. We had a
little chance here. We prepared for this game with everything we had and
we did our best. The punishment of sport is here and we have to accept it."
Roger Lemerre
Assists : Tofting, Gronkjaer
SENEGAL 3-3 URUGUAY
Fadiga 20 (Pen) Morales 46
Diop 26, 38 Forlan 69
Recoba 88 (Pen)
Diouf stole the ball off Montero, ran into the box and took a dive as Carini
pulled his arms AWAY from him. Penalty. Shocking dive. Fadiga converted.
Two counter attacks sent Senegal racing into a two goal lead. Bouba Diop
with an excellent side foot shot from Camara's centre and the second a
fantastic volley which crashed in off the underside of the crossbar, once again
Camara supplied the pass.
Uruguay pulled a goal back 18 seconds in the second half. Forlan got on the
end of a long ball, his shot hit Silva, Silva's shot was saved but Morales tapped
in the rebound. Forlan became the second Uruguayan player to score a
contender for goal of the World Cup. As Recoba's free kick was cleared he
controlled the ball on his chest and fired a right foot volley into the corner
of the net. Morales won a penalty with a dive as equally blatant as Diouf's in
the first half. Recoba equalised. Diatta cleared an explosive drive from Varela
off the line and Morales missed an open goal on the rebound. The goal would
have taken Uruguay through to the next round.
Assists : Diouf (won pen), H Camara (x2), Morales (won pen)
6 JUNE 2002
FRANCE 0-0 URUGUAY
Barthez made an excellent save from a deflected Recoba shot. Henry was
sent off for a horrible two footed lunge on Romero. Petit curled a free
kick against a post. The game threatened to get ugly. Silva, who had
earlier took a dive with no contact and then rolled around in agony,
drawing the fury of the crowd, stamped on Vieira. Petit retaliated to
Abreu's sh irt pulling by pushing him in the chest. Recoba stung Barthez's
palms with a fierce drive on a counter. Rodriguez launched a long ball up
filed, Barthez flew off his line and charged out of box, missing the ball
completely, Recoba rounded him but shot way too early and missed an empty
net. Miss of the tournament. Abreu headed Recoba's centre wide. Carini
made a phenomenal reaction save from Trezeguet following a powerful run
by Vieira. Lizarazu droved forward and slipped in Wiltord with a superb
disguised pass, as Wiltord was about to shoot Sorondo threw himself at
the ball to clear. Tackle of the tournament. Abreu helped on Garcia's
long ball to Magallanes and you would have put your mortgage on him to
score but Barthez made a sensational save with his feet, save of the
tournament.
How this match finished 0-0 is anyone's guess. Best 0-0 I have ever seen.
"We hoped to win, but it is a regret that we drew. We will do our best in the
match with Senegal. We had a lot of opportunities, but I regret not having
utilized them all." - Victor Pua
"I can't say the players didn't play well. France has seen what the players
have accomplished. They gave everything they had. First of all, I say to my
players, there's still hope. We need to do well against Denmark. It's a pity
no goal was scored tonight. Maybe the number of goals will decide which
teams advance to the second round." - Roger Lemerre
DENMARK 1-1 SENEGAL
Tomasson 16 (pen) Diao 52
Tomasson converted a penalty awarded when Diao stuck a knee in his back.
Stupid foul. Tomasson had a second goal disallowed minutes later for a
handball and to add insult to injury was also booked!
Bouba Diop headed over from close range. Senegal equalised following an
outstanding counter attack. H Camara stole the ball off Jorgensen and passed
to Diouf, Diouf hit a FIRST TIME back heel to Diao who in turn hit a first time
to Fadiga. Fadiga carried the ball forward, Bouba Diop took two players with
him leaving Diao to run onto Fadiga's pass and he toe poked past Sorensen.
Best team goal of the tournament, easily. Fadiga and S Camara should wasted
two great chances. Diao was sent off for a shocking leg break attempt on old
man Henriksen.
Denmark go through as long as they avoid defeat by a two goal margin in
their final game against France. Same case for Senegal in their final game
against Uruguay. If Senegal played like they did today they'll have no problem
with Uruguay.
"The players did their best. After conceding the first goal, in the second half,
we scored an equalizer. The players performed to their full capacity and this
gave a lot of happiness to Africans and it is a grand victory for African football."
Bruno Metsu
"We are satisfied with the point. We had a good control of the game in the
first half. We had good counterattacks. But they have 3-4 technical players
and they played a physical game. It was a 30C degree temperature. It is
okay for an African nation but different for a European country."
Morten Olsen
Assists : Tomasson (won penalty), Fadiga
1 JUNE 2002
URUGUAY 1-2 DENMARK
Rodriguez 47 Tomasson 45, 83
Tomasson scored a beautiful goal for the Danes on the stroke of half time.
The useless Silva lost the ball from a thrown-in in his own half. Gronkjaer
bounced Gravesen's pass off his thigh and volleyed to Tomasson, Tomasson
controlled ball on his chest and volleyed back to Gronkjaer, Gronkjaer let
the ball run forward then rolled a first time pass into the box and Tomasson
side footed into the net.
Rodriguez scored a magnificent equaliser, almost certainly the goal of the
tournament. Guigou latched onto a clearance from a corner - with a stunning
first touch he flicked up a high ball with his left foot and brought it under
control instantly, he bounced the ball off his right thigh then dropped it
straight over Rodriguez who sent a left foot volley screaming into the net.
One of THE best assists you're ever likely to see. Jensen stole the ball off
Rodriguez with an excellent slide tack and passed down the wing to fellow
substitute Jorgensen, sent a cross into the box and Tomasson headed past
Carini from a standing position.
Recoba was Uruguay's only creative outlet. Their long ball game rarely
troubled Denmark. The Danes wing play was superb.
Assists : Gronkjaer, Garcia, Jorgensen
"I thought we played the better football for the last hour and physically we
were better. We had good chances from Rommendahl and also Jon Dahl
Tomasson. It wasn't just the goals themselves that pleased me but the
build-up, which was marvellous. As a coach it's very satisfying to see things
that you practice come off." - Morten Olsen
"Our morale remains high. We are still in the competition and we are looking
ahead to the next two matches. We will also try to think about the mistakes
we made today. The game was balanced but in the end they got the goal
that mattered." - Victor Pua
31 MAY 2002
FRANCE 0-1 SENEGAL
Bouba Diop 30
A decent start to the match. Thuram burst down the right flank and sent a
cross towards Trezeguet but he volleyed into the ground. Hadji took a pass
from Coly on the opposite flank, skinned Desailly and cut the ball back for
Fadiga but he shot weakly at Barthez. Trezeguet pulled down a Barthez goal
kick and collided with the Senegal 'keeper Sylva. Trezeguet smashed a shot
against the outside a post following great work by Henry. Diao ripped the
ball off Lizarazu? with a hard tackle and released Diouf down the left wing,
he skipped over a predictably poor Leboeuf tackle before knocking the ball
across the face of goal, Petit inexplicably attempted a back pass, the ball hit
Barthez and Bouba Diop hooked in the rebound.
Henry missed an open goal from a teasing Wiltord cross. Sylva spilled a
weakly struck Djorkaeff effort but was quick to deny Trezeguet on the
follow-up. Vieira was left unmarked from the resulting corner but headed
straight at Sylva. In his desperation Lemerde took off Djorkaeff for another
ageing player who shouldn't have made the squad, donkey Dugarry. Daf
found Fadiga in a ton of space out wide, he surged into the box and
Leboeuf with some dummies then left fly with a left foot shot which cannoned
off the top of the crossbar. Dugarry headed on a cross to Henry, he controlled
the ball with this thigh and curled a shot against the post. Bouba Diop failed
to punish a terrible mistake by Leboeuf with Hadji unmarked at the back
post. Leboeuf had a chance late in the match but shot straight at Sylva.
The French looked desperately lethargic.
"Senegal were well organized with a five-man midfield. We could not
overcome them. Senegal got just one chance and they scored. It's pure bad
luck. Our opponents played their game based on aggression and pressing.
It's up to us now to get through to the next round." - Roger Lemerre
"This result is the biggest moment for our team and this World Cup. This is
the match we dreamed of, planned for and now we've achieved it. It's a
tremendous reward for the country and especially the players for all the
hard work they've put in. We're delighted to have caused such an upset.
We were lucky at times, but so were France. We've taken a crucial step
towards the second round, but there are two more obstacles to
overcome." - Bruno 'Don Johnson' Metsu
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