18 JUNE 2002

JAPAN				0-1		TURKEY
						Umit 12

Umit headed in Ergun's corner. Japan's best effort in the entire match came
from a free kick late in the first half. Alex bent the ball over the ball and saw
it rebound off the crossbar. Troussier inexplicably substituted him at the start
of the second half. 

Turkey didn't try in the second half. Japan were desperately poor. No favours
from the referee this time.

"It is the end of an adventure but we finished with a Japanese team which has
a lot of spirit for the future. I hope they use that spirit as a launching pad as
the team works towards the 2006 World Cup." - Philippe Troussier

"Japan qualified as the Group H winner and they had the home-ground
advantage but we wanted to win this game, we wanted to reach the
quarter-finals. From the kick-off we controlled the pace of the game against a
very strong Japanese side. We scored early and we tried to pass the ball.
I think we did a very good job." - Senol Gunes

Assist : Ergun (corner)


SOUTH KOREA			2-1		ITALY
Seol 88						Vieri 18
Ahn 117

Korea were awarded a penalty when idiot Panucci hauled down Seol. Buffon
made a fantastic save to deny Perugia based forward Ahn. Vieri headed Italy
the lead from a Totti corner, Vieri himself was getting his shirt pulled at the
time, ironically by Seol. Tommasi played a fantastic one-two with Totti. Totti
pulled down his pass, dragged the ball back and slipped it Tommasi but he
shot straight at Lee. Coco needed stitches after eating an elbow from Tommasi
when both players challenged for a cross.

Vieri should have finished Korea off on a counter attack. Totti dribbled the ball
from the half way line but hesitated when he got into the box giving the
Koreans a chance to clear. A terrible mistake by Panucci gifted Korea a late
equaliser. I'm not sure what he was trying to do but clearing the ball with
your knee isn't a very good idea and Seol took full advantage with a shot
into the corner. Vieri then missed an open goal a minute later, blazing over
Tommasi's centre.

Hwang's low free kick caught the Italian defence cold but Buffon made a
phenomenal save to tip the ball around a post. Totti was given a second
yellow card for diving in the box. It was a dive but the referee should have
used some common sense given the fact that Totti had already been
booked. Lee made a fantastic save from Gattuso after Seol lost possession
in his box. Ahn rose above Maldini to head in Y P Lee's cross and send
another of the favourites packing.

One of THE great World Cup matches. The Italians are blaming the referee
but they had Korea on the ropes in the first half and failed to press their
advantage.

"Three months ago, we started working very hard, and before that we had
been working for a long time. Beginning in March we started working daily
but one of the things I have to give credit to my players is that they keep
on fighting and they also learned tactically a lot in the few weeks, which
was incredible." - Guus Hiddink

"We had three to four possibilities to score and it was regrettable that we
only took the lead by one goal. If Gattuso and Vieri had scored at their given
chances, we could have ended the game earlier. That's football, but if one
of the teams should have advanced to the quarter-finals, it should have been
Italy." - Giovanni Trapattoni

Assists : Totti (corner), Y P Lee
Red Card : Totti 103 minutes (Italy)


17 JUNE 2002

MEXICO				0-2		USA
						McBride 8
						Donovan 65

Reyna ran the right flank from a quickly taken free kick but nothing seemed
to be on after he centred into a packed penalty area however Wolf cleverly
flicked the ball to the edge of the box and McBride smashed past Perez.
Excellent goal. Blanco stung Friedel's palms with a decent long range effort
but should have better from close range after Friedel flapped at a cross.
Perez made an save from Wolf.

Friedel tipped a Luna free kick onto the post. Mexico should have been
awarded a penalty when Berhalter handled in the box. A superb counter
attack put the USA out of reach. O'Brien released Lewis with an excellent
into space and Donovan nodded his inch perfect cross past Perez. Stewart
volleyed against a post. Marquez was sent off for a Cantona kick on Cobi
Jones. Mercado also tried to take a chunk out of Jones but fortunately for
him the ref didn't see it. I know Jones has got a shite hairstyle but that
doesn't justify such rough treatment.

A surprisingly lacklustre performance from the Mexican's. The USA played
some good, inventive football and were worthy winners.

"I don't know if we were lucky. We beat the group winner of the group with
Italy. We beat one of the top five teams in the world. Then we came to get
a point with Korea, the host country. We've had some impressive results in
this World Cup. I wouldn't call that lucky, I think we have a good team.
We will prove that we have one of the great teams in the world with
Germany." - Bruce Arena

"We had good possession of the ball for 90 minutes and moved at a quick
pace but we didn't manage to get good results. We were trying to have
control, grab possession of the ball. Then the referee would make a decision
(missed handball) that made the game difficult." - Javier Aguirre

Assists : Wolff, Lewis


BRAZIL				2-0		BELGIUM
Rivaldo 67
Ronaldo 87

The turning point of the match came late in the first half when Wilmots
had a goal disallowed for absolutely nothing whatsoever. The Belgians
came out fighting in the second half but couldn't find a way past an
inspired Marcos. The Palmeiras 'keeper made excellent saves from Mpenza
and Wilmots. Rivaldo juggled a cross from Jerry Curl on his chest,
turned and volleyed past De Vlieger via a deflection off Simons.
Mpenza snatched at a chance with team-mates waiting in the box. Ronaldo
added a flattering second on the counter attack. Not for the first time
in this World Cup Goor missed a sitter.

More favourable refereeing bails out Brazil. They will need to play a lot better
against England on Friday.

"Not only the players were nervous but also the supporters, everyone working
with the national team, but as I promised, what I have been saying all the
time, this is a team that goes after the ball, that fights for the ball, fights
for every minute of the game, and that's what we did and I am very happy
with it." - Luiz Felipe Scolari

"I have to say that the game could have ended with really a great surprise
because the goal from Marc Wilmots in the first half was a legal one. It was a
good game and the public can be happy with what they saw."
Robert Waseige

Assist : Klebersen


16 JUNE 2002

SWEDEN				1-2		SENEGAL
Larsson 11					Camara 37, 104

Sylva made an excellent save with his feet from Mellberg after a cleverly
worked free kick caught the Senegal defence off guard, Svensson should
have put the rebound away. Svensson swung a corner in the box Sylva
came off his line, got nowhere near the ball and Larsson headed into an
empty net. Diouf headed on a free kick to Henry Camara, he bounced the
ball off his chest, ran to Mjallaby's right and hit a low shot inside the post.
Camara should have scored a second after Faye bulldozed his way down
the left wing and sent a perfect cross into the box but Camara headed
wide.

Sweden blitzed the Senegal goal early in the second half, Allback and
Svensson missing great chance to put their team back in front. Substitute
Ibrahimovic ran onto a long ball, brushed aside Coly, sent a Senegal
defender crashing on his backside with a great dummy but selfishly shot
at goal with Larsson unmarked at the far post. 

Larsson flicked on a Mellberg cross, Coly's clearance fell at Svensson's feet,
he took out Diatta with an outrageous Bergkamp style double dragback then
crashed the ball against the outside of a post. Fantastic effort. Diouf shot over
after taking out Mellberg and Linderoth with some outstanding dribbling
around the box. Henry Camara latched onto a Bouba Diop back heel, cut
inside Mjallaby and hit an early shot in off the post. Brilliant finish.

Match of the tournament so far. Sweden were desperately unlucky not to win.
Both teams played superb football. Diouf is an incredible raw talent. Full of
selfless running and outstanding dribbling skills. His passing and crossing is
great as well. What he needs to work on is his finishing and he also needs to
cut out the diving.

"It was a difficult start for Senegal with an early goal for Sweden. Sweden is a
very strong team, who finished ahead of Argentina and England in the group.
We were able to get the draw, and it must be hard for Sweden to lose in
sudden death." - Bruno Metsu

Assists : Svensson, Diouf, Bouba Diop


SPAIN				1-1		IRELAND
Morientes 8					Keane 90 (Pen)

Ireland were caught out from a cleverly worked set piece. Puyol took a throw
in and lobbed the ball to Luis Enrique, Enrique played it back, Puyol hit a
first time cross into the box and Morientes headed into the net. Spain were
the victims of some screwy offside decisions.

Duff won a penalty mid way through the second half with a blatant dive. Ian
Harte, who has had a terrible tournament, was denied from the spot by
Casillas and Kilbane missed an open goal on the rebound. Camacho took
off both Raul and Morientes. Ireland were awarded a second penalty in the
finally minute when Hierro tried to remove Quinn from his shirt. Robbie Keane
stepped up and made no mistake.

Keane and Connolly went close in extra time.

Penalty-Shoot Out

Robbie Keane and Hierro converted. Holland smashed his penalty against the
crossbar. Baraja converted. Connolly shot straight at Casillas. Juanfran shot
wide. Donkey Kilbane predictably screwed up. Valeron shot wide. Finnan, one
of Ireland's best players in this World Cup,  set up a tense finish with an
emphatic penalty but Mendieta held his nerve and calmly stroked the ball into
the corner.

Spain were deserved winners on the strength of their first half performance.
Ireland were the superior team in extra time.

Spain win 3-2 on penalties.

"We suffered a lot, especially because we had two injured players. For almost
the whole 30 minutes of the extra time, we played with only 10 players
because our number 14 (Albelda) was out due to injury. We had a lot of
opportunities to score in the game even earlier. It was a very balanced
match." - Jose Antonio Camacho

"A wonderful bunch of people, I suppose. I'm so proud to have had a chance
to work with them. I've told them before, whatever happens there's no
recriminations here. We've had a wonderful, wonderful World Cup but I think
we deserved to go to the quarterfinals. I've nothing but admiration for those
players, every one of them." - Mick McCarthy

Assists : Puyol, Quinn (won penalty)


15 JUNE 2002

GERMANY			1-0		PARAGUAY
Neuville 88

The only chance of an insipid first half fell to Paraguay. Kahn punched out a
Slimfast (Chilavert) free kick, Cardozo played the ball back into the box and
Ayala volleyed over. Campos latched onto a long ball and forced Kahn into a
great save with a decent effort from the edge of the box.

Schneider should have given Germany the lead early in the second half but he
shot weakly at Slimfast from Neuville's centre. On the only occasion in which
Klose got decent service, a cross from Ballack, he headed over the bar.
Neuville stopped the pain with a wonderful first time volley at the near post
from Schneider's centre. Coward Cesare Maldini then brought on Cuevas with
minutes remaining.

This was a dreadful match with Paraguay almost entirely to blame. It looked
like they were playing for penalties, after 5 minutes.

"In the first half, it was not really a football game. We were just shooting the
ball all over, just like Paraguay did. We had a change at half time, we started
to press Paraguay and it was a deserved victory after the attack and goal of
Oliver Neuville." - Rudi Voeller

"It was a very equally balanced game until the very end. There weren't really
big possibilities for scoring on either side. The game was mostly played in the
midfield but suddenly there was a beautiful run on the right side and a
beautiful strike from the number seven from Germany." - Cesare Maldini

Assist : Schneider


DENMARK			0-3			ENGLAND
							Ferdinand 5
							Owen 22
							Heskey 45


Ferdinand headed a Beckham corner back across the box and Sorensen
fumbled the ball into his net. Heskey chased down a hopeful ball from
Sinclair, knocked down Laursen to win the ball but Sorensen was kick off his
line and blocked Heskey as he shot. Owen scored from Butt's deflected pass.
Sand missed a glorious chance to get the Danes back into the match.
Gravesen stole the ball off Owen and played in Sand, Sand cut inside
Campbell then Ferdinand but shot wide. Niclas Jensen headed Mills throw
straight to Beckham, he rolled the ball across the edge of the box and
Heskey drilled a low shot under Sorensen, great strike.

England switched off in the second half. Mills was booked for a silly challenge
on Henriksen. Beckham and Bogelund, on for the injured Helveg, went close
with long range strikes.

Denmark suffered from stage fright and a ruthless England side took full
advantage.

"I think we deserved to win but maybe not with that scoreline. In the second
half, Denmark had the ball a lot but they did not create many chances. Well
done to Denmark for not giving up, they pressed us and we had a lot of
problems with them but 3-0 is a very difficult result to chase after halftime."
Sven-Goran Eriksson

"I think it was in only the second minute of the match on the corner they
scored a goal. That made it difficult because England have a very good
defence. Then a quarter of an hour they were 2-0 in front because of a
mistake in our defence. I thought we reacted very well, we played some good
football and had some chances. However, we didn't take our chances and then
just before halftime we made a mistake and then the game was over."
Morten Olsen

Assists : Beckham (corner), Beckham